Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Acts
Excerpt
Book 44 Acts
001:001 My former narrative, Theophilus, dealt with all that
Jesus
did and taught as a
beginning, down to the day on which,
001:002 after giving instruction through the Holy Spirit to the
Apostles
whom He had chosen,
He was taken up to Heaven.
001:003 He had also, after He suffered, shown Himself alive to
them
with many sure
proofs, appearing to them at intervals during
forty days, and
speaking of the Kingdom of God.
001:004 And while in their company He charged them not to
leave
Jerusalem, but to
wait for the Father’s promised gift.
“This you
have heard of,” He said, “from me.
001:005 For John indeed baptized with water, but before many
days
have passed you
shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
001:006 Once when they were with Him, they asked Him,
“Master, is this
the time at which
you are about to restore the kingdom of Israel?”
001:007 “It is not for you,” He replied, “to know
times or epochs
which the Father
has reserved within His own authority;
001:008 and yet you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come
upon you, and you
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all
Judaea and Samaria
and to the remotest parts of the earth.”
001:009 When He had said this, and while they were
looking
at Him, He was
carried up, and a cloud closing beneath Him
hid Him from their
sight.
001:010 But, while they stood intently gazing into the sky as He
went,
suddenly there were
two men in white garments standing by them,
001:011 who said, “Galilaeans, why stand looking into the
sky?
This same Jesus who
has been taken up from you into Heaven
will come in just
the same way as you have seen Him
going into
Heaven.”
001:012 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain
called
the Oliveyard,
which is near Jerusalem, about a mile off.
001:013 They entered the city, and they went up to the upper room
which
was now their fixed
place for meeting. Their names were Peter
and John, James and
Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew
and Matthew, James
the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas the
brother of James.
001:014 All of these with one mind continued earnest in
prayer,
together with some
women, and Mary the mother of Jesus,
and His
brothers.
001:015 It was on one of these days that Peter stood up in the
midst
of the
brethren—the entire number of persons present
being
about
120—and said,
001:016 “Brethren, it was necessary that the Scripture should
be fulfilled—
the prediction, I
mean, which the Holy Spirit uttered by
the lips of David,
about Judas, who acted as guide to those
who arrested
Jesus.
001:017 For Judas was reckoned as one of our number, and a
share
in this ministry
was allotted to him.”
001:018 (Now having bought a piece of ground with the money paid
for his
wickedness he fell
there with his face downwards, and, his body
bursting open, he
became disembowelled.
001:019 This fact became widely known to the people of
Jerusalem,
so that the place
received the name, in their language,
of Achel-damach,
which means `The Field of Blood.’)
001:020 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “`Let
his encampment
be desolate:
let there be no one to dwell there’; and
“`His
work let another
take up.’
001:021 “It is necessary, therefore, that of the men who have
been with us
all the time that
the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—
001:022 beginning from His baptism by John down to the day on which
He
was taken up again
from us into Heaven—one should be appointed
to become a witness
with us as to His resurrection.”
001:023 So two names were proposed, Joseph called
Bar-sabbas—
and surnamed
Justus—and Matthias.
001:024 And the brethren prayed, saying, “Thou, Lord, who
knowest the hearts
of all, show
clearly which of these two Thou hast chosen
001:025 to occupy the place in this ministry and Apostleship
from
which Judas through
transgression fell, in order to go
to his own
place.”
001:026 Then they drew lots between them. The lot fell on
Matthias,
and a place among
the eleven Apostles was voted to him.
002:001 At length, on the day of the Harvest Festival, they had all
met
in one
place;
002:002 when suddenly there came from the sky a sound as of a
strong
rushing blast of
wind. This filled the whole house where
they were
sitting;
002:003 and they saw tongues of what looked like fire
distributing
themselves over the
assembly, and on the head of each person
a tongue
alighted.
002:004 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to
speak
in foreign
languages according as the Spirit gave them
words to
utter.
002:005 Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from
every
part of the
world.
002:006 So when this noise was heard, they came crowding
together,
and were amazed
because everyone heard his own language spoken.
002:007 They were beside themselves with wonder, and
exclaimed,
“Are not all
these speakers Galilaeans?
002:008 How then does each of us hear his own native
language
spoken by
them?
002:009 Some of us are Parthians, Medes, Elamites. Some are
inhabitants
of Mesopotamia, of
Judaea or Cappadocia, of Pontus or the
Asian Province, of
Phrygia or Pamphylia,
002:010 of Egypt or of the parts of Africa towards
Cyrene.
Others are visitors
from Rome—being either Jews or converts
from
heathenism—and others are Cretans or Arabians.
002:011 Yet we all alike hear these Galilaeans speaking in our
own
language about the
wonderful things which God has done.”
002:012 They were all astounded and bewildered, and asked one
another,
“What can
this mean?”
002:013 But others, scornfully jeering, said, “They are
brim-full
of sweet
wine.”
002:014 Peter however, together with the Eleven, stood up and
addressed
them in a loud
voice. “Men of Judaea, and all you
inhabitants
of
Jerusalem,” he said, “be in no uncertainty about
this
matter but pay
attention to what I say.
002:015 For this is not intoxication, as you suppose, it being
only
the third hour of
the day.
002:016 But that which was predicted through the Prophet Joel has
happened:
002:017 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, God
says,
that I will pour
out My Spirit upon all mankind; and your sons
and your daughters
shall prophesy, and your young men shall
see visions, and
your old men shall have dreams;
002:018 and even upon My bondservants, both men and women, at that
time,
I will pour out My
Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
002:019 I will display marvels in the sky above, and signs on the
earth below,
blood and fire, and
pillars of smoke.
002:020 The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into
blood,
to usher in the day
of the Lord—that great and illustrious day;
002:021 and every one who calls on the name of the Lord shall be
saved.’
002:022 “Listen, Israelites, to what I say. Jesus, the
Nazarene,
a man accredited to
you from God by miracles and marvels
and signs which God
did among you through Him, as you
yourselves know,
Him—
002:023 delivered up through God’s settled purpose and
foreknowledge—
you by the hands of
Gentiles have nailed to a cross and have
put to
death.
002:024 But God has raised Him to life, having terminated the
throes
of death, for in
fact it was not possible for Him to be held
fast by
death.
002:025 For David says in reference to Him, “`I constantly
fixed my
eyes upon the Lord,
because He is at my right hand in order
that I may continue
unshaken.
002:026 For this reason my heart is glad and my tongue
exults.
My body also shall
rest in hope.
002:027 For Thou wilt not leave me in the Unseen World
forsaken,
nor give up Thy
holy One to undergo decay.
002:028 Thou hast made known to me the ways of Life: Thou
wilt fill
me with gladness in
Thy presence.’
002:029 “As to the patriarch David, I need hardly remind you,
brethren,
that he died and
was buried, and that we still have his
tomb among
us.
002:030 Being a Prophet, however, and knowing that God had
solemnly
sworn to him to
seat a descendant of his upon his throne,
002:031 with prophetic foresight he spoke of the resurrection of
the Christ,
to the effect that
He was not left forsaken in the Unseen World,
nor did His body
undergo decay.
002:032 This Jesus, God has raised to life—a fact to
which all
of us
testify.
002:033 “Being therefore lifted high by the mighty hand of
God, He has
received from the
Father the promised Holy Spirit and has
poured out this
which you see and hear.
002:034 For David did not ascend into Heaven, but he says
himself,
“`The Lord
said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand
002:035 until I make thy foes a footstool under thy
feet.’
002:036 “Therefore let the whole House of Israel know
beyond
all doubt that God
has made Him both LORD and CHRIST—
this Jesus whom you
crucified.”
002:037 Stung to the heart by these words, they said to Peter and
the rest
of the Apostles,
“Brethren, what are we to do?”
002:038 “Repent,” replied Peter, “and be
baptized, every one of you,
in the name of
Jesus Christ, with a view to the remission
of your sins, and
you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
002:039 For to you belongs the promise, and to your
children,
and to all who are
far off, whoever the Lord our God may call.”
002:040 And with many more appeals he solemnly warned and entreated
them,
saying,
“Escape from this crooked generation.”
002:041 Those, therefore, who joyfully welcomed his Message were
baptized;
and on that one day
about three thousand persons were
added to
them;
002:042 and they were constant in listening to the teaching of
the
Apostles and in
their attendance at the Communion, that is,
the Breaking of the
Bread, and at prayer.
002:043 Fear came upon every one, and many marvels and signs were
done
by the
Apostles.
002:044 And all the believers kept together, and had everything in
common.
002:045 They sold their lands and other property, and
distributed
the proceeds among
all, according to every one’s necessities.
002:046 And, day by day, attending constantly in the Temple with
one accord,
and breaking bread
in private houses, they took their meals
with great
happiness and single-heartedness,
002:047 praising God and being regarded with favour by all the
people.
Also, day by day,
the Lord added to their number those whom
He was
saving.
003:001 One day Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the
hour
of
prayer—the ninth hour—and, just
then,
003:002 some men were carrying there one who had been lame from
birth,
whom they were wont
to place every day close to the Beautiful Gate
(as it was called)
of the Temple, for him to beg from the people
as they went
in.
003:003 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple, he
asked
them for
alms.
003:004 Peter fixing his eyes on him, as John did also, said,
“Look at us.”
003:005 So he looked and waited, expecting to receive something
from them.
003:006 “I have no silver or gold,” Peter said,
“but what I have, I give you.
In the name of
Jesus Christ, the Nazarene—walk!”
003:007 Then taking his hand Peter lifted him up, and
immediately
his feet and ankles
were strengthened.
003:008 Leaping up, he stood upright and began to walk, and went
into
the Temple with
them, walking, leaping, and praising God.
003:009 All the people saw him walking and praising God;
003:010 and recognizing him as the man who used to sit at the
Beautiful Gate
of the Temple
asking for alms, they were filled with awe
and amazement at
what had happened to him.
003:011 While he still clung to Peter and John, the people,
awe-struck, ran up
crowding round them
in what was known as Solomon’s Portico.
003:012 Peter, seeing this, spoke to the people.
“Israelites,” he said,
“why do you
wonder at this man? Or why gaze at us, as though
by any power or
piety of our own we had enabled him to walk?
003:013 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our
forefathers,
has conferred this
honour on His Servant Jesus, whom you
delivered up and
disowned in the presence of Pilate,
when he had decided
to let Him go.
003:014 Yes, you disowned the holy and righteous One, and
asked
as a favour the
release of a murderer.
003:015 The Prince of Life you put to death; but God has raised
Him
from the dead, and
we are witnesses as to that.
003:016 It is His name—faith in that name being the
condition—
which has
strengthened this man whom you behold and know;
and the faith which
He has given has made this man sound
and strong again,
as you can all see.
003:017 “And now, brethren, I know that it was in ignorance
that you
did it, as was the
case with your rulers also.
003:018 But in this way God has fulfilled the declarations He
made
through all the
Prophets, that His Christ would suffer.
003:019 Repent, therefore, and reform your lives, so that the
record
of your sins may be
cancelled, and that there may come seasons
of revival from the
Lord,
003:020 and that He may send the Christ appointed
beforehand
for
you—even Jesus.
003:021 Heaven must receive Him until those times of which God has
spoken
from the earliest
ages through the lips of His holy Prophets—
the times of the
reconstitution of all things.
003:022 Moses declared, “`The Lord your God will raise up a
Prophet
for you from among
your brethren as He has raised me.
In all that He says
to you, you must listen to Him.
003:023 And every one, without exception, who refuses to listen to
that
Prophet shall be
utterly destroyed from among the People.’
003:024 Yes, and all the Prophets, from Samuel
onwards—all who have spoken—
have also announced
the coming of this present time.
003:025 “You are the heirs of the Prophets, and of the
Covenant which God
made with your
forefathers when He said to Abraham, `And through
your posterity all
the families of the world shall be blessed.’
003:026 It is to you first that God, after raising His Servant
from
the grave, has sent
Him to bless you, by causing every one
of you to turn from
your wickedness.”
004:001 While they were saying this to the people, the
Priests,
the Commander of
the Temple Guard, and the Sadducees
came upon
them,
004:002 highly incensed at their teaching the people and
proclaiming
in the case of
Jesus the Resurrection from among the dead.
004:003 They arrested the two Apostles and lodged them in custody
till
the next day; for
it was already evening.
004:004 But many of those who had listened to their preaching
believed;
and the number of
the adult men had now grown to be about 5,000.
004:005 The next day a meeting was held in Jerusalem of
their
Rulers, Elders, and
Scribes,
004:006 with Annas the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and
the
other members of
the high-priestly family.
004:007 So they made the Apostles stand in the centre, and
demanded
of them, “By
what power or in what name have you done this?”
004:008 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he
replied,
“Rulers and
Elders of the people,
004:009 if we to-day are under examination concerning the
benefit
conferred on a man
helplessly lame, as to how this man
has been
cured;
004:010 be it known to you all, and to all the people of
Israel,
that through the
name of Jesus the Anointed, the Nazarene,
whom you
crucified, but whom God has raised from among
the
dead—through that name this man stands here before
you
in perfect
health.
004:011 This Jesus is the Stone treated with contempt by you the
builders,
but it has been
made the Cornerstone.
004:012 And in no other is the great salvation to be found; for, in
fact,
there is no second
name under Heaven that has been given
among men through
which we are to be saved.”
004:013 As they looked on Peter and John so fearlessly
outspoken—
and also discovered
that they were illiterate persons,
untrained in the
schools—they were surprised; and now they
recognized them as
having been with Jesus.
004:014 And seeing the man standing with them—the man
who had been cured—
they had no reply
to make.
004:015 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin while
they
conferred among
themselves.
004:016 “What are we to do with these men?” they asked
one another;
for the fact that a
remarkable miracle has been performed
by them is well
known to every one in Jerusalem, and we
cannot deny
it.
004:017 But to prevent the matter spreading any further among the
people,
let us stop them by
threats from speaking in the future
in this name to any
one whatever.”
004:018 So they recalled the Apostles, and ordered them
altogether
to give up speaking
or teaching in the name of Jesus.
004:019 But Peter and John replied, “Judge whether it is
right in God’s
sight to listen to
you instead of listening to God.
004:020 As for us, what we have seen and heard we cannot
help speaking
about.”
004:021 The Court added further threats and then let them
go,
being quite unable
to find any way of punishing them on account
of the people,
because all gave God the glory for the thing
that had
happened.
004:022 For the man was over forty years of age on whom this
miracle
of restoration to
health had been performed.
004:023 After their release the two Apostles went to their
friends,
and told them all
that the High Priests and Elders had said.
004:024 And they, upon hearing the story, all lifted up their
voices
to God and said,
“O Sovereign Lord, it is Thou who didst make
Heaven and earth
and sea, and all that is in them,
004:025 and didst say through the Holy Spirit by the lips of our
forefather
David Thy servant,
“`Why have the nations stamped and raged,
and the peoples
formed futile plans?
004:026 The kings of the earth came near, and the rulers
assembled
together against
the Lord and against His Anointed.’”
004:027 “They did indeed assemble in this city in hostility
to Thy holy
Servant Jesus whom
Thou hadst anointed—Herod and Pontius Pilate
with the Gentiles
and also the tribes of Israel—
004:028 to do all that Thy power and Thy will had
predetermined
should be
done.
004:029 And now, Lord, listen to their threats, and enable Thy
servants
to proclaim Thy
Message with fearless courage,
004:030 whilst Thou stretchest out Thine arm to cure men, and to
give
signs and marvels
through the name of Thy holy Servant Jesus.”
004:031 When they had prayed, the place in which they were
assembled shook,
and they were, one
and all, filled with the Holy Spirit,
and proceeded to
tell God’s Message with boldness.
004:032 Among all those who had embraced the faith there was but
one heart
and soul, so that
none of them claimed any of his possessions
as his own, but
everything they had was common property;
004:033 while the Apostles with great force of conviction
delivered
their testimony as
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus;
and great grace was
upon them all.
004:034 And, in fact, there was not a needy man among
them,
for all who were
possessors of lands or houses sold them,
and brought the
money which they realised,
004:035 and gave it to the Apostles, and distribution was made to
every
one according to
his wants.
004:036 In this way Joseph, whom the Apostles gave the name of
Bar-nabas—
signifying `Son of
Encouragement’—a Levite, a native of
Cyprus,
004:037 sold a farm which he had, and brought the money and gave
it
to the
Apostles.
005:001 There was a man of the name of Ananias who, with his wife
Sapphira,
sold some property
but,
005:002 with her full knowledge and consent, dishonestly kept
back
part of the price
which he received for it, though he brought
the rest and gave
it to the Apostles.
005:003 “Ananias,” said Peter, “why has Satan
taken possession of your heart,
that you should try
to deceive the Holy Spirit and dishonestly
keep back part of
the price paid you for this land?
005:004 While it remained unsold, was not the land your
own?
And when sold, was
it not at your own disposal?
How is it that you
have cherished this design in your heart?
It is not to men
you have told this lie, but to God.”
005:005 Upon hearing these words Ananias fell down dead, and all
who
heard the words
were awe-struck.
005:006 The younger men, however, rose, and wrapping the body
up,
carried it out and
buried it.
005:007 About three hours had passed, when his wife came
in,
knowing nothing of
what had happened.
005:008 Peter at once questioned her. “Tell me,”
he said,
“whether you
sold the land for so much.” “Yes,” she
replied,
“for so
much.”
005:009 “How was it,” replied Peter, “that you
two agreed to try
an experiment upon
the Spirit of the Lord? The men who have
buried your husband
are already at the door, and they will
carry you
out.”
005:010 Instantly she fell down dead at his feet, and the young men
came
in and found her
dead. So they carried her out and buried
her by her
husband’s side.
005:011 This incident struck terror into the whole Church, and
into
the hearts of all
who heard of it.
005:012 Many signs and marvels continued to be done among the
people
by the Apostles;
and by common consent they all met
in Solomon’s
Portico.
005:013 But none of the others dared to attach themselves to
them.
Yet the people held
them in high honour—
005:014 and more and more believers in the Lord joined
them,
including great
numbers both of men and women—
005:015 so that they would even bring out their sick friends
into
the streets and lay
them on light couches or mats, in order
that when Peter
came by, at least his shadow might fall
on one or other of
them.
005:016 The inhabitants, too, of the towns in the
neighbourhood
of Jerusalem came
in crowds, bringing sick persons and some
who were harassed
by foul spirits, and they were cured,
one and
all.
005:017 This roused the High Priest. He and all his
party—the sect
of the
Sadducees—were filled with angry jealousy
005:018 and laid hands upon the Apostles, and put them into the
public jail.
005:019 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the
prison
doors and brought
them out, and said,
005:020 “Go and stand in the Temple, and go on proclaiming to
the people
all this Message of
Life.”
005:021 Having received that command they went into the
Temple,
just before
daybreak, and began to teach: So when the High
Priest
and his party came,
and had called together the Sanhedrin
as well as all the
Elders of the descendants of Israel,
they sent to the
jail to fetch the Apostles.
005:022 But the officers went and could not find them in the
prison.
So they came back
and brought word,
005:023 saying, “The jail we found quite safely locked, and
the warders
were on guard at
the doors, but upon going in we found
no one
there.”
005:024 When the Commander of the Temple Guards and the High
Priests heard
this statement,
they were utterly at a loss with regard to it,
wondering what
would happen next.
005:025 And some one came and brought them word, saying, “The
men you
put in prison are
actually in the Temple, standing there,
teaching the
people.”
005:026 Upon this the Commander went with the officers, and
brought
the Apostles; but
without using violence; for they were afraid
of being stoned by
the people.
005:027 So they brought them and made them stand in front of the
Sanhedrin.
And then the High
Priest questioned them.
005:028 “We strictly forbad you to teach in that
name—did we not?” he said.
“And see, you
have filled Jerusalem with your teaching,
and are trying to
make us responsible for that man’s death!”
005:029 Peter and the other Apostles replied, “We must obey
God
rather than
man.
005:030 The God of our forefathers has raised Jesus to life, whom
you
crucified and put
to death.
005:031 God has exalted Him to His right hand as Chief Leader and
as Saviour,
to give Israel
repentance and forgiveness of sins.
005:032 And we—and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to
those who obey Him—
are witnesses as to
these things.”
005:033 Infuriated at getting this answer, they were disposed
to
kill the
Apostles.
005:034 But a Pharisee of the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the
Law,
held in honour by
all the people, rose from his seat and requested
that they should be
sent outside the court for a few minutes.
005:035 “Israelites,” he said, “be careful what
you are about to do
in dealing with
these men.
005:036 Years ago Theudas appeared, professing to be a person of
importance,
and a body of men,
some four hundred in number, joined him.
He was killed, and
all his followers were dispersed and annihilated.
005:037 After him, at the time of the Census, came Judas, the
Galilaean,
and was the leader
in a revolt. He too perished, and all
his followers were
scattered.
005:038 And now I tell you to hold aloof from these men and
leave
them
alone—for if this scheme or work is of human
origin,
it will come to
nothing.
005:039 But if it is really from God, you will be powerless to
put
them
down—lest perhaps you find yourselves to be
actually
fighting against
God.”
005:040 His advice carried conviction. So they called the
Apostles in, and—
after flogging
them—ordered them not to speak in the name
of Jesus, and then
let them go.
005:041 They, therefore, left the Sanhedrin and went their
way,
rejoicing that they
had been deemed worthy to suffer disgrace
on behalf of the
NAME.
005:042 But they did not desist from teaching every day,
in the Temple or in
private houses, and telling the Good News
about Jesus, the
Christ.
006:001 About this time, as the number of disciples was
increasing,
complaints were
made by the Greek-speaking Jews against
the Hebrews because
their widows were habitually overlooked
in the daily
ministration.
006:002 So the Twelve called together the general body of the
disciples
and said, “It
does not seem fitting that we Apostles should
neglect the
delivery of God’s Message and minister at tables.
006:003 Therefore, brethren, pick out from among yourselves
seven
men of good repute,
full of the Spirit and of wisdom,
and we will appoint
them to undertake this duty.
006:004 But, as for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and
to
the delivery of the
Message.”
006:005 The suggestion met with general approval, and
they
selected Stephen, a
man full of faith and of the
Holy Spirit,
Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
and Nicolas, a
proselyte of Antioch.
006:006 These men they brought to the Apostles, and, after
prayer,
they laid their
hands upon them.
006:007 Meanwhile God’s Message continued to spread, and the
number
of the disciples in
Jerusalem very greatly increased,
and very many
priests obeyed the faith.
006:008 And Stephen, full of grace and power, performed great
marvels
and signs among the
people.
006:009 But some members of the so-called `Synagogue of the
Freed-men,’
together with some
Cyrenaeans, Alexandrians, Cilicians and men
from Roman Asia,
were roused to encounter Stephen in debate.
006:010 They were quite unable, however, to resist the wisdom
and
the Spirit with
which he spoke.
006:011 Then they privately put forward men who declared, “We
have heard
him speak
blasphemous things against Moses and against God.”
006:012 In this way they excited the people, the Elders, and the
Scribes.
At length they came
upon him, seized him with violence,
and took him before
the Sanhedrin.
006:013 Here they brought forward false witnesses who
declared,
“This fellow
is incessantly speaking against the Holy Place
and the
Law.
006:014 For we have heard him say that Jesus, the Nazarene, will
pull
this place down to
the ground and will change the customs
which Moses handed
down to us.”
006:015 At once the eyes of all who were sitting in the
Sanhedrin
were fastened on
him, and they saw his face looking just
like the face of an
angel.
007:001 Then the High Priest asked him, “Are these statements
true?”
007:002 The reply of Stephen was, “Sirs—brethren
and fathers—listen to me.
God Most Glorious
appeared to our forefather Abraham when
he was living in
Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran,
007:003 and said to him, “`Leave your country and your
relatives,
and go into
whatever land I point out to you.’
007:004 “Thereupon he left Chaldaea and settled in Haran till
after
the death of his
father, when God caused him to remove into
this country where
you now live.
007:005 But he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not a single
square
yard of
ground. And yet He promised to bestow the land
as a permanent
possession on him and his posterity after him—
and promised this
at a time when Abraham was childless.
007:006 And God declared that Abraham’s posterity should for
four
hundred years make
their home in a country not their own,
and be reduced to
slavery and be oppressed.
007:007 “`And the nation, whichever it is, that enslaves
them,
I will
judge,’ said God; `and afterwards they shall come
out,
and they shall
worship Me in this place.’
007:008 “Then He gave him the Covenant of circumcision, and
under this
Covenant he became
the father of Isaac—whom he circumcised
on the eighth
day. Isaac became the father of Jacob,
and Jacob became
the father of the twelve Patriarchs.
007:009 “The Patriarchs were jealous of Joseph and sold him
into slavery
in Egypt. But
God was with him
007:010 and delivered him from all his afflictions, and gave him
favour
and wisdom when he
stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
who appointed him
governor over Egypt and all the royal household.
007:011 But there came a famine throughout the whole of Egypt and
Canaan—
and great
distress—so that our forefathers could find no
food.
007:012 When, however, Jacob heard that there was wheat to be
had,
he sent our
forefathers into Egypt; that was the first time.
007:013 On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his
brothers,
and Pharaoh was
informed of Joseph’s parentage.
007:014 Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his
family,
numbering
seventy-five persons, to come to him,
007:015 and Jacob went down into Egypt. There he died, and
so
did our
forefathers,
007:016 and they were taken to Shechem and were laid in the
tomb
which Abraham had
bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem
for a sum of money
paid in silver.
007:017 “But as the time drew near for the fulfilment of the
promise
which God had made
to Abraham, the people became many times
more numerous in
Egypt,
007:018 until there arose a foreign king over Egypt who
knew
nothing of
Joseph.
007:019 He adopted a crafty policy towards our race, and
oppressed
our forefathers,
making them cast out their infants so that they
might not be
permitted to live.
007:020 At this time Moses was born—a wonderfully
beautiful child;
and for three
months he was cared for in his father’s house.
007:021 At length he was cast out, but Pharaoh’s daughter
adopted him,
and brought him up
as her own son.
007:022 So Moses was educated in all the learning of the
Egyptians,
and possessed great
influence through his eloquence
and his
achievements.
007:023 “And when he was just forty years old, it occurred to
him
to visit his
brethren the descendants of Israel.
007:024 Seeing one of them wrongfully treated he took his
part,
and secured justice
for the ill-treated man by striking
down the
Egyptian.
007:025 He supposed his brethren to be aware that by him God was
sending
them deliverance;
this, however, they did not understand.
007:026 The next day, also, he came and found two of them
fighting,
and he endeavoured
to make peace between them. “`Sirs,’ he said,
`you are
brothers. Why are you wronging one another?’
007:027 “But the man who was doing the wrong resented his
interference,
and asked,
“`Who appointed you magistrate and judge over us?
007:028 Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian
yesterday?’
007:029 “Alarmed at this question, Moses fled from the
country and went
to live in the land
of Midian. There he became the father
of two
sons.
007:030 “But at the end of forty years there appeared to him
in the Desert
of Mount Sinai an
angel in the middle of a flame of fire
in a
bush.
007:031 When Moses saw this he wondered at the sight; but on his
going
up to look further,
the voice of the Lord was heard, saying,
007:032 “`I am the God of your forefathers, the God of
Abraham, of Isaac,
and of
Jacob.’ “Quaking with fear Moses did not dare
gaze.
007:033 “`Take off your shoes,’ said the Lord, `for the
spot on which you
are standing is
holy ground.
007:034 I have seen, yes, I have seen the oppression of My
people
who are in Egypt
and have heard their groans, and I have come
down to deliver
them. And now I will send you to Egypt.’
007:035 “The Moses whom they rejected, asking him, `Who
appointed you
magistrate and
judge?’—that same Moses we find God
sending
as a magistrate and
a deliverer by the help of the angel
who appeared to him
in the bush.
007:036 This was he who brought them out, after performing
marvels
and signs in Egypt
and at the Red Sea, and in the Desert
for forty
years.
007:037 This is the Moses who said to the descendants of Israel,
“`God
will raise up a
Prophet for you, from among your brethren,
just as He raised
me up.’
007:038 `This is he who was among the Congregation in the
Desert,
together with the
angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai
and with our
forefathers, who received ever-living utterances
to hand on to
us.
007:039 “Our forefathers, however, would not submit to him,
but spurned
his authority and
in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
007:040 They said to Aaron, “`Make gods for us, to march in
front of us;
for as for this
Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt,
we do not know what
has become of him.’
007:041 “Moreover they made a calf at that time, and offered
a sacrifice
to the idol and
kept rejoicing in the gods which their own
hands had
made.
007:042 So God turned from them and gave them up to the
worship
of the Host of
Heaven, as it is written in the Book of
the Prophets,
“’Were they victims and sacrifices which you
offered Me, forty
years in the Desert, O House of Israel?
007:043 Yes, you lifted up Moloch’s tent and the Star of the
God Rephan—
the images which
you made in order to worship them;
and I will remove
you beyond Babylon.’
007:044 “Our forefathers had the Tent of the Testimony in the
Desert,
built as He who
spoke to Moses had instructed him to make it
in imitation of the
model which he had seen.
007:045 That Tent was bequeathed to the next generation of our
forefathers.
Under Joshua they
brought it with them when they were taking
possession of the
land of the Gentile nations, whom God drove
out before
them. So it continued till David’s time.
007:046 David obtained favour with God, and asked leave to
provide
a dwelling-place
for the God of Jacob.
007:047 But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.
007:048 Yet the Most High does not dwell in buildings erected by
men’s hands.
But, as the Prophet
declares,
007:049 “`The sky is My throne, and earth is the footstool
for My feet.
What kind of house
will you build for Me, says the Lord,
or what resting
place shall I have?
007:050 Did not My hand form this universe.’
007:051 “O stiff-necked men, uncircumcised in heart and
ears,
you also are
continually at strife with the Holy Spirit—
just as your
forefathers were.
007:052 Which of the Prophets did not your forefathers
persecute?
Yes, they killed
those who announced beforehand the advent
of the righteous
One, whose betrayers and murderers you
have now
become—
007:053 you who received the Law given through angels, and yet
have
not obeyed
it.”
007:054 As they listened to these words, they became
infuriated
and gnashed their
teeth at him.
007:055 But, full of the Holy Spirit and looking up to Heaven,
Stephen saw
the glory of God,
and Jesus standing at God’s right hand.
007:056 “I can see Heaven wide open,” he said,
“and the Son of Man
standing at
God’s right hand.”
007:057 Upon this, with a loud outcry they stopped their
ears,
rushed upon Stephen
in a body,
007:058 dragged him out of the city, and stoned him, the
witnesses
throwing off their
outer garments and giving them into the care
of a young man
called Saul.
007:059 So they stoned Stephen, while he prayed, “Lord
Jesus,
receive my
spirit.”
007:060 Then, rising on his knees, he cried aloud, “Lord, do
not reckon
this sin against
them.” And with these words he fell asleep.
008:001 And Saul fully approved of his murder. At this time a
great
persecution broke
out against the Church in Jerusalem,
and all except the
Apostles were scattered throughout
Judaea and
Samaria.
008:002 A party of devout men, however, buried Stephen, and made
loud
lamentation over
him.
008:003 But Saul cruelly harassed the Church. He went into
house
after house, and,
dragging off both men and women,
threw them into
prison.
008:004 Those, however, who were scattered abroad went from
place
to place spreading
the Good News of God’s Message;
008:005 while Philip went down to the city of Samaria and
proclaimed
Christ
there.
008:006 Crowds of people, with one accord, gave attention to
what
they heard from
him, listening, and witnessing the signs
which he
did.
008:007 For, with a loud cry, foul spirits came out of many
possessed by them,
and many paralytics
and lame persons were restored to health.
008:008 And there was great joy in that city.
008:009 Now for some time past there had been a man named Simon
living there,
who had been
practising magic and astonishing the Samaritans,
pretending that he
was more than human.
008:010 To him people of all classes paid attention, declaring,
“This man
is the Power of
God, known as the great Power.”
008:011 His influence over them arose from their having
been,
for a long time,
bewildered by his sorceries.
008:012 But when Philip began to tell the Good News about the
Kingdom
of God and about
the Name of Jesus Christ, and they embraced
the faith, they
were baptized, men and women alike.
008:013 Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized
remained
in close attendance
on Philip, and was full of amazement
at seeing such
signs and such great miracles performed.
008:014 When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans
had
accepted
God’s Message, they sent Peter and John to visit
them.
008:015 They, when they came down, prayed for them that they
might
receive the Holy
Spirit:
008:016 for He had not as yet fallen upon any of them. They
had only
been baptized into
the name of the Lord Jesus.
008:017 Then the Apostles placed their hands upon them, and
they
received the Holy
Spirit.
008:018 When, however, Simon saw that it was through the
laying
on of the
Apostles’ hands that the Spirit was bestowed,
he offered them
money.
008:019 “Give me too,” he said, “that power, so
that every one on whom
I place my hands
will receive the Holy Spirit.”
008:020 “Perish your money and yourself,” replied
Peter, “because you
have imagined that
you can obtain God’s free gift with money!
008:021 No part or lot have you in this matter, for your heart is
not
right in
God’s sight.
008:022 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and
pray
to the Lord, in the
hope that the purpose which is in your
heart may perhaps
be forgiven you.
008:023 For I perceive that you have fallen into the
bitterest
bondage of
unrighteousness.”
008:024 “Pray, both of you, to the Lord for me,”
answered Simon,
“that nothing
of what you have said may come upon me.”
008:025 So the Apostles, after giving a solemn charge and
delivering
the Lord’s
Message, travelled back to Jerusalem, making known
the Good News also
in many of the Samaritan villages.
008:026 And an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and
proceed
south to the road
that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza,
crossing the
Desert.”
008:027 Upon this he rose and went. Now, as it happened, an
Ethiopian
eunuch who was in a
position of high authority with Candace,
queen of the
Ethiopians, as her treasurer, had visited
Jerusalem to
worship there,
008:028 and was now on his way home; and as he sat in his
chariot
he was reading the
Prophet Isaiah.
008:029 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go and enter that
chariot.”
008:030 So Philip ran up and heard the eunuch reading the Prophet
Isaiah.
“Do you
understand what you are reading?” he asked.
008:031 “Why, how can I,” replied the eunuch,
“unless some one explains
it to me?”
And he earnestly invited Philip to come up
and sit with
him.
008:032 The passage of Scripture which he was reading was
this:
“Like a sheep
He was led to slaughter, and just as a lamb
before its shearer
is dumb so He opened not His mouth.
008:033 In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will
make
known His
posterity? For He is destroyed from among
men.”
008:034 “Pray, of whom is the Prophet speaking?”
inquired the eunuch;
“of himself
or of some one else?”
008:035 Then Philip began to speak, and, commencing with that
same
portion of
Scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus.
008:036 So they proceeded on their way till they came to some
water;
and the eunuch
exclaimed, “See, here is water; what is there
to prevent my being
baptized?”
008:037 []
008:038 So he stopped the chariot; and both of
them—Philip and the eunuch—
went down into the
water, and Philip baptized him.
008:039 But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the
Spirit of
the Lord caught
Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again.
With a glad heart
he resumed his journey;
008:040 but Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting
town
after town he
everywhere made known the Good News until
he reached
Caesarea.
009:001 Now Saul, whose every breath was a threat of
destruction
for the disciples
of the Lord,
009:002 went to the High Priest and begged from him letters
addressed
to the synagogues
in Damascus, in order that if he found
any believers
there, either men or women, he might bring them
in chains to
Jerusalem.
009:003 But on the journey, as he was getting near
Damascus,
suddenly there
flashed round him a light from Heaven;
009:004 and falling to the ground he heard a voice which said to
him,
“Saul, Saul,
why are you persecuting Me?”
009:005 “Who art thou, Lord?” he asked. “I
am Jesus, whom you
are
persecuting,” was the reply.
009:006 “But rise and go to the city, and you will be told
what you
are to
do.
009:007 Meanwhile the men who travelled with Saul were standing
dumb
with amazement,
hearing a sound, but seeing no one.
009:008 Then he rose from the ground, but when he had opened his
eyes,
he could not see,
and they led him by the arm and brought
him to
Damascus.
009:009 And for two days he remained without sight, and did not
eat
or drink
anything.
009:010 Now in Damascus there was a disciple of the name of
Ananias.
The Lord spoke to
him in a vision, saying, “Ananias!” “I
am
here, Lord,”
he answered.
009:011 “Rise,” said the Lord, “and go to
Straight Street, and inquire
at the house of
Judas for a man called Saul, from Tarsus,
for he is actually
praying.
009:012 He has seen a man called Ananias come and lay his hands
upon
him so that he may
recover his sight.”
009:013 “Lord,” answered Ananias, “I have heard
about that man from many,
and I have heard of
the great mischief he has done to Thy
people in
Jerusalem;
009:014 and here he is authorized by the High Priests to arrest
all
who call upon Thy
name.”
009:015 “Go,” replied the Lord; “he is a chosen
instrument of Mine
to carry My name to
the Gentiles and to kings and to the
descendants of
Israel.
009:016 For I will let him know the great sufferings which he
must
pass through for My
sake.”
009:017 So Ananias went and entered the house; and, laying his
two
hands upon Saul,
said, “Saul, brother, the Lord—even
Jesus
who appeared to you
on your journey—has sent me, that you
may recover your
sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
009:018 Instantly there dropped from his eyes what seemed to be
scales,
and he could see
once more. Upon this he rose and received baptism;
009:019 after which he took food and regained his
strength.
Then he remained
some little time with the disciples in Damascus.
009:020 And in the synagogues he began at once to proclaim
Jesus
as the Son of
God;
009:021 and his hearers were all amazed, and began to ask one
another,
“Is not this
the man who in Jerusalem tried to exterminate
those who called
upon that Name, and came here on purpose
to carry them off
in chains to the High Priests?”
009:022 Saul, however, gained more and more influence, and as
for
the Jews living in
Damascus, he bewildered them with his proofs
that Jesus is the
Christ.
009:023 At length the Jews plotted to kill Saul;
009:024 but information of their intention was given to
him.
They even watched
the gates, day and night, in order
to murder
him;
009:025 but his disciples took him by night and let him down
through
the wall, lowering
him in a hamper.
009:026 So he came to Jerusalem and made several attempts to
associate
with the disciples,
but they were all afraid of him,
being in doubt as
to whether he himself was a disciple.
009:027 Barnabas, however, came to his assistance. He brought
Saul
to the Apostles,
and related to them how, on his journey,
he had seen the
Lord, and that the Lord had spoken to him,
and how in Damascus
he had fearlessly taught in the name of Jesus.
009:028 Henceforth Saul was one of them, going in and out of the
city,
009:029 and speaking fearlessly in the name of the Lord. And
he often
talked with the
Hellenists and had discussions with them.
009:030 But they kept trying to take his life. On learning
this,
the brethren
brought him down to Caesarea, and then sent him
by sea to
Tarsus.
009:031 The Church, however, throughout the whole of Judaea,
Galilee
and Samaria, had
peace and was spiritually built up;
and grew in
numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and receiving
encouragement from
the Holy Spirit.
009:032 Now Peter, as he went to town after town, came down also to
God’s
people at
Lud.
009:033 There he found a man of the name of Aeneas, who for
eight
years had kept his
bed, through being paralysed.
009:034 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures
you.
Rise and make your
own bed.” He at once rose to his feet.
009:035 And all the people of Lud and Sharon saw him; and they
turned
to the
Lord.
009:036 Among the disciples at Jaffa was a woman called
Tabitha,
or, as the name may
be translated, `Dorcas.’ Her life was
wholly devoted to
the good and charitable actions which she
was constantly
doing.
009:037 But, as it happened, just at that time she was taken ill
and died.
After washing her
body they laid it out in a room upstairs.
009:038 Lud, however, being near Jaffa, the disciples, who had
heard
that Peter was at
Lud, sent two men to him with an urgent
request that he
would come across to them without delay.
009:039 So Peter rose and went with them. On his arrival they
took
him upstairs, and
the widow women all came and stood by his side,
weeping and showing
him the underclothing and cloaks and
garments of all
kinds which Dorcas used to make while she
was still with
them.
009:040 Peter, however, putting every one out of the
room,
knelt down and
prayed, and then turning to the body,
he said,
“Tabitha, rise.” Dorcas at once opened her
eyes,
and seeing Peter,
sat up.
009:041 Then, giving her his hand, he raised her to her feet
and,
calling to him
God’s people and the widows, he / 7 gave her
back to them
alive.
009:042 This incident became known throughout Jaffa, and many
believed
in the
Lord;
009:043 and Peter remained for a considerable time at
Jaffa,
staying at the
house of a man called Simon, a tanner.
010:001 Now a Captain of the Italian Regiment, named
Cornelius,
was quartered at
Caesarea.
010:002 He was religious and God-fearing—and so was
every member
of his
household. He was also liberal in his charities
to the people, and
continually offered prayer to God.
010:003 About three o’clock one afternoon he had a
vision,
and distinctly saw
an angel of God enter his house, who called
him by name,
saying, “Cornelius!”
010:004 Looking steadily at him, and being much alarmed, he
said,
“What do you
want, Sir?” “Your prayers and
charities,”
he replied,
“have gone up and have been recorded before God.
010:005 And now send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed
Peter.
010:006 He is staying as a guest with Simon, a tanner, who has a
house
close to the
sea.”
010:007 So when the angel who had been speaking to him was
gone,
Cornelius called
two of his servants and a God-fearing soldier
who was in constant
attendance on him,
010:008 and, after telling them everything, he sent them to
Jaffa.
010:009 The next day, while they were still on their
journey
and were getting
near the town, about noon Peter went up
on the house-top to
pray.
010:010 He had become unusually hungry and wished for food; but,
while they
were preparing it,
he fell into a trance.
010:011 The sky had opened to his view, and what seemed to be an
enormous
sail was
descending, being let down to the earth by ropes
at the four
corners.
010:012 In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles and
birds,
010:013 and a voice came to him which said, “Rise, Peter,
kill and eat.”
010:014 “On no account, Lord,” he replied; “for I
have never yet eaten
anything unholy and
impure.”
010:015 Again a second time a voice was heard which said,
“What God
has purified, you
must not regard as unholy.”
010:016 This was said three times, and immediately the sail was
drawn
up out of
sight.
010:017 While Peter was greatly perplexed as to the meaning of the
vision
which he had seen,
just then the men sent by Cornelius,
having by inquiry
found out Simon’s house,
010:018 had come to the door and had called the servant, and were
asking,
“Is Simon,
surnamed Peter, staying here?”
010:019 And Peter was still earnestly thinking over the
vision,
when the Spirit
said to him, “Three men are now inquiring for you.
010:020 Rise, go down, and go with them without any
misgivings;
for it is I who
have sent them to you.”
010:021 So Peter went down and said to the men, “I am the
Simon you
are inquiring
for. What is the reason of your coming?”
010:022 Their reply was, “Cornelius, a Captain, an upright
and
God-fearing man, of
whom the whole Jewish nation speaks well,
has been divinely
instructed by a holy angel to send for you
to come to his
house and listen to what you have to say.”
010:023 Upon hearing this, Peter invited them in, and gave them a
lodging.
The next day he set
out with them, some of the brethren
from Jaffa going
with him,
010:024 and the day after that they reached Caesarea. There
Cornelius
was awaiting their
arrival, and had invited all his relatives
and intimate
friends to be present.
010:025 When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him, and
threw
himself at his feet
to do him homage.
010:026 But Peter lifted him up. “Stand up,” he
said; “I myself
also am but a
man.”
010:027 So Peter went in and conversed with him, and found
a
large company
assembled.
010:028 He said to them, “You know better than most that a
Jew is
strictly forbidden
to associate with a Gentile or visit him;
but God has taught
me to call no one unholy or unclean.
010:029 So for this reason, when sent for, I came without
raising
any
objection. I therefore ask why you sent for
me.”
010:030 “Just at this hour, three days ago,” replied
Cornelius, “I was
offering afternoon
prayer in my house, when suddenly a man
in shining raiment
stood in front of me,
010:031 who said, “`Cornelius, your prayer has been heard,
and your
charities have been
put on record before God.
010:032 Send therefore to Jaffa, and invite Simon, surnamed
Peter,
to come here.
He is staying as a guest in the house of Simon,
a tanner, close to
the sea.’
010:033 “Immediately, therefore, I sent to you, and I thank
you heartily
for having
come. That is why all of us are now assembled here
in God’s
presence, to listen to what the Lord has commanded
you to
say.”
010:034 Then Peter began to speak. “I clearly
see,” he said,
“that God
makes no distinctions between one man and another;
010:035 but that in every nation those who fear Him and live good
lives
are acceptable to
Him.
010:036 The Message which He sent to the descendants of Israel,
when He
announced the Good
News of peace through Jesus Christ—He is
Lord of
all—that Message you cannot but know;
010:037 the story, I mean, which has spread through the length
and
breadth of Judaea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
which John
proclaimed.
010:038 It tells how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy
Spirit
and with power, so
that He went about everywhere doing acts
of kindness, and
curing all who were being continually
oppressed by the
Devil—for God was with Jesus.
010:039 “And we are witnesses as to all that He did both in
the country
of the Jews and in
Jerusalem. But they even put Him
to death, by
crucifixion.
010:040 That same Jesus God raised to life on the third
day,
and permitted Him
to appear unmistakably,
010:041 not to all the people, but to witnesses—men
previously chosen
by
God—namely, to us, who ate and drank with Him after
He
rose from the
dead.
010:042 And He has commanded us to preach to the people and
solemnly
declare that this
is He who has been appointed by God to be
the Judge of the
living and the dead.
010:043 To Him all the Prophets bear witness, and testify that
through
His name all who
believe in Him receive the forgiveness
of their
sins.”
010:044 While Peter was speaking these words, the Holy Spirit
fell
on all who were
listening to the Message.
010:045 And all the Jewish believers who had come with Peter
were
astonished that on
the Gentiles also the gift of the Holy Spirit
was poured
out.
010:046 For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling the
majesty
of God. Then
Peter said,
010:047 “Can any one forbid the use of water, and object to
these persons
being
baptized—men who have received the Holy Spirit
just
as we
did?”
010:048 And he directed that they should be baptized in the
name
of Jesus
Christ. Then they begged him to remain with them
for a
time.
011:001 Now the Apostles, and the brethren in various parts of
Judaea,
heard that the
Gentiles also had received God’s Message;
011:002 and, when Peter returned to Jerusalem, the champions
of
circumcision found
fault with him.
011:003 “You went into the houses of men who are not
Jews,” they said,
“and you ate
with them.”
011:004 Peter, however, explained the whole matter to
them
from the
beginning.
011:005 “While I was in the town of Jaffa, offering
prayer,” he said,
“in a trance
I saw a vision. There descended what seemed
to be an enormous
sail, being let down from the sky by ropes
at the four
corners, and it came close to me.
011:006 Fixing my eyes on it, I examined it closely, and saw
various
kinds of
quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles and birds.
011:007 I also heard a voice saying to me, “`Rise, Peter,
kill and eat.’
011:008 “`On no account, Lord,’ I replied, `for nothing
unholy or impure
has ever gone into
my mouth.’
011:009 “But a voice answered, speaking a second time from
the sky,
“`What God
has purified, you must not regard as unholy.’
011:010 “This was said three times, and then everything was
drawn up
again out of
sight.
011:011 “Now at that very moment three men came to the house
where we were,
having been sent
from Caesarea to find me.
011:012 And the Spirit told me to accompany them without any
misgivings.
There also went
with me these six brethren who are now present,
and we reached the
Centurion’s house.
011:013 Then he described to us how he had seen the angel come and
enter
his house and say,
“`Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter.
011:014 He will teach you truths by which you and all your
family
will be
saved.’”
011:015 “And,” said Peter, “no sooner had I begun
to speak than
the Holy Spirit
fell upon them, just as He fell upon us
at the
first.
011:016 Then I remembered the Lord’s words, how He used to
say,
“`John
baptized with water, but you shall be baptized
in the Holy
Spirit.’
011:017 “If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave
us when we
first believed on
the Lord Jesus Christ, why, who was I
to be able to
thwart God?”
011:018 This statement of Peter’s silenced his
opponents. They extolled
the goodness of
God, and said, “So, then, to the Gentiles
also God has given
the repentance which leads to Life.”
011:019 Those, however, who had been driven in various
directions
by the persecution
which broke out on account of Stephen made
their way to
Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, delivering the Message
to none but
Jews.
011:020 But some of them were Cyprians and Cyrenaeans, who, on
coming
to Antioch, spoke
to the Greeks also and told them the Good News
concerning the Lord
Jesus.
011:021 The power of the Lord was with them, and there were a
vast
number who believed
and turned to the Lord.
011:022 When tidings of this reached the ears of the Church in
Jerusalem,
they sent Barnabas
as far as Antioch.
011:023 On getting there he was delighted to see the grace
which
God had bestowed;
and he encouraged them all to remain,
with fixed resolve,
faithful to the Lord.
011:024 For he was a good man, and was full of the Holy Spirit and
of faith;
and the number of
believers in the Lord greatly increased.
011:025 Then Barnabas paid a visit to Tarsus to try to find
Saul.
011:026 He succeeded, and brought him to Antioch; and for a whole
year
they attended the
meetings of the Church, and taught a large
number of
people. And it was in Antioch that the disciples
first received the
name of `Christians.’
011:027 At that time certain Prophets came down from Jerusalem to
Antioch,
011:028 one of whom, named Agabus, being instructed by the
Spirit,
publicly predicted
the speedy coming of a great famine
throughout the
world. (It came in the reign of Claudius.)
011:029 So the disciples decided to send relief, every one in
proportion
to his means, to
the brethren living in Judaea.
011:030 This they did, forwarding their contributions to the
Elders
by Barnabas and
Saul.
012:001 Now, about that time, King Herod arrested certain
members
of the Church, in
order to ill-treat them;
012:002 and James, John’s brother, he beheaded.
012:003 Finding that this gratified the Jews, he proceeded to
seize
Peter also; these
being the days of Unleavened Bread.
012:004 He had him arrested and lodged in jail, handing him over
to
the care of sixteen
soldiers; and intended after the Passover
to bring him out
again to the people.
012:005 So Peter was kept in prison; but long and fervent prayer
was
offered to God by
the Church on his behalf.
012:006 Now when Herod was on the point of taking him out of
prison,
that very night
Peter was asleep between two soldiers,
bound with two
chains, and guards were on duty outside the door.
012:007 Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light
shone
in the cell; and,
striking Peter on the side, he woke him
and said,
“Rise quickly.” Instantly the chains
dropped
off his
wrists.
012:008 “Fasten your girdle,” said the angel,
“and tie on your sandals.”
He did so.
Then the angel said, “Throw your cloak round you,
and follow
me.”
012:009 So Peter went out, following him, yet could not
believe
that what the angel
was doing was real, but supposed that
he saw a
vision.
012:010 And passing through the first ward and the second, they
came
to the iron gate
leading into the city. This opened to them
of itself; and,
going out, they passed on through one of
the streets, and
then suddenly the angel left him.
012:011 Peter coming to himself said, “Now I know for certain
that the Lord
has sent His angel
and has rescued me from the power of Herod
and from all that
the Jewish people were anticipating.”
012:012 So, after thinking things over, he went to the house of
Mary,
the mother of John
surnamed Mark, where a large number
of people were
assembled, praying.
012:013 When he knocked at the wicket in the door, a maidservant
named
Rhoda came to
answer the knock;
012:014 and recognizing Peter’s voice, for very joy she did
not open
the door, but ran
in and told them that Peter was standing there.
012:015 “You are mad,” they said. But she
strenuously maintained
that it was
true. “It is his guardian angel,” they
said.
012:016 Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, until at last they opened
the door
and saw that it was
really he, and were filled with amazement.
012:017 But he motioned with his hand for silence, and then
described
to them how the
Lord had brought him out of the prison.
“Tell all
this to James and the brethren,” he added.
Then he left them,
and went to another place.
012:018 When morning came, there was no little commotion among the
soldiers,
as to what could
possibly have become of Peter.
012:019 And when Herod had had him searched for and could not find
him,
after sharply
questioning the guards he ordered them away
to execution.
He then went down from Judaea to Caesarea
and remained
there.
012:020 Now the people of Tyre and Sidon had incurred
Herod’s
violent
displeasure. So they sent a large deputation to wait on
him;
and having secured
the good will of Blastus, his treasurer,
they begged the
king to be friendly with them again,
because their
country was dependent on his for its food supply.
012:021 So, on an appointed day, Herod, having arrayed himself in
royal robes,
took his seat on
the tribunal, and was haranguing them;
012:022 and the assembled people kept shouting, “It is the
voice of a god,
and not of a
man!”
012:023 Instantly an angel of the Lord struck him, because he had
not
given the glory to
God, and being eaten up by worms, he died.
012:024 But God’s Message prospered, and converts were
multiplied.
012:025 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having
discharged
their mission, and
they brought with them John, surnamed Mark.
013:001 Now there were in Antioch, in the Church
there—as Prophets
and
teachers—barnabas, Symeon surnamed `the
black,’
Lucius the
Cyrenaean, Manaen (who was Herod the Tetrarch’s
foster-brother),
and Saul.
013:002 While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting,
the Holy Spirit
said, “Set apart for Me, now at once,
Barnabas and Saul,
for the work to which I have called them.”
013:003 So, after fasting and prayer and the laying on of
hands,
they let them
go.
013:004 They therefore, being thus sent out by the Holy
Spirit,
went down to
Seleuceia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.
013:005 Having reached Salamis, they began to announce God’s
Message
in the synagogues
of the Jews. And they had John
as their
assistant.
013:006 When they had gone through the whole length of the
island
as far as Paphos,
they there met with a Jewish magician
and false prophet,
Bar-Jesus by name,
013:007 who was a friend of the Proconsul Sergius
Paulus.
The Proconsul was a
man of keen intelligence. He sent
for Barnabas and
Saul, and asked to be told God’s Message.
013:008 But Elymas (or `the Magician,’ for such is the
meaning of the name)
opposed them, and
tried to prevent the Proconsul from
accepting the
faith.
013:009 Then Saul, who is also called Paul, was filled with
the
Holy Spirit, and,
fixing his eyes on Elymas,
013:010 said, “You who are full of every kind of craftiness
and
unscrupulous
cunning—you son of the Devil and foe to all
that
is
right—will you never cease to misrepresent the
straight
paths of the
Lord?
013:011 The Lord’s hand is now upon you, and you will be
blind for a time
and unable to see
the light of day.” Instantly there fell
upon him a mist and
a darkness, and, as he walked about,
he begged people to
lead him by the hand.
013:012 Then the Proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed,
being struck
with amazement at
the teaching of the Lord.
013:013 From Paphos, Paul and his party put out to sea and
sailed
to Perga in
Pamphylia. John, however, left them and
returned to
Jerusalem.
013:014 But they themselves, passing through from Perga, came
to
Antioch in
Pisidia. Here, on the Sabbath day, they went
into the synagogue
and sat down.
013:015 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the
Wardens
of the synagogue
sent word to them. “Brethren,” they
said,
“if you have
anything encouraging to say to the people, speak.”
013:016 So Paul rose, and motioning with his hand for silence,
said,
“Israelites,
and you others who fear God, pay attention to me.
013:017 The God of this people of Israel chose our
forefathers,
and made the people
great during their stay in Egypt,
until with wondrous
power He brought them out from that land.
013:018 For a period of about forty years, He fed them, like a
nurse,
in the
Desert.
013:019 Then, after overthrowing seven nations in the land of
Canaan, He
divided that
country among them as their inheritance for about
four hundred and
fifty years;
013:020 and afterwards He gave them judges down to the time
of
the Prophet
Samuel.
013:021 Next they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the
son
of Kish, a
Benjamite, who reigned forty years.
013:022 After removing him, He raised up David to be their
king,
to whom He also
bore witness when He said, “`I have found David
the son of Jesse, a
man I love, who will obey all My commands.’
013:023 “It is from among David’s descendants that God,
in fulfilment
of His promise, has
raised up a Saviour for Israel, even Jesus.
013:024 Before the coming of Jesus, John had proclaimed to all the
people
of Israel a baptism
of repentance.
013:025 But John, towards the end of his career, repeatedly
asked
the people,
“`What do you suppose me to be? I am not the
Christ.
But there is One
coming after me whose sandal I am not
worthy to
unfasten.’
013:026 “Brethren, descendants of the family of Abraham, and
all among
you who fear God,
to us has this Message of salvation been sent.
013:027 For the people of Jerusalem and their rulers, by the
judgement
they pronounced on
Jesus, have actually fulfilled the predictions
of the Prophets
which are read Sabbath after Sabbath,
through ignorance
of those predictions and of Him.
013:028 Without having found Him guilty of any capital offence
they
urged Pilate to
have Him put to death;
013:029 and when they had carried out everything which had been
written
about Him, they
took Him down from the cross and laid Him
in a
tomb.
013:030 “But God raised Him from the dead.
013:031 And, after a few days, He appeared to the people who had
gone
up with Him from
Galilee to Jerusalem and are now witnesses
concerning Him to
the Jews.
013:032 And we bring you the Good News about the promise
made
to our
forefathers,
013:033 that God has amply fulfilled it to our children in raising
up Jesus;
as it is also
written in the second Psalm, `Thou art My Son:
to-day I have
become Thy Father.’
013:034 And as to His having raised Him from among the dead, never
again
to be in the
position of one soon to return to decay,
He speaks
thus: `I will give you the holy and trustworthy
promises made to
David.’
013:035 Because in another Psalm also He says, `Thou wilt not give
up
Thy Holy One to
undergo decay.’
013:036 For David, after having been useful to his own
generation
in accordance with
God’s purpose, did fall asleep, was gathered
to his forefathers,
and did undergo decay.
013:037 But He whom God raised to life underwent no
decay.
013:038 “Understand therefore, brethren, that through this
Jesus
forgiveness of sins
is announced to you;
013:039 and in Him every believer is absolved from all
offences,
from which you
could not be absolved under the Law of Moses.
013:040 Beware, then, lest what is spoken in the Prophets should
come
true of
you:
013:041 `Behold, you despisers, be astonished and perish, because I
am
carrying on a work
in your time—a work which you will utterly
refuse to believe,
though it be fully declared to you.’”
013:042 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the
people
earnestly begged to
have all this repeated to them on
the following
Sabbath.
013:043 And, when the congregation had broken up, many of the
Jews
and of the devout
converts from heathenism continued with Paul
and Barnabas, who
talked to them and urged them to hold fast
to the grace of
God.
013:044 On the next Sabbath almost the whole population of the
city
came together to
hear the Lord’s Message.
013:045 Seeing the crowds, the Jews, filled with angry
jealousy,
opposed
Paul’s statements and abused him.
013:046 Then, throwing off all reserve, Paul and Barnabas
said,
“We were
bound to proclaim God’s Message to you first.
But since you spurn
it and judge yourselves to be unworthy
of the Life of the
Ages—well, we turn to the Gentiles.
013:047 For such is the Lord’s command to us. “`I have
placed Thee,’ He says
of Christ, `as a
light to the Gentiles, in order that Thou mayest
be a Saviour as far
as the remotest parts of the earth.’”
013:048 The Gentiles listened with delight and extolled the
Lord’s Message;
and all who were
pre-destined to the Life of the Ages believed.
013:049 So the Lord’s Message spread through the whole
district.
013:050 But the Jews influenced the gentlewomen of rank who
worshipped
with them, and also
the leading men in the city, and stirred
up persecution
against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out
of the
district.
013:051 But they shook off the dust from their feet as a
protest
against them and
came to Iconium;
013:052 and as for the disciples, they were more and more
filled
with joy and with
the Holy Spirit.
014:001 At Iconium the Apostles went together to the Jewish
synagogue
and preached, with
the result that a great number both of Jews
and Greeks
believed.
014:002 But the Jews who had refused obedience stirred up the
Gentiles
and embittered
their minds against the brethren.
014:003 Yet Paul and Barnabas remained there for a considerable
time,
speaking freely and
relying on the Lord, while He bore witness
to the Message of
His grace by permitting signs and marvels
to be done by
them.
014:004 At length the people of the city split into parties, some
siding
with the Jews and
some with the Apostles.
014:005 And when a hostile movement was made by both Gentiles and
Jews,
with the sanction
of their magistrates, to maltreat and stone them,
014:006 the Apostles, having become aware of it, made
their
escape into the
Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe,
and the
neighbouring country.
014:007 And there they continued to tell the Good News.
014:008 Now a man who had no power in his feet used to sit in the
streets
of Lystra. He
had been lame from his birth and had never walked.
014:009 After this man had listened to one of Paul’s sermons,
the Apostle,
looking steadily at
him and perceiving that he had faith
to be
cured,
014:010 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright upon your
feet!”
014:011 So he sprang up and began to walk about. Then the
crowds,
seeing what Paul
had done, rent the air with their shouts
in the Lycaonian
language, saying, “The gods have assumed
human form and have
come down to us.”
014:012 They called Barnabas `Zeus,’ and Paul, as being
the
principal speaker,
`Hermes.’
014:013 And the priest of Zeus—the temple of Zeus being
at the entrance
to the
city—brought bullocks and garlands to the
gates,
and in company with
the crowd was intending to offer
sacrifices to
them.
014:014 But the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it; and
tearing
their clothes they
rushed out into the middle of the crowd,
exclaiming,
“Sirs, why are you doing all this?
014:015 We also are but men, with natures kindred to your
own;
and we bring you
the Good News that you are to turn from these
unreal things, to
worship the ever-living God, the Creator
of earth and sky
and sea and of everything that is in them.
014:016 In times gone by He allowed all the nations to go their own
ways;
014:017 and yet by His beneficence He has not left His existence
unattested—
His beneficence, I
mean, in sending you rain from Heaven and
fruitful seasons,
satisfying your hearts with food and joyfulness.”
014:018 Even with words like these they had difficulty in
preventing
the thronging crowd
from offering sacrifices to them.
014:019 But now a party of Jews came from Antioch and Iconium,
and,
having won over the
crowd, they stoned Paul and dragged him
out of the town,
believing him to be dead.
014:020 When, however, the disciples had collected round
him,
he rose and went
back into the town. The next day he went
with Barnabas to
Derbe;
014:021 and, after proclaiming the Good News to the people
there
and gaining a large
number of converts, they retraced their
steps to Lystra,
Iconium, and Antioch.
014:022 Everywhere they strengthened the disciples by
encouraging
them to hold fast
to the faith, and warned them saying,
“It is
through many afflictions that we must make our way
into the Kingdom of
God.”
014:023 And in every Church, after prayer and fasting, they
selected
Elders by show of
hands, and commended them to the Lord
on whom their faith
rested.
014:024 Then passing through Pisidia they came into
Pamphylia;
014:025 and after telling the Message at Perga they came down to
Attaleia.
014:026 Thence they sailed to Antioch, where they had previously
been
commended to the
grace of God in connexion with the work
which they had now
completed.
014:027 Upon their arrival they called the Church together and
proceeded
to report in detail
all that God, working with them, had done,
and how He had
opened for the Gentiles the door of faith.
014:028 And they remained a considerable time in Antioch with the
disciples.
015:001 But certain persons who had come down from Judaea
tried
to convince the
brethren, saying, “Unless you are circumcised
in accordance with
the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved.”
015:002 Between these new comers and Paul and Barnabas there
was
no little
disagreement and controversy, until at last it
was decided that
Paul and Barnabas and some other brethren
should go up to
consult the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem
on this
matter.
015:003 So they set out, being accompanied for a short
distance
by some other
members of the Church; and as they passed
through Phoenicia
and Samaria, they told the whole story
of the conversion
of the Gentiles and inspired all the brethren
with great
joy.
015:004 Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they were cordially
received
by the Church, the
Apostles, and the Elders; and they reported
in detail all that
God, working with them, had done.
015:005 But certain men who had belonged to the sect of the
Pharisees
but were now
believers, stood up in the assembly, and said,
“Yes, Gentile
believers ought to be circumcised and be ordered
to keep the Law of
Moses.”
015:006 Then the Apostles and Elders met to consider the
matter;
015:007 and after there had been a long discussion Peter rose to
his feet.
“It is within
your own knowledge,” he said, “that God
originally
made choice among
you that from my lips the Gentiles were
to hear the Message
of the Good News, and believe.
015:008 And God, who knows all hearts, gave His testimony in their
favour
by bestowing the
Holy Spirit on them just as He did on us;
015:009 and He made no difference between us and them, in that
He
cleansed their
hearts by their faith.
015:010 Now, therefore, why try an experiment upon God, by
laying
on the necks of
these disciples a yoke which neither our
forefathers nor we
have been able to bear?
015:011 On the contrary, we believe that it is by the grace of
the
Lord Jesus that we,
as well as they, shall be saved.”
015:012 Then the whole assembly remained silent while they
listened
to the statement
made by Paul and Barnabas as to all
the signs and
marvels that God had done among the Gentiles
through their
instrumentality.
015:013 When they had finished speaking, James said,
“Brethren,
listen to
me.
015:014 Symeon has related how God first looked graciously on the
Gentiles
to take from among
them a People to be called by His name.
015:015 And this is in harmony with the language of the Prophets,
which says:
015:016 “`"Afterwards I will return, and will rebuild
David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will
rebuild, and I will set it up again;
015:017 In order that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the
Lord—
even all the
nations which are called by My name,”
015:018 Says the Lord, who has been making these things known
from
ages long
past.’
015:019 “My judgement, therefore, is against inflicting
unexpected
annoyance on those
of the Gentiles who are turning to God.
015:020 Yet let us send them written instructions to abstain
from
things polluted by
connexion with idolatry, from fornication,
from meat killed by
strangling, and from blood.
015:021 For Moses from the earliest times has had his
preachers
in every town,
being read, as he is, Sabbath after Sabbath,
in the various
synagogues.”
015:022 Thereupon it was decided by the Apostles and
Elders,
with the approval
of the whole Church, to choose suitable
persons from among
themselves and send them to Antioch,
with Paul and
Barnabas. Judas, called Bar-sabbas, and Silas,
leading men among
the brethren, were selected,
015:023 and they took with them the following letter:
“The Apostles
and the elder
brethren send greeting to the Gentile brethren
throughout Antioch,
Syria and Cilicia.
015:024 As we have been informed that certain persons who have
gone
out from among us
have disturbed you by their teaching
and have unsettled
your minds, without having received any
such instructions
from us;
015:025 we have unanimously decided to select certain men and send
them
to you in company
with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,
015:026 who have endangered their very lives for the sake of
our
Lord Jesus
Christ.
015:027 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who are
themselves
bringing you the
same message by word of mouth.
015:028 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to
lay
upon you no burden
heavier than these necessary requirements—
015:029 You must abstain from things sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from
things strangled, and from fornication.
Keep yourselves
clear of these things, and it will be well
with you.
Farewell.”
015:030 They, therefore, having been solemnly sent, came
down
to Antioch, where
they called together the whole assembly
and delivered the
letter.
015:031 The people read it, and were delighted with the
comfort
it brought
them.
015:032 And Judas and Silas, being themselves also
Prophets,
gave them a long
and encouraging talk, and strengthened them
in the
faith.
015:033 After spending some time there they received an
affectionate
farewell from the
brethren to return to those who had sent them.
015:034 []
015:035 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching
and,
in company with
many others, telling the Good News of
the Lord’s
Message.
015:036 After a while Paul said to Barnabas, “Suppose we now
revisit
the brethren in the
various towns in which we have made known
the Lord’s
Message—to see whether they are
prospering!”
015:037 Barnabas, however, was bent on taking with them
John,
whose other name
was Mark,
015:038 while Paul deemed it undesirable to have as their
companion
one who had
deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone
on with them to the
work.
015:039 So there arose a serious disagreement between them, which
resulted
in their parting
from one another, Barnabas taking Mark
and setting sail
for Cyprus.
015:040 But Paul chose Silas as his travelling companion; and set
out,
after being
commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord;
015:041 and he passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the
Churches.
016:001 He also came to Derbe and to Lystra. At Lystra he
found
a disciple, Timothy
by name—the son of a Christian Jewess,
though he had a
Greek father.
016:002 Timothy was well spoken of by the brethren at Lystra and
Iconium,
016:003 and Paul desiring that he should accompany him on his
journey,
took him and
circumcised him on account of the Jews in those parts,
for they all knew
that his father was a Greek.
016:004 As they journeyed on from town to town, they handed to the
brethren
for their
observance the decisions which had been arrived
at by the Apostles
and Elders in Jerusalem.
016:005 So the Churches went on gaining a stronger faith and
growing
in numbers from day
to day.
016:006 Then Paul and his companions passed through Phrygia and
Galatia,
having been
forbidden by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Message
in the province of
Asia.
016:007 When they reached the frontier of Mysia, they were about
to
enter Bithynia, but
the Spirit of Jesus would not permit this.
016:008 So, passing along Mysia, they came to Troas.
016:009 Here, one night, Paul saw a vision. There was a
Macedonian
who was standing,
entreating him and saying, “Come over into
Macedonia and help
us.”
016:010 So when he had seen the vision, we immediately
looked
out for an
opportunity of passing on into Macedonia,
confidently
inferring that God had called us to proclaim
the Good News to
the people there.
016:011 Accordingly we put out to sea from Troas, and ran a
straight
course to
Samothrace. The next day we came to Neapolis,
016:012 and thence to Philippi, which is a city in
Macedonia,
the first in its
district, a Roman colony. And there we
stayed some little
time.
016:013 On the Sabbath we went beyond the city gate to the
riverside,
where we had reason
to believe that there was a place for prayer;
and sitting down we
talked with the women who had come together.
016:014 Among our hearers was one named Lydia, a dealer in purple
goods.
She belonged to the
city of Thyateira, and was a worshipper
of the true
God. The Lord opened her heart, so that she gave
attention to what
Paul was saying.
016:015 When she and her household had been baptized, she urged
us,
saying, “If
in your judgement I am a believer in the Lord,
come and stay at my
house.” And she made us go there.
016:016 One day, as we were on our way to the place of prayer, a
slave
girl met us who
claimed to be inspired and was accustomed
to bring her owners
large profits by telling fortunes.
016:017 She kept following close behind Paul and the rest of
us,
crying aloud,
“These men are the bondservants of the Most High
God,
and are proclaiming
to you the way of salvation.”
016:018 This she persisted in for a considerable time, until
Paul,
wearied out, turned
round and said to the spirit, “I command
you in the name of
Jesus Christ to come out of her.”
And it came out
immediately.
016:019 But when her owners saw that their hopes of gain were
gone,
they seized Paul
and Silas and dragged them off to the magistrates
in the public
square.
016:020 Then they brought them before the praetors.
“These men,”
they said,
“are creating a great disturbance in our city.
016:021 They are Jews, and are teaching customs which we, as
Romans,
are not permitted
to adopt or practise.”
016:022 The crowd, too, joined in the outcry against them, till at
length
the praetors
ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods;
016:023 and, after severely flogging them, they threw them into
jail
and bade the jailer
keep them safely.
016:024 He, having received an order like that, lodged them in
the
inner prison, and
secured their feet in the stocks.
016:025 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing
hymns
to God, and the
prisoners were listening to them,
016:026 when suddenly there was such a violent shock of
earthquake
that the prison
shook to its foundations. Instantly the doors
all flew open, and
the chains fell off from every prisoner.
016:027 Starting up from sleep and seeing the doors of the jail
wide open,
the jailer drew his
sword and was on the point of killing himself,
supposing that the
prisoners had escaped.
016:028 But Paul shouted loudly to him, saying, “Do yourself
no injury:
we are all
here.
016:029 Then, calling for lights, he sprang in and fell
trembling
at the feet of Paul
and Silas;
016:030 and, bringing them out of the prison, he exclaimed,
“O sirs,
what must I do to
be saved?”
016:031 “Believe on the Lord Jesus,” they replied,
“and both you
and your household
will be saved.”
016:032 And they told the Lord’s Message to him as well as to
all
who were in his
house.
016:033 Then he took them, even at that time of night, washed their
wounds,
and he and all his
household were immediately baptized;
016:034 and bringing the Apostles up into his house, he spread a
meal
for them, and was
filled with gladness, with his whole household,
his faith resting
on God.
016:035 In the morning the praetors sent their lictors with the
order,
“Release
those men.”
016:036 So the jailer brought Paul word, saying, “The
praetors have sent
orders for you to
be released. Now therefore you can go,
and proceed on your
way in peace.”
016:037 But Paul said to them, “After cruelly beating us in
public,
without trial,
Roman citizens though we are, they have thrown us
into prison, and
are they now going to send us away privately?
No, indeed!
Let them come in person and fetch us out.”
016:038 This answer the lictors took back to the praetors, who were
alarmed
when they were told
that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
016:039 Accordingly they came and apologized to them; and, bringing
them out,
asked them to leave
the city.
016:040 Then Paul and Silas, having come out of the prison, went
to
Lydia’s
house; and, after seeing the brethren and encouraging
them,
they left
Philippi.
017:001 Then, passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they
went
to
Thessalonica. Here there was a synagogue of the
Jews.
017:002 Paul—following his usual
custom—betook himself to it,
and for three
successive Sabbaths reasoned with them
from the
Scriptures,
017:003 which he clearly explained, pointing out that it had
been
necessary for the
Christ to suffer and rise again from the dead,
and insisting,
“The Jesus whom I am announcing to you
is the
Christ.”
017:004 Some of the people were won over, and attached
themselves
to Paul and Silas,
including many God-fearing Greeks and not
a few gentlewomen
of high rank.
017:005 But the jealousy of the Jews was aroused, and, calling
to
their aid some
ill-conditioned and idle fellows, they got
together a riotous
mob and filled the city with uproar.
They then attacked
the house of Jason and searched for Paul
and Silas, to bring
them out before the assembly of people.
017:006 But, failing to find them, they dragged Jason and some of
the other
brethren before the
magistrates of the city, loudly accusing them.
“These
men,” they said, “who have raised a tumult
throughout
the Empire, have
come here also.
017:007 Jason has received them into his house; and they all set
Caesar’s
authority at
defiance, declaring that there is another
Emperor—
one called
Jesus.”
017:008 Great was the excitement among the crowd, and among the
magistrates
of the city, when
they heard these charges.
017:009 They required Jason and the rest to find substantial
bail,
and after that they
let them go.
017:010 The brethren at once sent Paul and Silas away by night to
Beroea,
and they, on their
arrival, went to the synagogue of the Jews.
017:011 The Jews at Beroea were of a nobler disposition than
those
in Thessalonica,
for they very readily received the Message,
and day after day
searched the Scriptures to see whether it
was as Paul
stated.
017:012 As the result many of them became believers, and so did
not
a few of the
Greeks—gentlewomen of good position, and men.
017:013 As soon, however, as the Jews of Thessalonica
learnt
that God’s
Message had been proclaimed by Paul at Beroea,
they came there
also, and incited the mob to a riot.
017:014 Then the brethren promptly sent Paul down to the
sea-coast,
but Silas and
Timothy remained behind.
017:015 Those who were caring for Paul’s safety went with him
as far
as Athens, and then
left him, taking a message from him to Silas
and Timothy, asking
them to join him as speedily as possible.
017:016 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was
stirred
within him when he
noticed that the city was full of idols.
017:017 So he had discussions in the synagogue with the Jews
and
the other
worshippers, and in the market place, day after day,
with those whom he
happened to meet.
017:018 A few of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also
encountered him.
Some of them asked,
“What has this beggarly babbler to say?”
“His
business,” said others, “seems to be to cry
up
some foreign
gods.” This was because he had been telling
the Good News of
Jesus and the Resurrection.
017:019 Then they took him and brought him up to the Areopagus,
asking him,
“May we be
told what this new teaching of yours is?
017:020 For the things you are saying sound strange to
us.
We should therefore
like to be told exactly what they mean.”
017:021 (For all the Athenians and their foreign visitors used to
devote
their whole leisure
to telling or hearing about something new.)
017:022 So Paul, taking his stand in the centre of the
Areopagus,
spoke as
follows: “Men of Athens, I perceive that you
are
in every respect
remarkably religious.
017:023 For as I passed along and observed the things you worship,
I found
also an altar
bearing the inscription, `TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’
“The Being,
therefore, whom you, without knowing Him, revere,
Him I now proclaim
to you.
017:024 GOD who made the universe and everything in
it—He, being Lord
of Heaven and
earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries built by men.
017:025 Nor is He ministered to by human hands, as though He needed
anything—
but He Himself
gives to all men life and breath and all things.
017:026 He caused to spring from one forefather people of every
race,
for them to live on
the whole surface of the earth, and marked
out for them an
appointed span of life and the boundaries
of their
homes;
017:027 that they might seek God, if perhaps they could grope for
Him
and find Him.
Yes, though He is not far from any one of us.
017:028 For it is in closest union with Him that we live and
move
and have our being;
as in fact some of the poets in repute
among yourselves
have said, `For we are also His offspring.’
017:029 Since then we are God’s offspring, we ought not to
imagine
that His nature
resembles gold or silver or marble, or anything
sculptured by the
art and inventive faculty of man.
017:030 Those times of ignorance God viewed with
indulgence.
But now He commands
all men everywhere to repent,
017:031 seeing that He has appointed a day on which, before
long,
He will judge the
world in righteousness, through the
instrumentality of
a man whom He has pre-destined to this work,
and has made the
fact certain to every one by raising Him
from the
dead.”
017:032 When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection of dead
men,
some began to
scoff. But others said, “We will hear you
again on that
subject.”
017:033 So Paul went away from them.
017:034 A few, however, attached themselves to him and
believed,
among them being
Dionysius a member of the Council,
a gentlewoman named
Damaris, and some others.
018:001 After this he left Athens and came to Corinth.
018:002 Here he found a Jew, a native of Pontus, of the name of
Aquila.
He and his wife
Priscilla had recently come from Italy
because of
Claudius’s edict expelling all the Jews from
Rome.
So Paul paid them a
visit;
018:003 and because he was of the same trade—that of
tent-maker—
he lodged with them
and worked with them.
018:004 But, Sabbath after Sabbath, he preached in the
synagogue
and tried to win
over both Jews and Greeks.
018:005 Now at the time when Silas and Timothy came down
from
Macedonia, Paul was
preaching fervently and was solemnly
telling the Jews
that Jesus is the Christ.
018:006 But upon their opposing him with abusive
language,
he shook his
clothes by way of protest, and said to them,
“Your ruin
will be upon your own heads. I am not
responsible:
in future I will go
among the Gentiles.”
018:007 So he left the place and went to the house of a
person
called Titius
Justus, a worshipper of the true God.
His house was next
door to the synagogue.
018:008 And Crispus, the Warden of the synagogue, believed in the
Lord,
and so did all his
household; and from time to time many of
the Corinthians who
heard Paul believed and received baptism.
018:009 And, in a vision by night, the Lord said to Paul,
“Dismiss
your fears:
go on speaking, and do not give up.
018:010 I am with you, and no one shall attack you to injure
you;
for I have very
many people in this city.”
018:011 So Paul remained in Corinth for a year and six
months,
teaching among them
the Message of God.
018:012 But when Gallio became Proconsul of Greece, the Jews with
one accord
made a dead set at
Paul, and brought him before the court.
018:013 “This man,” they said, “is inducing
people to offer unlawful
worship to
God.”
018:014 But, when Paul was about to begin his defence, Gallio
said
to the Jews,
“If it had been some wrongful act or piece of
cunning knavery I
might reasonably have listened to you Jews.
018:015 But since these are questions about words and names and
your Law,
you yourselves must
see to them. I refuse to be a judge
in such
matters.”
018:016 So he ordered them out of court.
018:017 Then the people all set upon Sosthenes, the Warden
of
the synagogue, and
beat him severely in front of the court.
Gallio did not
concern himself in the least about this.
018:018 After remaining a considerable time longer in Corinth, Paul
took
leave of the
brethren and set sail for Syria; and Priscilla
and Aquila were
with him. He had shaved his head at Cenchreae,
because he was
bound by a vow.
018:019 They put in at Ephesus, and there Paul left his companions
behind.
As for himself, he
went to the synagogue and had a discussion
with the
Jews.
018:020 When they asked him to remain longer he did not
consent,
018:021 but took leave of them with the promise, “I will
return to you,
God
willing.” So he set sail from Ephesus.
018:022 Landing at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and inquired
after
the welfare of the
Church, and then went down to Antioch.
018:023 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out on a
tour,
visiting the whole
of Galatia and Phrygia in order,
and strengthening
all the disciples.
018:024 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was
a native
of Alexandria, a
man of great learning and well versed
in the
Scriptures.
018:025 He had been instructed by word of mouth in the way
of
the Lord, and,
being full of burning zeal, he used to speak
and teach
accurately the facts about Jesus, though he knew
of no baptism but
John’s.
018:026 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and
Priscilla
and Aquila, after
hearing him, took him home and explained
God’s way to
him more accurately.
018:027 Then, as he had made up his mind to cross over into
Greece,
the brethren wrote
to the disciples in Corinth begging them
to give him a
kindly welcome. Upon his arrival he rendered
valuable help to
those who through grace had believed;
018:028 for he powerfully and in public overcame the Jews in
argument,
proving to them
from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
019:001 During the stay of Apollos in Corinth, Paul, after
passing
through the inland
districts, came to Ephesus, where he found
a few
disciples.
019:002 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first
believed?”
he asked
them. “No,” they replied, “we did not even
hear
that there is a
Holy Spirit.”
019:003 “Into what then were you baptized?” he
asked.
“Into
John’s baptism,” they replied.
019:004 “John,” he said, “administered a baptism
of repentance,
bidding the people
believe on One who was to come after him;
namely, on
Jesus.”
019:005 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the
Lord Jesus;
019:006 and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit
came
on them, and they
began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.
019:007 They numbered in all about twelve men.
019:008 Afterwards he went into the synagogue. There for
three months
he continued to
preach fearlessly, explaining in words which
carried conviction
the truths which concern the Kingdom of God.
019:009 But some grew obstinate in unbelief and spoke evil of the
new
faith before all
the congregation. So Paul left them, and,
taking with him
those who were disciples, held discussions
daily in
Tyrannus’s lecture-hall.
019:010 This went on for two years, so that all the
inhabitants
of the province of
Asia, Jews as well as Greeks,
heard the
Lord’s Message.
019:011 God also brought about extraordinary miracles
through
Paul’s
instrumentality.
019:012 Towels or aprons, for instance, which Paul had handled used
to be
carried to the
sick, and they recovered from their ailments,
or the evil spirits
left them.
019:013 But there were also some wandering Jewish exorcists who
undertook
to invoke the name
of Jesus over those who had the evil spirits,
saying, “I
command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
019:014 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew of high-priestly
family,
who were doing
this.
019:015 “Jesus I know,” the evil spirit answered,
“and Paul I have
heard of, but who
are you?”
019:016 And the man in whom the evil spirit was sprang on two of
them,
over-mastered them
both, and treated them with such violence,
that they fled from
the house stripped of their clothes and wounded.
019:017 All the people of Ephesus, Jews as well as Greeks, came to
know
of this.
There was widespread terror, and they began to hold
the name of the
Lord Jesus in high honour.
019:018 Many also of those who believed came confessing without
reserve
what their conduct
had been,
019:019 and not a few of those who had practised magical arts
brought
their books
together and burnt them in the presence of all.
The total value was
reckoned and found to be 50,000 silver coins.
019:020 Thus mightily did the Lord’s Message spread and
triumph!
019:021 When matters had reached this point, Paul decided in his
own mind
to travel through
Macedonia and Greece, and go to Jerusalem.
“After
that,” he said, “I must also see Rome.”
019:022 But he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to
Macedonia,
while he himself
remained for a while in Roman Asia.
019:023 Now just at that time there arose no small commotion
about
the new
faith.
019:024 There was a certain Demetrius, a silversmith, who made
miniature
silver sanctuaries
of Diana, a business which brought great
gain to the
mechanics in his employ.
019:025 He called his workmen together, and others who were
engaged
in similar trades,
and said to them, “You men well know
that our prosperity
depends on this business of ours;
019:026 and you see and hear that, not in Ephesus only but
throughout
almost the whole
province of Asia, this fellow Paul has led
away a vast number
of people by inducing them to believe
that they are not
gods at all that are made by men’s hands.
019:027 There is danger, therefore, not only that this our trade
will
become of no
account, but also that the temple of the great
goddess Diana will
fall into utter disrepute, and that before
long she will be
actually deposed from her majestic rank—
she who is now
worshipped by the whole province of Asia;
nay, by the whole
world.”
019:028 After listening to this harangue, they became furiously
angry
and kept calling
out, “Great is the Ephesian Diana!”
019:029 The riot and uproar spread through the whole
city,
till at last with
one accord they rushed into the Theatre,
dragging with them
Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians
who were fellow
travellers with Paul.
019:030 Then Paul would have liked to go in and address the
people,
but the disciples
would not let him do so.
019:031 A few of the public officials, too, who were friendly to
him,
sent repeated
messages entreating him not to venture
into the
Theatre.
019:032 The people, meanwhile, kept shouting, some one thing
and
some another; for
the assembly was all uproar and confusion,
and the greater
part had no idea why they had come together.
019:033 Then some of the people crowded round Alexander, whom the
Jews
had pushed forward;
and Alexander, motioning with his hand
to get silence, was
prepared to make a defence to the people.
019:034 No sooner, however, did they see that he was a Jew, than
there arose
from them all one
roar of shouting, lasting about two hours.
“Great is the
Ephesian Diana,” they said.
019:035 At length the Recorder quieted them down. “Men
of Ephesus,”
he said, “who
is there of all mankind that needs to be told
that the city of
Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of
the great Diana and
of the image which fell down from Zeus?
019:036 These facts, then, being unquestioned, it becomes you to
maintain
your self-control
and not act recklessly.
019:037 For you have brought these men here, who are neither
robbers
of temples nor
blasphemers of our goddess.
019:038 If, however, Demetrius and the mechanics who support
his
contention have a
grievance against any one, there are
Assize-days and
there are Proconsuls: let the persons
interested accuse
one another.
019:039 But if you desire anything further, it will have to be
settled
in the regular
assembly.
019:040 For in connexion with to-day’s proceedings there is
danger
of our being
charged with attempted insurrection, there having
been no real reason
for this riot; nor shall we be able
to justify the
behaviour of this disorderly mob.”
019:041 With these words he dismissed the assembly.
020:001 When the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the
disciples;
and, after speaking
words of encouragement to them, he took
his leave, and
started for Macedonia.
020:002 Passing through those districts he encouraged the
disciples
in frequent
addresses, and then came into Greece, and spent
three months
there.
020:003 The Jews having planned to waylay him whenever he might
be
on the point of
taking ship for Syria, he decided to travel
back by way of
Macedonia.
020:004 He was accompanied as far as the province of Asia by
Sopater
the Beroean, the
son of Pyrrhus; by the Thessalonians,
Aristarchus and
Secundus; by Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy;
and by the Asians,
Tychicus and Trophimus.
020:005 These brethren had gone on and were waiting for us in the
Troad.
020:006 But we ourselves sailed from Philippi after the days
of
Unleavened Bread,
and five days later joined them in the Troad,
where we remained
for a week.
020:007 On the first day of the week, when we had met to break
bread,
Paul, who was going
away the next morning, was preaching to them,
and prolonged his
discourse till midnight.
020:008 Now there were a good many lamps in the room upstairs
where
we all
were,
020:009 and a youth of the name of Eutychus was sitting at the
window.
This lad, gradually
sinking into deep sleep while Paul
preached at unusual
length, overcome at last by sleep,
fell from the
second floor and was taken up dead.
020:010 Paul, however, went down, threw himself upon him,
and folding him in
his arms said, “Do not be alarmed;
his life is still
in him.”
020:011 Then he went upstairs again, broke bread, and took some
food;
and after a long
conversation which was continued till daybreak,
at last he parted
from them.
020:012 They had taken the lad home alive, and were greatly
comforted.
020:013 The rest of us had already gone on board a ship, and now
we
set sail for Assos,
intending to take Paul on board there;
for so he had
arranged, he himself intending to go by land.
020:014 Accordingly, when he met us at Assos, we took him on
board
and came to
Mitylene.
020:015 Sailing from there, we arrived the next day off
Chios.
On the next we
touched at Samos; and on the day
following reached
Miletus.
020:016 For Paul’s plan was to sail past Ephesus, so as not
to spend much
time in the
province of Asia; since he was very desirous of being
in Jerusalem, if
possible, on the day of the Harvest Festival.
020:017 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus for the Elders of the
Church
to come to
him.
020:018 Upon their arrival he said to them, “You Elders well
know,
from the first day
of my setting foot in the province of Asia,
the kind of life I
lived among you the whole time,
020:019 serving the Lord in all humility, and with tears, and
amid
trials which came
upon me through the plotting of the Jews—
020:020 and that I never shrank from declaring to you anything
that
was profitable, or
from teaching you in public and in your homes,
020:021 and urging upon both Jews and Greeks the necessity of
turning
to God and of
believing in Jesus our Lord.
020:022 “And now, impelled by a sense of duty, I am on my way
to Jerusalem,
not knowing what
will happen to me there,
020:023 except that the Holy Spirit, at town after town, testifies
to me
that imprisonment
and suffering are awaiting me.
020:024 But even the sacrifice of my life I count as nothing, if
only I
may perfect my
earthly course, and be faithful to the duty
which the Lord
Jesus has entrusted to me of proclaiming,
as of supreme
importance, the Good News of God’s grace.
020:025 “And now, I know that none of you among whom I have
gone
in and out
proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom will any
longer see my
face.
020:026 Therefore I protest to you to-day that I am not
responsible
for the ruin of any
one of you.
020:027 For I have not shrunk from declaring to you God’s
whole truth.
020:028 “Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among
which
the Holy Spirit has
placed you to take the oversight for Him
and act as
shepherds to the Church of God, which He has bought
with His own
blood.
020:029 I know that, when I am gone, cruel wolves will come among
you
and will not spare
the flock;
020:030 and that from among your own selves men will rise up who
will seek
with their perverse
talk to draw away the disciples after them.
020:031 Therefore be on the alert; and remember that, night and
day,
for three years, I
never ceased admonishing every one,
even with
tears.
020:032 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His
grace.
He is able to build
you up and to give you your inheritance
among His
people.
020:033 No one’s silver or gold or clothing have I
coveted.
020:034 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have
provided
for my own
necessities and for the people with me.
020:035 In all things I have set you an example, showing you
that,
by working as I do,
you ought to help the weak, and to bear
in mind the words
of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said,
“`It is more
blessed to give than to receive.’”
020:036 Having spoken thus, Paul knelt down and prayed with them
all;
020:037 and with loud lamentation they all threw their arms round
his neck,
and kissed him
lovingly,
020:038 grieved above all things at his having told them
that
after that day they
were no longer to see his face.
And they went with
him to the ship.
021:001 When, at last, we had torn ourselves away and had set
sail,
we ran in a
straight course to Cos; the next day to Rhodes,
and from there to
Patara.
021:002 Finding a ship bound for Phoenicia, we went on board
and
put to
sea.
021:003 After sighting Cyprus and leaving that island on our
left,
we continued our
voyage to Syria and put in at Tyre;
for there the ship
was to unload her cargo.
021:004 Having searched for the disciples and found them,
we stayed at Tyre
for seven days; and, taught by the Spirit,
they repeatedly
urged Paul not to proceed to Jerusalem.
021:005 When, however, our time was up, we left and went on our
way,
all the disciples
and their wives and children coming to see
us off. Then,
after kneeling down on the beach and praying,
021:006 we took leave of one another; and we went on
board,
while they returned
home.
021:007 As for us, our voyage was over when having sailed from
Tyre
we reached
Ptolemais. here we inquired after the welfare
of the brethren,
and remained a day with them.
021:008 On the morrow we left Ptolemais and went on to
Caesarea,
where we came to
the house of Philip the Evangelist,
who was one of the
seven, and stayed with him.
021:009 Now Philip had four unmarried daughters who were
prophetesses;
021:010 and during our somewhat lengthy stay a Prophet of the
name
of Agabus came down
from Judaea.
021:011 When he arrived he took Paul’s loincloth, and bound
his own feet
and arms with it,
and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, `So will
the Jews in
Jerusalem bind the owner of this loincloth,
and will hand him
over to the Gentiles.’”
021:012 As soon as we heard these words, both we and the
brethren
at Caesarea
entreated Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
021:013 His reply was, “What can you mean by thus breaking my
heart
with your
grief? Why, as for me, I am ready not only to go
to Jerusalem and be
put in chains, but even to die there
for the sake of the
Lord Jesus.”
021:014 So when he was not to be dissuaded, we ceased
remonstrating
with him and said,
“The Lord’s will be done!”
021:015 A few days afterwards we loaded our baggage-cattle and
continued
our journey to
Jerusalem.
021:016 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also joined our
party,
and brought with
them Mnason, a Cyprian, one of the early disciples,
at whose house we
were to lodge.
021:017 At length we reached Jerusalem, and there the brethren
gave
us a hearty
welcome.
021:018 On the following day we went with Paul to call on
James,
and all the Elders
of the Church came also.
021:019 After exchanging friendly greetings, Paul told in detail
all that
God had done among
the Gentiles through his instrumentality.
021:020 And they, when they had heard his statement, gave the glory
to God.
Then they said,
“You see, brother, how many tens of thousands
of Jews there are
among those who have accepted the faith,
and they are all
zealous upholders of the Law.
021:021 Now what they have been repeatedly told about you is that
you
teach all the Jews
among the Gentiles to abandon Moses,
and that you forbid
them to circumcise their children
or observe
old-established customs.
021:022 What then ought you to do? They are sure to hear that
you
have come to
Jerusalem;
021:023 so do this which we now tell you. We have four men
here who
have a vow resting
on them.
021:024 Associate with these men and purify yourself with
them,
and pay their
expenses so that they can shave their heads.
Then everybody will
know that there is no truth in these
stories about you,
but that in your own actions you yourself
scrupulously obey
the Law.
021:025 But as for the Gentiles who have accepted the faith, we
have
communicated to
them our decision that they are carefully
to abstain from
anything sacrificed to an idol, from blood,
from what is
strangled, and from fornication.”
021:026 So Paul associated with the men; and the next
day,
having purified
himself with them, he went into the Temple,
giving every one to
understand that the days of their purification
were finished, and
there he remained until the sacrifice
for each of them
was offered.
021:027 But, when the seven days were nearly over, the Jews
from
the province of
Asia, having seen Paul in the Temple,
set about rousing
the fury of all the people against him.
021:028 They laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel,
help! help!
This is the man who
goes everywhere preaching to everybody
against the Jewish
people and the Law and this place.
And besides, he has
even brought Gentiles into the Temple
and has desecrated
this holy place.”
021:029 (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian
with
him in the city,
and imagined that Paul had brought him
into the
Temple.)
021:030 The excitement spread through the whole city, and the
people rushed
in crowds to the
Temple, and there laid hold of Paul and began
to drag him out;
and the Temple gates were immediately closed.
021:031 But while they were trying to kill Paul, word was taken
up
to the Tribune in
command of the battalion, that all Jerusalem
was in a
ferment.
021:032 He instantly sent for a few soldiers and their
officers,
and came down among
the people with all speed. At the sight
of the Tribune and
the troops they ceased beating Paul.
021:033 Then the Tribune, making his way to him, arrested
him,
and, having ordered
him to be secured with two chains,
proceeded to ask
who he was and what he had been doing.
021:034 Some of the crowd shouted one accusation against
Paul
and some another,
until, as the uproar made it impossible
for the truth to be
ascertained with certainty, the Tribune
ordered him to be
brought into the barracks.
021:035 When Paul was going up the steps, he had to be
carried
by the soldiers
because of the violence of the mob;
021:036 for the whole mass of the people pressed on in the
rear,
shouting,
“Away with him!”
021:037 When he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul
said
to the Tribune,
“May I speak to you?” “Do you know
Greek?”
the Tribune
asked.
021:038 “Are you not the Egyptian who some years ago excited
the riot
of the 4,000
cut-throats, and led them out into the Desert?”
021:039 “I am a Jew,” replied Paul, “belonging to
Tarsus in Cilicia,
and am a citizen of
no unimportant city. Give me leave,
I pray you, to
speak to the people.”
021:040 So with his permission Paul stood on the steps and
motioned
with his hand to
the people to be quiet; and when there was
perfect silence he
addressed them in Hebrew.
022:001 “Brethren and fathers,” he said, “listen
to my defence which I
now make before
you.”
022:002 And on hearing him address them in Hebrew, they kept
all
the more quiet; and
he said,
022:003 “I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought
up in
this city. I
was carefully trained at the feet of Gamaliel
in the Law of our
forefathers, and, like all of you to-day,
was zealous for
God.
022:004 I persecuted to death this new faith, continually
binding
both men and women
and throwing them into prison;
022:005 as the High Priest also and all the Elders can bear me
witness.
It was, too, from
them that I received letters to the brethren
in Damascus, and I
was already on my way to Damascus,
intending to bring
those also who had fled there, in chains
to Jerusalem, to be
punished.
022:006 “But on my way, when I was now not far from Damascus,
about noon
a sudden blaze of
light from Heaven shone round me.
022:007 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,
“`Saul, Saul,
why are you
persecuting Me?’
022:008 “`Who art thou, Lord?’ I asked. “`I am
Jesus,
the
Nazarene,’ He replied, `whom you are
persecuting.’
022:009 “Now the men who were with me, though they saw the
light,
did not hear the
words of Him who spoke to me.
022:010 And I asked, “`What am I to do, Lord?’
“And the Lord said
to me,
“`Rise, and go into Damascus. There you shall be
told
of all that has
been appointed for you to do.’
022:011 “And as I could not see because the light had been so
dazzling,
those who were with
me had to lead me by the arm, and so I
came to
Damascus.
022:012 “And a certain Ananias, a pious man who obeyed the
Law and bore
a good character
with all the Jews of the city,
022:013 came to me and standing at my side said, “`Brother
Saul,
recover your
sight.’ “I instantly regained my sight and
looked
up at
him.
022:014 Then he said, `The God of our forefathers has appointed you
to know
His will, and to
see the righteous One and hear Him speak.
022:015 For you shall be a witness for Him, to all men, of what
you
have seen and
heard.
022:016 And now why delay? Rise, get yourself baptized, and
wash off
your sins, calling
upon His name.’
022:017 “After my return to Jerusalem, and while praying in
the Temple, I fell
into a
trance.
022:018 I saw Jesus, and He said to me, “`Make haste and
leave
Jerusalem quickly,
because they will not accept your
testimony about
Me.’
022:019 “`Lord,’ I replied, `they themselves well know
how active I was
in imprisoning, and
in flogging in synagogue after synagogue
those who believe
in Thee;
022:020 and when they were shedding the blood of Stephen, Thy
witness,
I was standing by,
fully approving of it, and I held the clothes
of those who were
killing him.’
022:021 “`Go,’ He replied; `I will send you as an
Apostle to
nations far
away.’”
022:022 Until they heard this last statement the people
listened
to Paul, but now
with a roar of disapproval they cried out,
“Away with
such a fellow from the earth! He ought not to be
allowed to
live.”
022:023 And when they continued their furious shouts, throwing
their
clothes into the
air and flinging dust about,
022:024 the Tribune ordered him to be brought into the
barracks,
and be examined by
flogging, in order to ascertain the reason
why they thus cried
out against him.
022:025 But, when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul
said
to the Captain who
stood by, “Does the Law permit you to flog
a Roman
citizen—and one too who is uncondemned?”
022:026 On hearing this question, the Captain went to report the
matter
to the
Tribune. “What are you intending to do?” he
said.
“This man is
a Roman citizen.”
022:027 So the Tribune came to Paul and asked him, “Tell me,
are you
a Roman
citizen?” “Yes,” he said.
022:028 “I paid a large sum for my citizenship,” said
the Tribune.
“But I was
born free,” said Paul.
022:029 So the men who had been on the point of putting him under
torture
immediately left
him. And the Tribune, too, was frightened
when he learnt that
Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had
had him
bound.
022:030 The next day, wishing to know exactly what charge was
being
brought against him
by the Jews, the Tribune ordered his chains
to be removed; and,
having sent word to the High Priests and
all the Sanhedrin
to assemble, he brought Paul down and made
him stand before
them.
023:001 Then Paul, fixing a steady gaze on the Sanhedrin, said,
“Brethren,
it is with a
perfectly clear conscience that I have discharged
my duties before
God up to this day.”
023:002 On hearing this the High Priest Ananias ordered those who
were
standing near Paul
to strike him on the mouth.
023:003 “Before long,” exclaimed Paul, “God will
strike you,
you white-washed
wall! Are you sitting there to judge me
in accordance with
the Law, and do you yourself actually
break the Law by
ordering me to be struck?”
023:004 “Do you rail at God’s High Priest?” cried
the men who stood by him.
023:005 “I did not know, brethren,” replied Paul,
“that he was
the High Priest;
for it is written, `Thou shalt not speak
evil of a ruler of
Thy people.’”
023:006 Noticing, however, that the Sanhedrin consisted
partly
of Sadducees and
partly of Pharisees, he called out loudly
among them,
“Brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of
Pharisees.
It is because of my
hope of a resurrection of the dead that I
am on my
trial.”
023:007 These words of his caused an angry dispute between the
Pharisees
and the Sadducees,
and the assembly took different sides.
023:008 For the Sadducees maintain that there is no
resurrection,
and neither angel
nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge
the existence of
both.
023:009 So there arose a great uproar; and some of the
Scribes
belonging to the
sect of the Pharisees sprang to their feet
and fiercely
contended, saying, “We find no harm in the
man.
What if a spirit
has spoken to him, or an angel——!”
023:010 But when the struggle was becoming violent, the
Tribune,
fearing that Paul
would be torn to pieces by the people,
ordered the troops
to go down and take him from among them
by force and bring
him into the barracks.
023:011 The following night the Lord came and stood at Paul’s
side,
and said, “Be
of good courage, for as you have borne faithful
witness about me in
Jerusalem, so you must also bear
witness in
Rome.”
023:012 Now, when daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and
solemnly
swore not to eat or
drink till they had killed Paul.
023:013 There were more than forty of them who bound
themselves
by this
oath.
023:014 They went to the High Priests and Elders and said to
them,
“We have
bound ourselves under a heavy curse to take no food
till we have killed
Paul.
023:015 Now therefore you and the Sanhedrin should make
representations
to the Tribune for
him to bring him down to you, under the
impression that you
intend to inquire more minutely about him;
and we are prepared
to assassinate him before he comes
near the
place.”
023:016 But Paul’s sister’s son heard of the intended
attack upon him.
So he came and went
into the barracks and told Paul about it;
023:017 and Paul called one of the Captains and said, “Take
this young
man to the Tribune,
for he has information to give him.”
023:018 So he took him and brought him to the Tribune, and said,
“Paul,
the prisoner,
called me to him and begged me to bring this
youth to you,
because he has something to say to you.”
023:019 Then the Tribune, taking him by the arm, withdrew out of
the
hearing of others
and asked him, “What have you to tell me?”
023:020 “The Jews,” he replied, “have agreed to
request you to bring
Paul down to the
Sanhedrin to-morrow for the purpose of making
yourself more
accurately acquainted with the case.
023:021 I beg you not to comply; for more than forty men among
them
are lying in wait
for him, who have solemnly vowed that they
will neither eat
nor drink till they have assassinated him;
and even now they
are ready, in anticipation of receiving
that promise of
you.”
023:022 So the Tribune sent the youth home, cautioning
him.
“Do not let
any one know that you have given me this
information,”
he said.
023:023 Then, calling to him two of the Captains, he gave his
orders.
“Get ready
two hundred men,” he said, “to march to
Caesarea,
with seventy
cavalry and two hundred light infantry,
starting at nine
o’clock to-night.”
023:024 He further told them to provide horses to mount Paul
on,
so as to bring him
safely to Felix the Governor.
023:025 He also wrote a letter of which these were the
contents:
023:026 “Claudius Lysias to his Excellency, Felix the
Governor:
all good
wishes.
023:027 This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and they were
on
the point of
killing him, when I came upon them with the troops
and rescued him,
for I had been informed that he was
a Roman
citizen.
023:028 And, wishing to know with certainty the offense of which
they
were accusing him,
I brought him down into their Sanhedrin,
023:029 and I discovered that the charge had to do with
questions
of their Law, but
that he was accused of nothing for which
he deserves death
or imprisonment.
023:030 But now that I have received information of an intended
attack
upon him, I
immediately send him to you, directing his accusers
also to state
before you the case they have against him.”
023:031 So, in obedience to their orders, the soldiers took
Paul
and brought him by
night as far as Antipatris.
023:032 The next day the infantry returned to the
barracks,
leaving the cavalry
to proceed with him;
023:033 and, the cavalry having reached Caesarea and delivered the
letter
to the Governor,
they brought Paul also to him.
023:034 Felix, after reading the letter, inquired from what
province he was;
and being told
“from Cilicia,”
023:035 he said, “I will hear all you have to say, when your
accusers
also have
come.” And he ordered him to be detained in
custody
in Herod’s
Palace.
024:001 Five days after this, Ananias the High Priest came down to
Caesarea
with a number of
Elders and a pleader called Tertullus.
They stated to the
Governor the case against Paul.
024:002 So Paul was sent for, and Tertullus began to impeach him as
follows:
“Indebted as
we are,” he said, “to you, most noble Felix,
for the perfect
peace which we enjoy, and for reforms which
your wisdom has
introduced to this nation,
024:003 in every instance and in every place we accept
them
with profound
gratitude.
024:004 But—not to detain you too long—I beg
you in your forbearance
to listen to a
brief statement from us.
024:005 For we have found this man Paul a source of mischief and
a
disturber of the
peace among all the Jews throughout the Empire,
and a ringleader in
the heresy of the Nazarenes.
024:006 He even attempted to profane the Temple, but we arrested
him.
024:007 []
024:008 You, however, by examining him, will yourself be able to
learn
the truth as to all
this which we allege against him.”
024:009 The Jews also joined in the charge, maintaining
that
these were
facts.
024:010 Then, at a sign from the Governor, Paul answered,
“Knowing, Sir,
that for many years
you have administered justice to this nation,
I cheerfully make
my defence.
024:011 For you have it in your power to ascertain that it is not
more
than twelve days
ago that I went up to worship in Jerusalem;
024:012 and that neither in the Temple nor in the
synagogues,
nor anywhere in the
city, did they find me disputing with any
opponent or
collecting a crowd about me.
024:013 Nor can they prove the charges which they are now
bringing against
me.
024:014 But this I confess to you—that in the way which
they style a heresy,
I worship the God
of our forefathers, believing everything
that is taught in
the Law or is written in the Prophets,
024:015 and having a hope directed towards God, which my
accusers
themselves also
entertain, that before long there will be
a resurrection both
of the righteous and the unrighteous.
024:016 This too is my own earnest endeavour—always to
have a clear
conscience in
relation to God and man.
024:017 “Now after an interval of several years I came to
bring alms
to my nation, and
to offer sacrifices.
024:018 While I was busy about these, they found me in the Temple
purified,
with no crowd
around me and no uproar; but there were certain
Jews from the
province of Asia.
024:019 They ought to have been here before you, and to have
been
my prosecutors, if
they have any charge to bring against me.
024:020 Or let these men themselves say what misdemeanour they
found
me guilty of when I
stood before the Sanhedrin,
024:021 unless it was in that one expression which I made use of
when I
shouted out as I
stood among them, “`The resurrection of the dead
is the thing about
which I am on my trial before you to-day.’”
024:022 At this point Felix, who was fairly well informed about the
new faith,
adjourned the
trial, saying to the Jews, “When the Tribune Lysias
comes down, I will
enter carefully into the matter.”
024:023 And he gave orders to the Captain that Paul was to be
kept
in custody, but be
treated with indulgence, and that his personal
friends were not to
be prevented from showing him kindness.
024:024 Not long after this, Felix came with Drusilla his
wife,
a Jewess, and
sending for Paul, listened to him as he spoke
about faith in
Christ Jesus.
024:025 But when he dealt with the subjects of justice,
self-control,
and the judgement
which was soon to come, Felix became alarmed
and said,
“For the present leave me, and when I can find
a convenient
opportunity I will send for you.”
024:026 At the same time he hoped that Paul would give him
money;
and for this reason
he sent for him the oftener to
converse with
him.
024:027 But after the lapse of fully two years Felix was
succeeded
by Porcius Festus;
and being desirous of gratifying
the Jews, Felix
left Paul still in prison.
025:001 Festus, having entered on his duties as governor of the
province,
two days later went
up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
025:002 The High Priests and the leading men among the Jews
immediately
made
representations to him against Paul, and begged
him—
025:003 asking it as a favour, to Paul’s
prejudice—to have him
brought to
Jerusalem. They were planning an ambush to kill
him on the
way.
025:004 Festus, however, replied that Paul was in custody in
Caesarea,
and that he was
himself going there very soon.
025:005 “Therefore let those of you,” he said,
“who can come,
go down with me,
and impeach the man, if there is anything
amiss in
him.”
025:006 After a stay of eight or ten days in
Jerusalem—not more—
he went down to
Caesarea; and the next day, taking his seat
on the tribunal, he
ordered Paul to be brought in.
025:007 Upon Paul’s arrival, the Jews who had come down from
Jerusalem
stood round him,
and brought many grave charges against him
which they were
unable to substantiate.
025:008 But, in reply, Paul said, “Neither against the Jewish
Law,
nor against the
Temple, nor against Caesar, have I committed
any offence
whatever.”
025:009 Then Festus, being anxious to gratify the Jews, asked Paul,
“Are you
willing to go up to
Jerusalem, and there stand your trial
before me on these
charges?”
025:010 “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal,”
replied Paul,
“where alone
I ought to be tried. The Jews have no real
ground of complaint
against me, as in fact you yourself are
beginning to see
more clearly.
025:011 If, however, I have done wrong and have committed any
offence for
which I deserve to
die, I do not ask to be excused that penalty.
But if there is no
truth in what these men allege against me,
no one has the
right to give me up to them as a favour.
I appeal to
Caesar.”
025:012 Then, after conferring with the Council, Festus
replied,
“To Caesar
you have appealed: to Caesar you shall go.”
025:013 A short time after this, Agrippa the king and Bernice
came
to Caesarea to pay
a complimentary visit to Festus;
025:014 and, during their rather long stay, Festus laid
Paul’s case
before the
king. “There is a man here,” he said, “whom
Felix
left a
prisoner,
025:015 about whom, when I went to Jerusalem, the High
Priests
and the Elders of
the Jews made representations to me,
begging that
sentence might be pronounced against him.
025:016 My reply was that it is not the custom among the Romans to
give up
any one for
punishment before the accused has had his accusers
face to face, and
has had an opportunity of defending himself
against the charge
which has been brought against him.
025:017 “When, therefore, a number of them came here, the
next day
I took my seat on
the tribunal, without any loss of time,
and ordered the man
to be brought in.
025:018 But, when his accusers stood up, they did not charge
him
with the
misdemeanours of which I had been suspecting him.
025:019 But they quarrelled with him about certain matters
connected
with their own
religion, and about one Jesus who had died,
but—
so Paul
persistently maintained—is now alive.
025:020 I was at a loss how to investigate such questions, and
asked
Paul whether he
would care to go to Jerusalem and there stand
his trial on these
matters.
025:021 But when Paul appealed to have his case kept for the
Emperor’s
decision, I ordered
him to be kept in prison until I could
send him up to
Caesar.”
025:022 “I should like to hear the man myself,” said
Agrippa.
“to-morrow,”
replied Festus, “you shall.” Accordingly, the
next day,
Agrippa and Bernice
came in state
025:023 and took their seats in the Judgement Hall, attended by the
Tribunes
and the men of high
rank in the city; and, at the command
of Festus, Paul was
brought in.
025:024 Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are
present
with us, you see
here the man about whom the whole nation
of the Jews made
suit to me, both in Jerusalem and here,
crying out that he
ought not to live any longer.
025:025 I could not discover that he had done anything for which he
deserved
to die; but as he
has himself appealed to the Emperor, I have
decided to send him
to Rome.
025:026 I have nothing very definite, however, to tell our
Sovereign
about him. So
I have brought the man before you all—
and especially
before you, King Agrippa—that after he has
been
examined I may find
something which I can put into writing.
025:027 For, when sending a prisoner to Rome, it seems to me to
be
absurd not to state
the charges against him.”
026:001 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to
speak
about
yourself.” So Paul, with outstretched arm, proceeded
to
make his
defence.
026:002 “As regards all the accusations brought against me by
the Jews,”
he said, “I
think myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in being
about to defend
myself to-day before you,
026:003 who are so familiar with all the customs and
speculations
that prevail among
the Jews; and for this reason, I pray you,
give me a patient
hearing.
026:004 “The kind of life I have lived from my youth
upwards,
as exemplified in
my early days among my nation and in Jerusalem,
is known to all the
Jews.
026:005 For they all know me of old—if they would but
testify to the fact—
how, being an
adherent of the strictest sect of our religion,
my life was that of
a Pharisee.
026:006 And now I stand here impeached because of my hope in the
fulfilment
of the promise made
by God to our forefathers—
026:007 the promise which our twelve tribes, worshipping day and
night
with intense
devotedness, hope to have made good to them.
It is on the
subject of this hope, Sir, that I am accused
by the
Jews.
026:008 Why is it deemed with all of you a thing past belief if
God
raises the dead to
life?
026:009 “I myself, however, thought it a duty to do many
things
in hostility to the
name of Jesus, the Nazarene.
026:010 And that was how I acted in Jerusalem. Armed with
authority
received from the
High Priests I shut up many of God’s people
in various prisons,
and when they were about to be put to death
I gave my vote
against them.
026:011 In all the synagogues also I punished them many a
time,
and tried to make
them blaspheme; and in my wild fury I chased
them even to
foreign towns.
026:012 “While thus engaged, I was travelling one day to
Damascus armed
with authority and
a commission from the High Priests,
026:013 and on the journey, at noon, Sir, I saw a light from
Heaven—
brighter than the
brightness of the sun—shining around me
and around those
who were travelling with me.
026:014 We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice which said
to me
in Hebrew,
“`Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? You
are
finding it painful
to kick against the ox-goad.’
026:015 “`Who art Thou, Lord?’ I asked. “`I am
Jesus whom you
are
persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
026:016 `But rise, and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to
you
for the very
purpose of appointing you My servant and My
witness both as to
the things you have already seen and as
to those in which I
will appear to you.
026:017 I will save you from the Jewish people and from the
Gentiles,
to whom I send you
to open their eyes,
026:018 that they may turn from darkness to light and from the
obedience
to Satan to God, in
order to receive forgiveness of sins
and an inheritance
among those who are sanctified through
faith in
Me.’
026:019 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient
to
the heavenly
vision;
026:020 but I proceeded to preach first to the people in
Damascus,
and then to those
in Jerusalem and in all Judaea,
and to the
Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God,
and live lives
consistent with such repentance.
026:021 “It was on this account that the Jews seized me in
the Temple
and tried to kill
me.
026:022 Having, however, obtained the help which is from God, I
have stood
firm until now, and
have solemnly exhorted rich and poor alike,
saying nothing
except what the Prophets and Moses predicted
as soon to
happen,
026:023 since the Christ was to be a suffering Christ, and by
coming back
from the dead was
then to be the first to proclaim a message
of light both to
the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
026:024 As Paul thus made his defence, Festus exclaimed in a loud
voice,
“You are
raving mad, Paul; and great learning is driving you
mad.”
026:025 “I am not mad, most noble Festus,” replied
Paul; “I am speaking
words of sober
truth.
026:026 For the King, to whom I speak freely, knows about these
matters.
I am not to be
persuaded that any detail of them has escaped
his notice; for
these things have not been done in a corner.
026:027 King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know
that
you believe
them.”
026:028 Agrippa answered, “In brief, you are doing your best
to persuade
me to become a
Christian.”
026:029 “My prayer to God, whether briefly or at
length,” replied Paul,
“would be
that not only you but all who are my hearers to-day,
might become such
as I am—except these chains.”
026:030 So the King rose, and the Governor, and Bernice, and
those
who were sitting
with them;
026:031 and, having withdrawn, they talked to one another and
said,
“This man is
doing nothing for which he deserves
death or
imprisonment.”
026:032 And Agrippa said to Festus, “He might have been set
at liberty,
if he had not
appealed to Caesar.”
027:001 Now when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they
handed
over Paul and a few
other prisoners into the custody of Julius,
a Captain of the
Augustan battalion;
027:002 and going on board a ship of Adramyttium which was
about
to sail to the
ports of the province of Asia, we put
to sea;
Aristarchus, the Macedonian, from Thessalonica,
forming one of our
party.
027:003 The next day we put in at Sidon. There Julius treated
Paul
with thoughtful
kindness and allowed him to visit his friends
and profit by their
generous care.
027:004 Putting to sea again, we sailed under the lee of
Cyprus,
because the winds
were against us;
027:005 and, sailing the whole length of the sea that lies off
Cilicia
and Pamphylia, we
reached Myra in Lycia.
027:006 There Julius found an Alexandrian ship bound for
Italy,
and put us on board
of her.
027:007 It took several days of slow sailing for us to come
with
difficulty off
Cnidus; from which point, as the wind did not
allow us to get on
in the direct course, we ran under the lee
of Crete by
Salmone.
027:008 Then, coasting along with difficulty, we reached a place
called
`Fair
Havens,’ near the town of Lasea.
027:009 Our voyage thus far had occupied a considerable time, and
the
navigation being
now unsafe and the Fast also already over,
Paul warned
them.
027:010 “Sirs,” he said, “I perceive that before
long the voyage will
be attended with
danger and heavy loss, not only to the cargo
and the ship but to
our own lives also.”
027:011 But Julius let himself be persuaded by the pilot and by the
owner
rather than by
Paul’s arguments;
027:012 and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering
in,
the majority were
in favour of putting out to sea, to try
whether they could
get to Phoenix—a harbour on the coast
of Crete facing
north-east and south-east—to winter there.
027:013 And a light breeze from the south sprang up, so
that
they supposed they
were now sure of their purpose.
So weighing anchor
they ran along the coast of Crete,
hugging the
shore.
027:014 But it was not long before a furious north-east
wind,
coming down from
the mountains, burst upon us and carried
the ship out of her
course.
027:015 She was unable to make headway against the gale; so we
gave
up and let her
drive.
027:016 Then we ran under the lee of a little island called
Cauda,
where we managed
with great difficulty to secure the boat;
027:017 and, after hoisting it on board, they used
frapping-cables
to undergird the
ship, and, as they were afraid of being driven
on the Syrtis
quicksands, they lowered the gear and lay to.
027:018 But, as the storm was still violent, the next day they
began
to lighten the
ship;
027:019 and, on the third day, with their own hands they threw the
ship’s
spare gear
overboard.
027:020 Then, when for several days neither sun nor stars were
seen
and the terrific
gale still harassed us, the last ray of hope
was now
vanishing.
027:021 When for a long time they had taken but little
food,
Paul, standing up
among them, said, “Sirs, you ought
to have listened to
me and not have sailed from Crete.
You would then have
escaped this suffering and loss.
027:022 But now take courage, for there will be no destruction of
life
among you, but of
the ship only.
027:023 For there stood by my side, last night, an angel of the
God
to whom I belong,
and whom also I worship,
027:024 and he said, “`Dismiss all fear, Paul, for you must
stand
before Caesar; and
God has granted you the lives of all who
are sailing with
you.’
027:025 “Therefore, Sirs, take courage; for I believe God,
and am
convinced that
things will happen exactly as I have been told.
027:026 But we are to be stranded on a certain
island.”
027:027 It was now the fourteenth night, and we were drifting
through
the Sea of Adria,
when, about midnight, the sailors suspected
that land was close
at hand.
027:028 So they hove the lead and found twenty fathoms of
water;
and after a short
time they hove again and found fifteen fathoms.
027:029 Then for fear of possibly running on rocks, they threw out
four
anchors from the
stern and waited impatiently for daylight.
027:030 The sailors, however, wanted to make their escape from the
ship,
and had lowered the
boat into the sea, pretending that they
were going to lay
out anchors from the bow.
027:031 But Paul, addressing Julius and the soldiers, said,
“Your lives
will be sacrificed,
unless these men remain on board.”
027:032 Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the ship’s boat
and let
her fall
off.
027:033 And continually, up till daybreak, Paul kept urging all on
board
to take some
food. “This is the fourteenth day,” he
said,
“that you
have been anxiously waiting for the storm to cease,
and have fasted,
eating little or nothing.
027:034 I therefore strongly advise you to take some
food.
This is essential
for your safety. For not a hair will perish
from the head of
any one of you.”
027:035 Having said this he took some bread, and, after giving
thanks
to God for it
before them all, he broke it in pieces and began
to eat
it.
027:036 This raised the spirits of all, and they too took
food.
027:037 There were 276 of us, crew and passengers, all
told.
027:038 After eating a hearty meal they lightened the ship by
throwing
the wheat
overboard.
027:039 When daylight came, they tried in vain to recognise the
coast.
But an inlet with a
sandy beach attracted their attention,
and now their
object was, if possible, to run the ship aground
in this
inlet.
027:040 So they cut away the anchors and left them in the
sea,
unloosing at the
same time the bands which secured
the
paddle-rudders. Then, hoisting the foresail to the
wind,
they made for the
beach.
027:041 But coming to a place where two seas met, they stranded the
ship,
and her bow
sticking fast remained immovable, while the stern
began to go to
pieces under the heavy hammering of the sea.
027:042 Now the soldiers recommended that the prisoners should be
killed,
for fear some one
of them might swim ashore and effect his escape.
027:043 But their Captain, bent on securing Paul’s safety,
kept them
from their purpose
and gave orders that those who could swim
should first jump
overboard and get to land;
027:044 and that the rest should follow, some on planks, and
others
on various things
from the ship. In this way they all got
safely to
land.
028:001 Our lives having been thus preserved, we discovered
that
the island was
called Malta.
028:002 The strange-speaking natives showed us remarkable
kindness,
for they lighted a
fire and made us all welcome because of
the pelting rain
and the cold.
028:003 Now, when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and had
thrown
them on the fire, a
viper, driven by the heat, came out and
fastened itself on
his hand.
028:004 When the natives saw the creature hanging to his hand, they
said
to one another,
“Beyond doubt this man is a murderer, for,
though saved from
the sea, unerring Justice does not permit
him to
live.”
028:005 He, however, shook the reptile off into the fire and was
unhurt.
028:006 They expected him soon to swell with inflammation or
suddenly
fall down dead;
but, after waiting a long time and seeing
no harm come to
him, they changed their minds and said
that he was a
god.
028:007 Now in the same part of the island there were
estates
belonging to the
Governor, whose name was Publius.
He welcomed us to
his house, and for three days generously
made us his
guests.
028:008 It happened, however, that his father was lying ill of
dysentery
aggravated by
attacks of fever; so Paul went to see him, and,
after praying, laid
his hands on him and cured him.
028:009 After this, all the other sick people in the island
came
and were
cured.
028:010 They also loaded us with honours, and when at last we
sailed
they put supplies
on board for us.
028:011 Three months passed before we set sail in an Alexandrian
vessel,
called the `Twin
Brothers,’ which had wintered at the island.
028:012 At Syracuse we put in and stayed for two days.
028:013 From there we came round and reached Rhegium; and a day
later,
a south wind sprang
up which brought us by the evening
of the next day to
Puteoli.
028:014 Here we found brethren, who invited us to remain with
them
for a week; and so
we reached Rome.
028:015 Meanwhile the brethren there, hearing of our
movements,
came as far as the
Market of Appius and the Three Huts to meet us;
and when Paul saw
them he thanked God and felt encouraged.
028:016 Upon our arrival in Rome, Paul received permission to
live
by himself, guarded
by a soldier.
028:017 After one complete day he invited the leading men among the
Jews
to meet him; and,
when they were come together, he said to them,
“As for me,
brethren, although I had done nothing prejudicial
to our people or
contrary to the customs of our forefathers,
I was handed over
as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the power
of the
Romans.
028:018 They, after they had sharply questioned me, were willing to
set
me at liberty,
because they found no offence in me for which I
deserve to
die.
028:019 But, at last, the opposition of the Jews compelled me to
appeal
to Caesar; not
however that I had any charge to bring
against my
nation.
028:020 For these reasons, then, I have invited you here, that
I
might see you and
speak to you; for it is for the sake of Him
who is the hope of
Israel that this chain hangs upon me.”
028:021 “For our part,” they replied, “we have
not received any letters
from Judaea about
you, nor have any of our countrymen come
here and reported
or stated anything to your disadvantage.
028:022 But we should be glad to hear from you what it is
that
you believe; for as
for this sect all we know is that it
is everywhere
spoken against.”
028:023 So they arranged a day with him and came to him in
considerable
numbers at the
house of the friends who were entertaining him.
And then, with
solemn earnestness, he explained to them
the subject of the
Kingdom of God, endeavouring from morning
till evening to
convince them about Jesus, both from the Law
of Moses and from
the Prophets.
028:024 Some were convinced; others refused to believe.
028:025 Unable to agree among themselves, they at last left
him,
but not before Paul
had spoken a parting word to them, saying,
“Right well
did the Holy Spirit say to your forefathers
through the Prophet
Isaiah:
028:026 “`Go to this people and tell them, you will hear and
hear,
and by no means
understand; and will look and look,
and by no means
see.
028:027 For this people’s mind has grown callous, their
hearing has
become dull, and
their eyes they have closed; to prevent
their ever seeing
with their eyes, or hearing with their ears,
or understanding
with their minds, and turning back,
so that I might
cure them.’
028:028 “Be fully assured, therefore, that this
salvation—God’s salvation—
has now been sent
to the Gentiles, and that they, at any rate,
will give
heed.”
028:029 []
028:030 After this Paul lived for fully two years in a hired
house
of his own,
receiving all who came to see him.
028:031 He announced the coming of the Kingdom of God, and
taught
concerning the Lord
Jesus Christ without let or hindrance.
