Acts

The first account, indeed, I made concerning all the things, O Theophilus, that Jesus began both to do and to teach,

until the day [in] which, having given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He chose, He was taken up,

to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, with many convincing proofs, being seen by them through forty days and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God.

But you⁺ will receive power [at] the Holy Spirit having come upon you⁺, and you⁺ will be My witnesses, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

And having said these things, [in] their looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him from their eyes.

And as they were looking intently into heaven [in] His going, then behold, two men in white apparel stood by them,

who also said, “Men, Galileans, why do you⁺ stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, having been taken up from you⁺ into heaven, will thus come in that manner you⁺ saw Him going into heaven.”

And having prayed, they said, “You, Lord, knower of the heart of all, show which one of these two You chose

to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas turned aside to go to [his] own place.”

And they gave lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

But others, mocking, were saying, “They are full of new wine!”

‘And it will come to pass in the last days, God says, [that] I will pour out from My Spirit upon all flesh, and your⁺ sons and your⁺ daughters will prophesy, and your⁺ young men will see visions, and your⁺ old men will dream dreams.

And even on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out from My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

And it will come to pass [that] everyone who shall call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Him delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you⁺ put to death, having crucified by lawless hands—

whom God raised up, having loosed the agony of death, inasmuch as it was not possible [for] Him to be held by it.

For David says about Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord before me through all, because He is at my right hand, that I should not be shaken.

Because of this my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced, and now also my flesh will dwell in hope,

for You will not abandon my soul into Hades, nor will You give Your Holy One to see decay.

You made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’

Men, brothers, it is permitted [me] to speak with freedom to you⁺ concerning the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is among us unto this day,

being therefore a prophet and knowing that God swore to him with an oath to seat one out of the fruit of his loins upon his throne.

Having foreseen, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was He abandoned into Hades, nor did His flesh see decay.

This Jesus God raised up, of which we all are witnesses.

Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He poured out this which you⁺ both see and hear.

For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand

until I place Your enemies [as] a footstool for Your feet.”’

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you⁺ crucified.”

And having heard, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Men, brothers, what shall we do?”

And Peter says to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you⁺, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your⁺ sins, and you⁺ will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is to you⁺ and to your⁺ children and to all those at a distance, as many as the Lord our God shall summon.”

And he earnestly testified many other words and was exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation.”

Therefore those indeed having received his word were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added.

Now they were steadfastly continuing in the teaching of the apostles and in the fellowship, in the breaking of the bread and in the prayers.

And fear was coming upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

And all those believing were in the same [place] and were having all things in common.

And they were selling the possessions and the goods and were dividing them to all, as anyone had need.

And every day they were steadfastly continuing with one accord in the temple and breaking bread at each house. They were partaking of food with gladness and sincerity of heart,

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding every day to the same those being saved.

But you⁺ denied the Holy and Righteous One and requested a man, a murderer, to be granted to you⁺.

And you⁺ killed the Author of life, whom God raised out from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

Repent, therefore, and turn back, for the blotting out of your⁺ sins,

so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and [that] He may send the One having been appointed to you⁺, Christ Jesus,

whom indeed it is necessary for heaven to receive until the times of restoration of all things, of which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from the age.

Indeed Moses said, ‘The Lord your⁺ God will raise up to you⁺ a prophet like me out of your⁺ brothers. You⁺ will listen to Him in all things, as many as He might say to you⁺.

And it will come to pass [that] every soul who might not heed that prophet will be utterly destroyed out of the people.’

And also all the prophets from Samuel, and those subsequently, as many as have spoken—they also proclaimed these days.

You⁺ are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your⁺ fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed.’

This is ‘the stone having been rejected by you⁺, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’

And there is salvation in no other, for there is not another name under heaven having been given among men by which it is necessary for us to be saved.”

But so that it might not spread further on among the people, let us threaten them to speak no longer in this name to [any] man.”

And having summoned them, they commanded [them] not to speak, nor to teach at all, in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John, answering, said to them, “Whether it is right before God to listen to you⁺ rather than God, you⁺ must judge.

And having heard, they lifted up [their] voice with one accord to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that [is] in them,

having spoken by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant, our father David: ‘Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples devise vain things?

The kings of the earth took [their] stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.’

For in truth, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together in this city against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed,

to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predetermined to happen.

And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to Your servants to speak Your word with all boldness,

while You stretch out Your hand for healing and signs and wonders to take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”

But Peter said, “Ananias, why did Satan fill your heart [for] you to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back from the proceeds of the land?

Remaining, did it not remain yours? And having been sold, was it [not] in [your] own authority? Why did you purpose this deed in your heart? You did not lie to men but to God!”

Now none of the rest dared to join them, but the people were magnifying them.

And more believing in the Lord were added, multitudes of both men and women,

But Peter and the apostles, answering, said, “It is necessary to obey God rather than men.

God exalted Him to His right hand [as] Prince and Savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

And every day, in the temple and in the house, they did not cease teaching and proclaiming the good news [that] Jesus [is] the Christ.

Therefore, brothers, select from yourselves seven men being well attested, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint over this task.

And we will steadfastly continue in prayer and the ministry of the word.”

And the statement was pleasing before all the multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and [of] the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a convert of Antioch,

whom they set before the apostles. And having prayed, they laid the hands on them.

And they set up false witnesses, saying, “This man does not stop speaking words against this holy place and the law.

And he began to speak: “Men, brothers and fathers, listen! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia before his dwelling in Haran,

And the patriarchs, having envied Joseph, sold [him] into Egypt. And God was with him,

This is the Moses having said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you⁺ a prophet like me from among your⁺ brothers.’

But the Most High does not dwell in hand-made [houses]. As the prophet says:

‘Heaven [is] unto Me a throne, and the earth a footstool for My feet. What kind of house will you⁺ build for Me, says the Lord, or what [is] the place of My rest?

You⁺ stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears! You⁺ always resist the Holy Spirit! As [did] your⁺ fathers, also you⁺ [do].

But being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked intently into heaven, he saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens having been opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

And having cried out in a loud voice, they held their ears and rushed upon him with one accord,

And [as] they were stoning Stephen, he was calling out and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

But when they believed Philip proclaiming the gospel concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

And Simon himself also believed, and having been baptized, he was steadfastly continuing with Philip. And beholding the signs and great miracles being performed, he was amazed.

But Peter said to him, “Your silver with you, may it be to destruction, because you thought the gift of God was to be obtained by money!

To you there is no part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

For I see you being in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.”

And having risen up, he went. And behold, a man, an Ethiopian eunuch, a potentate of Kandake, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship.

And he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and join yourself to this chariot.”

And Philip, having run up, heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and he said, “Do you then understand what you are reading?”

And he said, “How indeed could I be able, unless someone will guide me?” And he invited Philip, having come up, to sit with him.

Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this: “He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and as a lamb before the one shearing it [is] silent, so He does not open His mouth.

In His humiliation, justice was taken away from Him. Who will describe His generation? For His life is removed from the earth.”

And the eunuch, answering, said to Philip, “I beseech you, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself, or about some other?”

And Philip, having opened his mouth and having begun from this Scripture, proclaimed the good news to him—Jesus.

And as they were going along the road, they came upon some water, and the eunuch says, “Behold, water! What prevents my being baptized?”

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And he commanded the chariot to stop. And they both went down to the water—both Philip and the eunuch—and he baptized him.

Then indeed the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified. And going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

Now a certain man in Caesarea named Cornelius [was] a centurion of the cohort that is called Italian,

devout and fearing God with all his household, doing many alms to the people and praying to God through all.

And having looked intently at him, and having become afraid, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

He lodges with a certain Simon, a tanner whose house is by the sea.”

Now on the next day, [in] their journeying and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

And he became hungry and desired to eat. But [in] their preparing, a trance fell upon him,

and he sees heaven opening and a certain vessel as a great sheet descending, being let down upon the earth by four corners,

in which were all the quadrupeds and creeping things of the earth and birds of heaven.

And a voice came to him: “Having risen up, Peter, kill and eat!”

But Peter said, “In no way, Lord! For never have I eaten anything common or unclean.”

And a voice [came] again to him for the second time: “What God has cleansed, you do not call common.”

Now this took place for three times, and immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven.

And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a man righteous and fearing God—and being well testified to by all the nation of the Jews—was divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house and to hear a message from you.”

And as Peter was entering, Cornelius, having met him, having fallen at [his] feet, worshiped [him].

But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Rise up, I myself am also a man.”

and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer was heard, and your alms have been remembered before God.

Therefore I sent to you at once, and you did well, having come. Now, therefore, we are all present before God to hear all the things having been commanded you by the Lord.”

And Peter, having opened the mouth, said, “Of a truth I understand that God is not One who shows partiality,

but in every nation the one fearing Him and working righteousness is acceptable to Him,

You⁺ yourselves know the declaration having come through all Judea, having begun from Galilee, after the baptism that John proclaimed:

Jesus from Nazareth—how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power—who went about doing good and healing all those being oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.

And He instructed us to proclaim to the people and to testify fully that He is the One having been appointed by God [as] Judge of the living and the dead.

To this One all the prophets testify [that] everyone believing in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

And the believers from the circumcision, as many as had come with Peter, were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit has been poured out even on the Gentiles.

“Is anyone able to withhold the water to baptize these who have received the Holy Spirit just as we also [have]?”

And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision began contending with him,

saying, “You went to men having uncircumcision and ate with them.”

Now Peter, having begun, set [it] forth to them in order, saying,

“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel like a great sheet descending, being let down out of heaven by four corners, and it came as far as me.

Having looked intently on it, I was observing [it], and I saw the quadrupeds of the earth and the wild beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air.

And also I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Having risen up, Peter, kill and eat.’

But I said, ‘In no way, Lord, for never has a common or unclean [thing] entered into my mouth.’

But for a second [time] the voice answered out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, you do not call common.’

Now this happened three times, and all was drawn up into heaven again.

And having heard these things, they were silent and glorified God, saying, “Then indeed God has given also to the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

Therefore, indeed, those having been scattered by the tribulation having taken place over Stephen passed through to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only.

But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, having come into Antioch, were speaking also to the Hellenists, proclaiming the gospel—the Lord Jesus.

And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number, having believed, turned to the Lord.

and having found [him], he brought [him] to Antioch. And it came to pass [that] they also gathered together a whole year in the church and taught a great multitude. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

And the disciples, as anyone was prospered, each of them determined to send for ministry to the brothers dwelling in Judea,

which also they did, having sent [it] to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Therefore indeed Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer was fervently being made to God by the church concerning him.

And the people were crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”

said, “O full of all deceit and all craftiness, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

And now behold, the hand of the Lord [is] upon you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.” And immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and going about, he was seeking someone to lead [him] by the hand.

And when they finished all the things having been written about Him, having taken [Him] down from the tree, they put [Him] in a tomb.

that God has fulfilled this to us their children, having raised up Jesus, as it has also been written in the second psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten You.’

For indeed David, having served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was added to his fathers, and he saw decay.

But the One God raised up did not see decay.

Therefore be it known to you⁺, men, brothers, that through this One forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you⁺.

And in Him everyone believing is justified from all things from which you⁺ were not able to be justified in the law of Moses.

And [on] their having departed, they were begging these words to be spoken to them on the next Sabbath.

And on the coming Sabbath, almost all the city was gathered together to hear the word of the Lord.

But the Jews, having seen the crowds, were filled with jealousy, and they began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, blaspheming.

And Paul and Barnabas, having spoken boldly, said, “It was necessary [for] the word of God to be spoken first to you⁺. But since you⁺ thrust it away and do not judge yourselves worthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.

And the Gentiles hearing were rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

But the Jews incited the worshiping women of honorable position and the principals of the city, and they stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district.

And the crowds, having seen what Paul had done, lifted up their voice in Lycaonian, saying, “The gods have come down to us, having become like men!”

and saying, “Men, why do you⁺ do these things? We also are men of like nature with you⁺, proclaiming the gospel to you⁺ to turn from these vain [things] to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them,

who in the generations past allowed all the nations to go their ways.

And yet He did not leave Himself without witness, doing good, giving to you⁺ rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your⁺ hearts with food and gladness.”

And having appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed, with fasting they committed them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.

But certain ones having come down from Judea were teaching the brothers, “Unless you⁺ are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you⁺ are not able to be saved.”

There having been, then, no small commotion and discussion by Paul and Barnabas with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas and certain others out of them to go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

Therefore indeed, having been sent forward by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, relating in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all the brothers.

And having come to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders. And they declared all that God had done with them.

Now certain ones of those who believed from the sect of the Pharisees rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses.”

And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.

And much discussion having taken place, Peter having risen up, said to them, “Men, brothers, you⁺ know that from early days God chose among you⁺ [for] the Gentiles to hear by my mouth the word of the gospel, and to believe.

And the heart-knowing God testified to them, having given [them] the Holy Spirit, as also to us.

And He made no distinction between both us and them, having purified their hearts by faith.

Now, therefore, why are you⁺ testing God, putting upon the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

But we believe to be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same manner [as] they also.”

Now the whole multitude kept silent and were listening to Barnabas and Paul relating what signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles by them.

And after they were silent, James answered, saying, “Men, brothers, hear me.

Simeon related how God first visited to take out of the Gentiles a people for His name.

And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:

‘After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David that has fallen, and its ruins I will rebuild, and I will set it upright,

so that the remnant of men may seek out the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom has been called My name—upon them, says the Lord, doing these things

known from the age.’

Therefore I judge not to trouble those from the Gentiles turning to God,

but to write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols, and [from] sexual immorality, and [from] that which is strangled, and from blood.

For Moses has ones proclaiming him in every city from generations of old, being read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

Then it seemed good to the apostles and to the elders, with the whole church, having chosen out of them to send men to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, leading men among the brothers,

having written by their hand: The apostles and the elders, brothers, To those brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.

Inasmuch as we have heard that some went out from us, to whom we gave no instructions, [and that] they troubled you⁺ by words, upsetting your⁺ minds,

it seemed good to us, having come with one accord, having chosen men to send to you⁺ with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

men having handed over their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, and they are telling the same things by word.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you⁺ no further burden except these necessary things:

to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality. Keeping yourselves from these, you⁺ will do well. Farewell.

Indeed, therefore, having been sent off, they went to Antioch, and having gathered the multitude, they delivered the letter.

And having read [it], they rejoiced at the encouragement.

Both Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, exhorted and strengthened the brothers by much talk.

And having continued a time, they were sent away in peace from the brothers to those having sent them.

Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the good news—with many others also—the word of the Lord.

Therefore a sharp disagreement arose, so that they separated from one another. And Barnabas, having taken Mark, sailed to Cyprus.

And while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering to them the decrees to keep—the ones decided on by the apostles and elders who [were] in Jerusalem.

And having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia,

and having come down to Mysia, they were attempting to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.

And a vision appeared to Paul during the night: A certain man of Macedonia was standing and beseeching him and saying, “Having passed over into Macedonia, help us.”

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, worshiping God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to attend to the things being spoken by Paul.

And when she was baptized, and her house, she begged, saying, “If you⁺ have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, having entered into my house, abide.” And she persuaded us.

But Paul called out in a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!”

And having brought them out, he was saying, “Sirs, what is necessary for me to do so that I may be saved?”

And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your house.”

And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, along with all those in his house.

And having taken them in that hour of the night, he washed [them] from the wounds, and immediately he was baptized, and all his [own].

Now these, who were more noble than those in Thessalonica, received the word with all readiness, every day examining the Scriptures, if these things were so.

Now Paul in Athens waiting for them, his spirit was provoked in him, seeing the city to be utterly idolatrous.

So indeed he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and those worshiping, and in the marketplace on every day with those meeting.

And Paul, having stood in the midst of the Areopagus, was saying, “Men, Athenians, in all things I perceive you⁺ as very religious.

For passing through and examining your⁺ objects of worship, I even found an altar on which had been inscribed: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore whom you⁺ worship without knowing, this I proclaim to you⁺.

The God having made the world and all things that [are] in it, He, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in hand-made temples,

nor is He served by hands of men as needing anything—He [who] gives to all life and breath and all things.

And He made out of one [man] every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having determined the appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

to seek God, if perhaps indeed they might feel after Him and might find Him. And indeed, He is not far from each one of us.

‘For in Him we live and move and are.’ As also some of the poets among you⁺ have said, ‘For we are also [His] offspring.’

Therefore, being offspring of God, we ought not to consider the Divine Being to be like gold or silver or stone, a graven thing of man’s craft and imagination.

Indeed, therefore, God, having overlooked the times of ignorance, now commands all men everywhere to repent,

because He set a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He appointed, having provided a guarantee to all, having raised Him out from the dead.”

And Crispus, the synagogue ruler, believed in the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized.

Now the Lord said to Paul through a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but continue speaking, and do not be silent,

because I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, because there are many people unto Me in this city.”

Then they all, having seized Sosthenes the synagogue ruler, were beating [him] before the judgment seat. And it mattered nothing to Gallio about these things.

He was instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and was teaching earnestly the things concerning Jesus, knowing only the baptism of John,

For he was powerfully refuting the Jews publicly, showing by the Scriptures Jesus to be the Christ.

But when some were hardened and were disbelieving, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, having departed from them, he separated the disciples, reasoning every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

And some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, also attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those having evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you⁺ [by] Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.”

and many of those having practiced works of magic, having brought the books, burned [them] before all. And they counted up the prices of them and found [it] five myriads of silver.

And on the first of the week, we having come together to break bread, Paul, about to depart on the next day, talked to them and continued the talk until midnight.

And a certain young man named Eutychus was sitting by the window, overcome by deep sleep, Paul talking on longer. Having been overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.

And from Miletus, having sent to Ephesus, he called for the elders of the church.

earnestly testifying both to the Jews and to the Greeks repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For I did not shrink back from proclaiming to you⁺ the whole counsel of God.

Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among whom the Holy Spirit has set you⁺ as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with [His] own blood.

I have known that after my departure, grievous wolves will come in among you⁺, not sparing the flock,

And now I commit you⁺ to God and to the word of His grace, being able to build [you] up and to give you an inheritance among all those having been sanctified.

And he not being persuaded, we were silent, having said, “The will of the Lord be done.”

And now, why do you delay? Having arisen, be baptized and wash away your sins, having called on His name.’

But the following night the Lord, having stood by him, said, “Take courage, for as you have fully testified about Me at Jerusalem, so also it is necessary for you to testify at Rome.”

And day having come, the Jews, having made a conspiracy, put themselves under an oath, declaring neither to eat nor to drink until they should kill Paul.

Now there were more than forty having made this sworn conspiracy,

who, having come to the chief priests and the elders, said, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we should kill Paul.

But the son of Paul’s sister, having heard of the ambush, having come near and having entered into the barracks, reported [it] to Paul.

And Paul, having summoned one of the centurions, was saying, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to report to him.”

You, therefore, should not be persuaded by them. For more than forty of their men lie in wait for him, who have put themselves under an oath neither to eat nor to drink until they should kill him; and now they are ready, awaiting the promise from you.”

This man having been seized by the Jews and being about to be killed by them—having come up with the troop, I rescued [him], having learned that he is a Roman.

And he having been called, Tertullus began to accuse [him], saying, “Attaining great peace through you, and excellent measures being done to this nation through your foresight,

For having found this man a pestilence and stirring dissension among all the Jews in the world—also a leader of the sect of the Nazarenes—

But I confess this to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, so I serve the God of our fathers, believing all things throughout the Law and that have been written in the Prophets,

having a hope in God, which they themselves also await, [that] there is about to be a resurrection both of righteous and of unrighteous.

In this I myself also strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men through everything.

Then after some days Felix, having arrived with [his] own wife Drusilla, being a Jewess, sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.

And [in] his reasoning concerning righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix, having become frightened, answered, “Be going for the present, and having found opportunity, I will call for you,”

But Festus, wishing to lay a favor on the Jews, answering, said to Paul, “Are you willing, having gone up to Jerusalem, to be judged before me there concerning these things?”

And Paul said, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where it is necessary for me to be judged. I did nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

Therefore if indeed I am unrighteous and have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing of which they can accuse me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

And now I stand, being judged for the hope of the promise having been made by God to our fathers,

to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, serving in earnestness night and day, the hope concerning which I am accused by the Jews, O king.

Therefore I indeed in myself thought [it] to be necessary to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth,

But rise up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this, to appoint you as a servant and a witness both of that which you have seen of Me and of the things in which I will appear to you,

delivering you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you

to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, [that] they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those having been sanctified by faith in Me.’

Therefore, having obtained help from God up to this day, I have stood bearing witness both to small and to great, saying nothing other than that which both the prophets and Moses said was about to happen:

And now I exhort you⁺ to take heart, for there will be no loss of life from among you⁺—only of the ship.

saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted to you all those sailing with you.’

Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these remain in the ship, you⁺ are not able to be saved.”

Therefore I exhort you⁺ to take food, for this is for your⁺ preservation; for not one hair of your⁺ head will perish.”

and the rest, some indeed on boards and some on things from the ship. And thus it came to pass [that] all were brought safely to the land.

And when the natives saw the beast hanging from his hand, they began to say to one another, “By all means this man is a murderer whom, having been saved from the sea, Dike did not permit to live.”

Then, having appointed to him a day, many came to him to the lodging, to whom he expounded from morning to evening, fully testifying to the kingdom of God and persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

And indeed, some were persuaded of the things being said, but some refused to believe.

And being discordant with one another they began to leave, Paul having said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly by the prophet Isaiah to your⁺ fathers,

saying: ‘Go to this people and say, “In hearing you⁺ will hear and never understand; and in seeing you⁺ will see and never perceive.”

For the heart of this people grew dull, and with the ears they barely hear, and they have closed their eyes, lest ever they should see with the eyes, and should hear with the ears, and should understand with the heart, and should turn, and I will heal them.’