¹⁵ and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers,

¹⁶ and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem.

¹⁷ `And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

¹⁸ till another king rose, who had not known Joseph;

¹⁹ this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live;

²⁰ in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father;

²¹ and he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and did rear him to herself for a son;

²² and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works.

²³ `And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel;

²⁴ and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian;

²⁵ and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand.

²⁶ `On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another?

²⁷ and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us?

²⁸ to kill me dost thou wish, as thou didst kill yesterday the Egyptian?

²⁹ `And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons,

³⁰ and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai a messenger of the Lord, in a flame of fire of a bush,

³¹ and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord unto him,

³² I [am] the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. `And Moses having become terrified, durst not behold,

³³ and the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place in which thou hast stood is holy ground;

³⁴ seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that [is] in Egypt, and their groaning I did hear, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee to Egypt.

³⁵ `This Moses, whom they did refuse, saying, Who did set thee a ruler and a judge? this one God a ruler and a redeemer did send, in the hand of a messenger who appeared to him in the bush;

³⁶ this one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years;

³⁷ this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear.

³⁸ `This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us;

³⁹ to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,

⁴⁰ saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him.

⁴¹ `And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands,

⁴² and God did turn, and did give them up to do service to the host of the heaven, according as it hath been written in the scroll of the prophets: Slain beasts and sacrifices did ye offer to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

⁴³ and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan -- the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon.

⁴⁴ `The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen;

⁴⁵ which also our fathers having in succession received, did bring in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God did drive out from the presence of our fathers, till the days of David,

⁴⁶ who found favour before God, and requested to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob;

⁴⁷ and Solomon built Him an house.

⁴⁸ `But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith:

⁴⁹ The heaven [is] My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what [is] the place of My rest?

⁵⁰ hath not My hand made all these things?

⁵¹ `Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers -- also ye;

⁵² which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now ye betrayers and murderers have become,

⁵³ who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep [it].'

⁵⁴ And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him;

⁵⁵ and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

⁵⁶ and he said, `Lo, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.'

⁵⁷ And they, having cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and did rush with one accord upon him,

⁵⁸ and having cast him forth outside of the city, they were stoning [him] -- and the witnesses did put down their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul --

⁵⁹ and they were stoning Stephen, calling and saying, `Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;'

⁶⁰ and having bowed the knees, he cried with a loud voice, `Lord, mayest thou not lay to them this sin;' and this having said, he fell asleep.

8 And Saul was assenting to his death, and there came in that day a great persecution upon the assembly in Jerusalem, all also were scattered abroad in the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles;

² and devout men carried away Stephen, and made great lamentation over him;

³ and Saul was making havoc of the assembly, into every house entering, and haling men and women, was giving them up to prison;

⁴ they then indeed, having been scattered, went abroad proclaiming good news -- the word.

⁵ And Philip having gone down to a city of Samaria, was preaching to them the Christ,

⁶ the multitudes also were giving heed to the things spoken by Philip, with one accord, in their hearing and seeing the signs that he was doing,

⁷ for unclean spirits came forth from many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who have been paralytic and lame were healed,

⁸ and there was great joy in that city.

⁹ And a certain man, by name Simon, was before in the city using magic, and amazing the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be a certain great one,

¹⁰ to whom they were all giving heed, from small unto great, saying, `This one is the great power of God;'

¹¹ and they were giving heed to him, because of his having for a long time amazed them with deeds of magic.

¹² And when they believed Philip, proclaiming good news, the things concerning the reign of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women;

¹³ and Simon also himself did believe, and, having been baptized, he was continuing with Philip, beholding also signs and mighty acts being done, he was amazed.

¹⁴ And the apostles in Jerusalem having heard that Samaria hath received the word of God, did send unto them Peter and John,

¹⁵ who having come down did pray concerning them, that they may receive the Holy Spirit, --

¹⁶ for as yet he was fallen upon none of them, and only they have been baptized -- to the name of the Lord Jesus;

¹⁷ then were they laying hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ And Simon, having beheld that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Spirit is given, brought before them money,

¹⁹ saying, `Give also to me this authority, that on whomsoever I may lay the hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.'

²⁰ And Peter said unto him, `Thy silver with thee -- may it be to destruction! because the gift of God thou didst think to possess through money;

²¹ thou hast neither part nor lot in this thing, for thy heart is not right before God;

²² reform, therefore, from this thy wickedness, and beseech God, if then the purpose of thy heart may be forgiven thee,

²³ for in the gall of bitterness, and bond of unrighteousness, I perceive thee being.'

²⁴ And Simon answering, said, `Beseech ye for me unto the Lord, that nothing may come upon me of the things ye have spoken.'

²⁵ They indeed, therefore, having testified fully, and spoken the word of the Lord, did turn back to Jerusalem; in many villages also of the Samaritans they did proclaim good news.

²⁶ And a messenger of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, `Arise, and go on toward the south, on the way that is going down from Jerusalem to Gaza,' -- this is desert.

²⁷ And having arisen, he went on, and lo, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a man of rank, of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship to Jerusalem;

²⁸ he was also returning, and is sitting on his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹ And the Spirit said to Philip, `Go near, and be joined to this chariot;'

³⁰ and Philip having run near, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, `Dost thou then know what thou dost read?'

³¹ and he said, `Why, how am I able, if some one may not guide me?' he called Philip also, having come up, to sit with him.

³² And the contents of the Writing that he was reading was this: `As a sheep unto slaughter he was led, and as a lamb before his shearer dumb, so he doth not open his mouth;

³³ in his humiliation his judgment was taken away, and his generation -- who shall declare? because taken from the earth is his life.'

³⁴ And the eunuch answering Philip said, `I pray thee, about whom doth the prophet say this? about himself, or about some other one?'

³⁵ and Philip having opened his mouth, and having begun from this Writing, proclaimed good news to him -- Jesus.

³⁶ And as they were going on the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch said, `Lo, water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?'

³⁷ [And Philip said, `If thou dost believe out of all the heart, it is lawful;' and he answering said, `I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God;']

³⁸ and he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him;

³⁹ and when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more, for he was going on his way rejoicing;

⁴⁰ and Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through, he was proclaiming good news to all the cities, till his coming to Cesarea.

9 And Saul, yet breathing of threatening and slaughter to the disciples of the Lord, having gone to the chief priest,

² did ask from him letters to Damascus, unto the synagogues, that if he may find any being of the way, both men and women, he may bring them bound to Jerusalem.

³ And in the going, he came nigh to Damascus, and suddenly there shone round about him a light from the heaven,

⁴ and having fallen upon the earth, he heard a voice saying to him, `Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute?'

⁵ And he said, `Who art thou, Lord?' and the Lord said, `I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute; hard for thee at the pricks to kick;'

⁶ trembling also, and astonished, he said, `Lord, what dost thou wish me to do?' and the Lord [said] unto him, `Arise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what it behoveth thee to do.'

⁷ And the men who are journeying with him stood speechless, hearing indeed the voice but seeing no one,

⁸ and Saul arose from the earth, and his eyes having been opened, he beheld no one, and leading him by the hand they brought him to Damascus,

⁹ and he was three days without seeing, and he did neither eat nor drink.

¹⁰ And there was a certain disciple in Damascus, by name Ananias, and the Lord said unto him in a vision, `Ananias;' and he said, `Behold me, Lord;'

¹¹ and the Lord [saith] unto him, `Having risen, go on unto the street that is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas, [one] by name Saul of Tarsus, for, lo, he doth pray,

¹² and he saw in a vision a man, by name Ananias, coming in, and putting a hand on him, that he may see again.'

¹³ And Ananias answered, `Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how many evils he did to Thy saints in Jerusalem,

¹⁴ and here he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind all those calling on Thy name.'

¹⁵ And the Lord said unto him, `Be going on, because a choice vessel to Me is this one, to bear My name before nations and kings -- the sons also of Israel;

¹⁶ for I will shew him how many things it behoveth him for My name to suffer.'

¹⁷ And Ananias went away, and did enter into the house, and having put upon him [his] hands, said, `Saul, brother, the Lord hath sent me -- Jesus who did appear to thee in the way in which thou wast coming -- that thou mayest see again, and mayest be filled with the Holy Spirit.'

¹⁸ And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, he saw again also presently, and having risen, was baptized,

¹⁹ and having received nourishment, was strengthened, and Saul was with the disciples in Damascus certain days,

²⁰ and immediately in the synagogues he was preaching the Christ, that he is the Son of God.

²¹ And all those hearing were amazed, and said, `Is not this he who laid waist in Jerusalem those calling on this name, and hither to this intent had come, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?'

²² And Saul was still more strengthened, and he was confounding the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

²³ And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him,

²⁴ and their counsel against [him] was known to Saul; they were also watching the gates both day and night, that they may kill him,

²⁵ and the disciples having taken him, by night did let him down by the wall, letting down in a basket.

²⁶ And Saul, having come to Jerusalem, did try to join himself to the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he is a disciple,

²⁷ and Barnabas having taken him, brought [him] unto the apostles, and did declare to them how in the way he saw the Lord, and that he spake to him, and how in Damascus he was speaking boldly in the name of Jesus.

²⁸ And he was with them, coming in and going out in Jerusalem,

²⁹ and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, he was both speaking and disputing with the Hellenists, and they were taking in hand to kill him,

³⁰ and the brethren having known, brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹ Then, indeed, the assemblies throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, had peace, being built up, and, going on in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

³² And it came to pass that Peter passing throughout all [quarters], came down also unto the saints who were dwelling at Lydda,

³³ and he found there a certain man, Aeneas by name -- for eight years laid upon a couch -- who was paralytic,

³⁴ and Peter said to him, `Aeneas, heal thee doth Jesus the Christ; arise and spread for thyself;' and immediately he rose,

³⁵ and all those dwelling at Lydda, and Saron saw him, and did turn to the Lord.

³⁶ And in Joppa there was a certain female disciple, by name Tabitha, (which interpreted, is called Dorcas,) this woman was full of good works and kind acts that she was doing;

³⁷ and it came to pass in those days she, having ailed, died, and having bathed her, they laid her in an upper chamber,

³⁸ and Lydda being nigh to Joppa, the disciples having heard that Peter is in that [place], sent two men unto him, calling on him not to delay to come through unto them.

³⁹ And Peter having risen, went with them, whom having come, they brought into the upper chamber, and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing coats and garments, as many as Dorcas was making while she was with them.

⁴⁰ And Peter having put them all forth without, having bowed the knees, did pray, and having turned unto the body said, `Tabitha, arise;' and she opened her eyes, and having seen Peter, she sat up,

⁴¹ and having given her [his] hand, he lifted her up, and having called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive,

⁴² and it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord;

⁴³ and it came to pass, that he remained many days in Joppa, with a certain one, Simon a tanner.

10 And there was a certain man in Cesarea, by name Cornelius, a centurion from a band called Italian,

² pious, and fearing God with all his house, doing also many kind acts to the people, and beseeching God always,

³ he saw in a vision manifestly, as it were the ninth hour of the day, a messenger of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, `Cornelius;'

⁴ and he having looked earnestly on him, and becoming afraid, said, `What is it, Lord?' And he said to him, `Thy prayers and thy kind acts came up for a memorial before God,

⁵ and now send men to Joppa, and send for a certain one Simon, who is surnamed Peter,

⁶ this one doth lodge with a certain Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea; this one shall speak to thee what it behoveth thee to do.'

⁷ And when the messenger who is speaking to Cornelius went away, having called two of his domestics, and a pious soldier of those waiting on him continually,

⁸ and having declared to them all things, he sent them to Joppa.

⁹ And on the morrow, as these are proceeding on the way, and are drawing nigh to the city, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about the sixth hour,

¹⁰ and he became very hungry, and wished to eat; and they making ready, there fell upon him a trance,

¹¹ and he doth behold the heaven opened, and descending unto him a certain vessel, as a great sheet, bound at the four corners, and let down upon the earth,

¹² in which were all the four-footed beasts of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of the heaven,

¹³ and there came a voice unto him: `Having risen, Peter, slay and eat.'

¹⁴ And Peter said, `Not so, Lord; because at no time did I eat anything common or unclean;'

¹⁵ and [there is] a voice again a second time unto him: `What God did cleanse, thou, declare not thou common;'

¹⁶ and this was done thrice, and again was the vessel received up to the heaven.

¹⁷ And as Peter was perplexed in himself what the vision that he saw might be, then, lo, the men who have been sent from Cornelius, having made inquiry for the house of Simon, stood at the gate,

¹⁸ and having called, they were asking if Simon, who is surnamed Peter, doth lodge here?

¹⁹ And Peter thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, `Lo, three men do seek thee;

²⁰ but having risen, go down and go on with them, nothing doubting, because I have sent them;'

²¹ and Peter having come down unto the men who have been sent from Cornelius unto him, said, `Lo, I am he whom ye seek, what [is] the cause for which ye are present?'

²² And they said, `Cornelius, a centurion, a man righteous and fearing God, well testified to, also, by all the nation of the Jews, was divinely warned by a holy messenger to send for thee, to his house, and to hear sayings from thee.'

²³ Having called them in, therefore, he lodged them, and on the morrow Peter went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa went with him,

²⁴ and on the morrow they did enter into Cesarea; and Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kindred and near friends,

²⁵ and as it came that Peter entered in, Cornelius having met him, having fallen at [his] feet, did bow before [him];

²⁶ and Peter raised him, saying, `Stand up; I also myself am a man;'

²⁷ and talking with him he went in, and doth find many having come together.

²⁸ And he said unto them, `Ye know how it is unlawful for a man, a Jew, to keep company with, or to come unto, one of another race, but to me God did shew to call no man common or unclean;

²⁹ therefore also without gainsaying I came, having been sent for; I ask, therefore, for what matter ye did send for me?'

³⁰ And Cornelius said, `Four days ago till this hour, I was fasting, and [at] the ninth hour praying in my house, and, lo, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

³¹ and he said, Cornelius, thy prayer was heard, and thy kind acts were remembered before God;

³² send, therefore, to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter; this one doth lodge in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea, who having come, shall speak to thee;

³³ at once, therefore, I sent to thee; thou also didst do well, having come; now, therefore, are we all before God present to hear all things that have been commanded thee by God.'

³⁴ And Peter having opened his mouth, said, `Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons,

³⁵ but in every nation he who is fearing Him, and is working righteousness, is acceptable to Him;

³⁶ the word that he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming good news -- peace through Jesus Christ (this one is Lord of all,)

³⁷ ye -- ye have known; -- the word that came throughout all Judea, having begun from Galilee, after the baptism that John preached;

³⁸ Jesus who [is] from Nazareth -- how God did anoint him with the Holy Spirit and power; who went through, doing good, and healing all those oppressed by the devil, because God was with him;

³⁹ and we -- we are witnesses of all things that he did, both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem, -- whom they did slay, having hanged upon a tree.

⁴⁰ `This one God did raise up the third day, and gave him to become manifest,

⁴¹ not to all the people, but to witnesses, to those having been chosen before by God -- to us who did eat with [him], and did drink with him, after his rising out of the dead;

⁴² and he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify fully that it is he who hath been ordained by God judge of living and dead --

⁴³ to this one do all the prophets testify, that through his name every one that is believing in him doth receive remission of sins.'

⁴⁴ While Peter is yet speaking these sayings, the Holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word,

⁴⁵ and those of the circumcision believing were astonished -- as many as came with Peter -- because also upon the nations the gift of the Holy Spirit hath been poured out,

⁴⁶ for they were hearing them speaking with tongues and magnifying God.

⁴⁷ Then answered Peter, `The water is any one able to forbid, that these may not be baptized, who the Holy Spirit did receive -- even as also we?'

⁴⁸ he commanded them also to be baptized in the name of the Lord; then they besought him to remain certain days.

11 And the apostles and the brethren who are in Judea heard that also the nations did receive the word of God,

² and when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision were contending with him,

³ saying -- `Unto men uncircumcised thou didst go in, and didst eat with them!'

⁴ And Peter having begun, did expound to them in order saying,

⁵ `I was in the city of Joppa praying, and I saw in a trance a vision, a certain vessel coming down, as a great sheet by four corners being let down out of the heaven, and it came unto me;

⁶ at which having looked stedfastly, I was considering, and I saw the four-footed beasts of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of heaven;

⁷ and I heard a voice saying to me, Having risen, Peter, slay and eat;

⁸ and I said, Not so, Lord; because anything common or unclean hath at no time entered into my mouth;

⁹ and a voice did answer me a second time out of the heaven, What God did cleanse, thou -- declare not thou common.

¹⁰ `And this happened thrice, and again was all drawn up to the heaven,

¹¹ and, lo, immediately, three men stood at the house in which I was, having been sent from Cesarea unto me,

¹² and the Spirit said to me to go with them, nothing doubting, and these six brethren also went with me, and we did enter into the house of the man,

¹³ he declared also to us how he saw the messenger in his house standing, and saying to him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter,

¹⁴ who shall speak sayings by which thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house.

¹⁵ `And in my beginning to speak, the Holy Spirit did fall upon them, even as also upon us in the beginning,

¹⁶ and I remembered the saying of the Lord, how he said, John indeed did baptize with water, and ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit;

¹⁷ if then the equal gift God did give to them as also to us, having believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, I -- how was I able to withstand God?'

¹⁸ And they, having heard these things, were silent, and were glorifying God, saying, `Then, indeed, also to the nations did God give the reformation to life.'

¹⁹ Those, indeed, therefore, having been scattered abroad, from the tribulation that came after Stephen, went through unto Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none except to Jews only;

²⁰ and there were certain of them men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who having entered into Antioch, were speaking unto the Hellenists, proclaiming good news -- the Lord Jesus,

²¹ and the hand of the Lord was with them, a great number also, having believed, did turn unto the Lord.

²² And the account was heard in the ears of the assembly that [is] in Jerusalem concerning them, and they sent forth Barnabas to go through unto Antioch,

²³ who, having come, and having seen the grace of God, was glad, and was exhorting all with purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord,

²⁴ because he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit, and of faith, and a great multitude was added to the Lord.

²⁵ And Barnabas went forth to Tarsus, to seek for Saul,

²⁶ and having found him, he brought him to Antioch, and it came to pass that they a whole year did assemble together in the assembly, and taught a great multitude, the disciples also were divinely called first in Antioch Christians.

²⁷ And in those days there came from Jerusalem prophets to Antioch,

²⁸ and one of them, by name Agabus, having stood up, did signify through the Spirit a great dearth is about to be throughout all the world -- which also came to pass in the time of Claudius Caesar --

²⁹ and the disciples, according as any one was prospering, determined each of them to send for ministration to the brethren dwelling in Judea,

³⁰ which also they did, having sent unto the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

12 And about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands, to do evil to certain of those of the assembly,

² and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword,

³ and having seen that it is pleasing to the Jews, he added to lay hold of Peter also -- and they were the days of the unleavened food --

⁴ whom also having seized, he did put in prison, having delivered [him] to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him, intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people.

⁵ Peter, therefore, indeed, was kept in the prison, and fervent prayer was being made by the assembly unto God for him,

⁶ and when Herod was about to bring him forth, the same night was Peter sleeping between two soldiers, having been bound with two chains, guards also before the door were keeping the prison,

⁷ and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the buildings, and having smitten Peter on the side, he raised him up, saying, `Rise in haste,' and his chains fell from off [his] hands.

⁸ The messenger also said to him, `Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals;' and he did so; and he saith to him, `Put thy garment round and be following me;'

⁹ and having gone forth, he was following him, and he knew not that it is true that which is done through the messenger, and was thinking he saw a vision,

¹⁰ and having passed through a first ward, and a second, they came unto the iron gate that is leading to the city, which of its own accord did open to them, and having gone forth, they went on through one street, and immediately the messenger departed from him.

¹¹ And Peter having come to himself, said, `Now I have known of a truth that the Lord did sent forth His messenger, and did deliver me out of the hand of Herod, and all the expectation of the people of the Jews;'

¹² also, having considered, he came unto the house of Mary, the mother of John, who is surnamed Mark, where there were many thronged together and praying.

¹³ And Peter having knocked at the door of the porch, there came a damsel to hearken, by name Rhoda,

¹⁴ and having known the voice of Peter, from the joy she did not open the porch, but having run in, told of the standing of Peter before the porch,

¹⁵ and they said unto her, `Thou art mad;' and she was confidently affirming [it] to be so, and they said, `It is his messenger;'

¹⁶ and Peter was continuing knocking, and having opened, they saw him, and were astonished,

¹⁷ and having beckoned to them with the hand to be silent, he declared to them how the Lord brought him out of the prison, and he said, `Declare to James and to the brethren these things;' and having gone forth, he went on to another place.

¹⁸ And day having come, there was not a little stir among the soldiers what then was become of Peter,

¹⁹ and Herod having sought for him, and not having found, having examined the guards, did command [them] to be led away to punishment, and having gone down from Judea to Cesarea, he was abiding [there].

²⁰ And Herod was highly displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians, and with one accord they came unto him, and having made a friend of Blastus, who [is] over the bed-chambers of the king, they were asking peace, because of their country being nourished from the king's;

²¹ and on a set day, Herod having arrayed himself in kingly apparel, and having sat down upon the tribunal, was making an oration unto them,

²² and the populace were shouting, `The voice of a god, and not of a man;'

²³ and presently there smote him a messenger of the Lord, because he did not give the glory to God, and having been eaten of worms, he expired.

²⁴ And the word of God did grow and did multiply,

²⁵ and Barnabas and Saul did turn back out of Jerusalem, having fulfilled the ministration, having taken also with [them] John, who was surnamed Mark.

13 And there were certain in Antioch, in the assembly there, prophets and teachers; both Barnabas, and Simeon who is called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen also -- Herod the tetrarch's foster-brother -- and Saul;

² and in their ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, `Separate ye to me both Barnabas and Saul to the work to which I have called them,'

³ then having fasted, and having prayed, and having laid the hands on them, they sent [them] away.

⁴ These, indeed, then, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, thence also they sailed to Cyprus,

⁵ and having come unto Salamis, they declared the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews, and they had also John [as] a ministrant;

⁶ and having gone through the island unto Paphos, they found a certain magian, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name [is] Bar-Jesus;

⁷ who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man; this one having called for Barnabas and Saul, did desire to hear the word of God,

⁸ and there withstood them Elymas the magian -- for so is his name interpreted -- seeking to pervert the proconsul from the faith.

⁹ And Saul -- who also [is] Paul -- having been filled with the Holy Spirit, and having looked stedfastly on him,

¹⁰ said, `O full of all guile, and all profligacy, son of a devil, enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease perverting the right ways of the Lord?

¹¹ and now, lo, a hand of the Lord [is] upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season;' and presently there fell upon him a mist and darkness, and he, going about, was seeking some to lead [him] by the hand;

¹² then the proconsul having seen what hath come to pass, did believe, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

¹³ And those about Paul having set sail from Paphos, came to Perga of Pamphylia, and John having departed from them, did turn back to Jerusalem,

¹⁴ and they having gone through from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia, and having gone into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, they sat down,

¹⁵ and after the reading of the law and of the prophets, the chief men of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, `Men, brethren, if there be a word in you of exhortation unto the people -- say on.'

¹⁶ And Paul having risen, and having beckoned with the hand, said, `Men, Israelites, and those fearing God, hearken:

¹⁷ the God of this people Israel did choose our fathers, and the people He did exalt in their sojourning in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm did He bring them out of it;

¹⁸ and about a period of forty years He did suffer their manners in the wilderness,

¹⁹ and having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He did divide by lot to them their land.

²⁰ `And after these things, about four hundred and fifty years, He gave judges -- till Samuel the prophet;

²¹ and thereafter they asked for a king, and God did give to them Saul, son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years;

²² and having removed him, He did raise up to them David for king, to whom also having testified, he said, I found David, the [son] of Jesse, a man according to My heart, who shall do all My will.

²³ `Of this one's seed God, according to promise, did raise to Israel a Saviour -- Jesus,

²⁴ John having first preached, before his coming, a baptism of reformation to all the people of Israel;

²⁵ and as John was fulfilling the course, he said, Whom me do ye suppose to be? I am not [he], but, lo, he doth come after me, of whom I am not worthy to loose the sandal of [his] feet.

²⁶ `Men, brethren, sons of the race of Abraham, and those among you fearing God, to you was the word of this salvation sent,

²⁷ for those dwelling in Jerusalem, and their chiefs, this one not having known, also the voices of the prophets, which every sabbath are being read -- having judged [him] -- did fulfill,

²⁸ and no cause of death having found, they did ask of Pilate that he should be slain,

²⁹ and when they did complete all the things written about him, having taken [him] down from the tree, they laid him in a tomb;

³⁰ and God did raise him out of the dead,

³¹ and he was seen for many days of those who did come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

³² `And we to you do proclaim good news -- that the promise made unto the fathers,

³³ God hath in full completed this to us their children, having raised up Jesus, as also in the second Psalm it hath been written, My Son thou art -- I to-day have begotten thee.

³⁴ `And that He did raise him up out of the dead, no more to return to corruption, he hath said thus -- I will give to you the faithful kindnesses of David;

³⁵ wherefore also in another [place] he saith, Thou shalt not give Thy kind One to see corruption,

³⁶ for David, indeed, his own generation having served by the will of God, did fall asleep, and was added unto his fathers, and saw corruption,

³⁷ but he whom God did raise up, did not see corruption.

³⁸ `Let it therefore be known to you, men, brethren, that through this one to you is the forgiveness of sins declared,

³⁹ and from all things from which ye were not able in the law of Moses to be declared righteous, in this one every one who is believing is declared righteous;

⁴⁰ see, therefore, it may not come upon you that hath been spoken in the prophets:

⁴¹ See, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish, because a work I -- I do work in your days, a work in which ye may not believe, though any one may declare [it] to you.'

⁴² And having gone forth out of the synagogue of the Jews, the nations were calling upon [them] that on the next sabbath these sayings may be spoken to them,

⁴³ and the synagogue having been dismissed, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes did follow Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were persuading them to remain in the grace of God.

⁴⁴ And on the coming sabbath, almost all the city was gathered together to hear the word of God,

⁴⁵ and the Jews having seen the multitudes, were filled with zeal, and did contradict the things spoken by Paul -- contradicting and speaking evil.

⁴⁶ And speaking boldly, Paul and Barnabas said, `To you it was necessary that first the word of God be spoken, and seeing ye do thrust it away, and do not judge yourselves worthy of the life age-during, lo, we do turn to the nations;

⁴⁷ for so hath the Lord commanded us: I have set thee for a light of nations -- for thy being for salvation unto the end of the earth.'

⁴⁸ And the nations hearing were glad, and were glorifying the word of the Lord, and did believe -- as many as were appointed to life age-during;

⁴⁹ and the word of the Lord was spread abroad through all the region.

⁵⁰ And the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the first men of the city, and did raise persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and did put them out from their borders;

⁵¹ and they having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium,

⁵² and the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

14 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they did enter together into the synagogue of the Jews, and spake, so that there believed both of Jews and Greeks a great multitude;

² and the unbelieving Jews did stir up and made evil the souls of the nations against the brethren;

³ long time, indeed, therefore, did they abide speaking boldly in the Lord, who is testifying to the word of His grace, and granting signs and wonders to come to pass through their hands.

⁴ And the multitude of the city was divided, and some were with the Jews, and some with the apostles,

⁵ and when there was a purpose both of the nations and of the Jews with their rulers to use [them] despitefully, and to stone them,

⁶ they having become aware, did flee to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe, and to the region round about,

⁷ and there they were proclaiming good news.

⁸ And a certain man in Lystra, impotent in the feet, was sitting, being lame from the womb of his mother -- who never had walked,

⁹ this one was hearing Paul speaking, who, having stedfastly beheld him, and having seen that he hath faith to be saved,

¹⁰ said with a loud voice, `Stand up on thy feet upright;' and he was springing and walking,

¹¹ and the multitudes having seen what Paul did, did lift up their voice, in the speech of Lycaonia, saying, `The gods, having become like men, did come down unto us;'

¹² they were calling also Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermes, since he was the leader in speaking.

¹³ And the priest of the Zeus that is before their city, oxen and garlands unto the porches having brought, with the multitudes did wish to sacrifice,

¹⁴ and having heard, the apostles Barnabas and Paul, having rent their garments, did spring into the multitude, crying

¹⁵ and saying, `Men, why these things do ye? and we are men like-affected with you, proclaiming good news to you, from these vanities to turn unto the living God, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all the things in them;

¹⁶ who in the past generations did suffer all the nations to go on in their ways,

¹⁷ though, indeed, without witness He did not leave himself, doing good -- from heaven giving rains to us, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness;'

¹⁸ and these things saying, scarcely did they restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

¹⁹ And there came thither, from Antioch and Iconium, Jews, and they having persuaded the multitudes, and having stoned Paul, drew him outside of the city, having supposed him to be dead;

²⁰ and the disciples having surrounded him, having risen he entered into the city, and on the morrow he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe.

²¹ Having proclaimed good news also to that city, and having discipled many, they turned back to Lystra, and Iconium, and Antioch,

²² confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting to remain in the faith, and that through many tribulations it behoveth us to enter into the reign of God,

²³ and having appointed to them by vote elders in every assembly, having prayed with fastings, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

²⁴ And having passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia,

²⁵ and having spoken in Perga the word, they went down to Attalia,

²⁶ and thence did sail to Antioch, whence they had been given by the grace of God for the work that they fulfilled;

²⁷ and having come and gathered together the assembly, they declared as many things as God did with them, and that He did open to the nations a door of faith;

²⁸ and they abode there not a little time with the disciples.

15 And certain having come down from Judea, were teaching the brethren -- `If ye be not circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye are not able to be saved;'

² there having been, therefore, not a little dissension and disputation to Paul and Barnabas with them, they arranged for Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, to go up unto the apostles and elders to Jerusalem about this question,

³ they indeed, then, having been sent forward by the assembly, were passing through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the nations, and they were causing great joy to all the brethren.

⁴ And having come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly, and the apostles, and the elders, they declared also as many things as God did with them;

⁵ and there rose up certain of those of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying -- `It behoveth to circumcise them, to command them also to keep the law of Moses.'

⁶ And there were gathered together the apostles and the elders, to see about this matter,

⁷ and there having been much disputing, Peter having risen up said unto them, `Men, brethren, ye know that from former days, God among us did make choice, through my mouth, for the nations to hear the word of the good news, and to believe;

⁸ and the heart-knowing God did bare them testimony, having given to them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us,

⁹ and did put no difference also between us and them, by the faith having purified their hearts;

¹⁰ now, therefore, why do ye tempt God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

¹¹ but, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, even as also they.'

¹² And all the multitude did keep silence, and were hearkening to Barnabas and Paul, declaring as many signs and wonders as God did among the nations through them;

¹³ and after they are silent, James answered, saying, `Men, brethren, hearken to me;

¹⁴ Simeon did declare how at first God did look after to take out of the nations a people for His name,

¹⁵ and to this agree the words of the prophets, as it hath been written:

¹⁶ After these things I will turn back, and I will build again the tabernacle of David, that is fallen down, and its ruins I will build again, and will set it upright --

¹⁷ that the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the nations, upon whom My name hath been called, saith the Lord, who is doing all these things.

¹⁸ `Known from the ages to God are all His works;

¹⁹ wherefore I judge: not to trouble those who from the nations do turn back to God,

²⁰ but to write to them to abstain from the pollutions of the idols, and the whoredom, and the strangled thing; and the blood;

²¹ for Moses from former generations in every city hath those preaching him -- in the synagogues every sabbath being read.'

²² Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, chosen men out of themselves to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas -- Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren --

²³ having written through their hand thus: `The apostles, and the elders, and the brethren, to those in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia, brethren, who [are] of the nations, greeting;

²⁴ seeing we have heard that certain having gone forth from us did trouble you with words, subverting your souls, saying to be circumcised and to keep the law, to whom we did give no charge,

²⁵ it seemed good to us, having come together with one accord, chosen men to send unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul --

²⁶ men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ --

²⁷ we have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, and they by word are telling the same things.

²⁸ `For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, no more burden to lay upon you, except these necessary things:

²⁹ to abstain from things offered to idols, and blood, and a strangled thing, and whoredom; from which keeping yourselves, ye shall do well; be strong!'

³⁰ They then, indeed, having been let go, went to Antioch, and having brought the multitude together, did deliver the epistle,

³¹ and they having read, did rejoice for the consolation;

³² Judas also and Silas, being themselves also prophets, through much discourse did exhort the brethren, and confirm,

³³ and having passed some time, they were let go with peace from the brethren unto the apostles;

³⁴ and it seemed good to Silas to remain there still.

³⁵ And Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming good news -- with many others also -- the word of the Lord;

³⁶ and after certain days, Paul said unto Barnabas, `Having turned back again, we may look after our brethren, in every city in which we have preached the word of the Lord -- how they are.'

³⁷ And Barnabas counseled to take with [them] John called Mark,

³⁸ and Paul was not thinking it good to take him with them who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and did not go with them to the work;

³⁹ there came, therefore, a sharp contention, so that they were parted from one another, and Barnabas having taken Mark, did sail to Cyprus,

⁴⁰ and Paul having chosen Silas, went forth, having been given up to the grace of God by the brethren;

⁴¹ and he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the assemblies.

16 And he came to Derbe and Lystra, and lo, a certain disciple was there, by name Timotheus son of a certain woman, a believing Jewess, but of a father, a Greek,

² who was well testified to by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium;

³ this one did Paul wish to go forth with him, and having taken [him], he circumcised him, because of the Jews who are in those places, for they all knew his father -- that he was a Greek.

⁴ And as they were going on through the cities, they were delivering to them the decrees to keep, that have been judged by the apostles and the elders who [are] in Jerusalem,

⁵ then, indeed, were the assemblies established in the faith, and were abounding in number every day;

⁶ and having gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia,

⁷ having gone toward Mysia, they were trying to go on toward Bithynia, and the Spirit did not suffer them,

⁸ and having passed by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

⁹ And a vision through the night appeared to Paul -- a certain man of Macedonia was standing, calling upon him, and saying, `Having passed through to Macedonia, help us;' --

¹⁰ and when he saw the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go forth to Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord hath called us to preach good news to them,

¹¹ having set sail, therefore, from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, on the morrow also to Neapolis,

¹² thence also to Philippi, which is a principal city of the part of Macedonia -- a colony. And we were in this city abiding certain days,

¹³ on the sabbath-day also we went forth outside of the city, by a river, where there used to be prayer, and having sat down, we were speaking to the women who came together,

¹⁴ and a certain woman, by name Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, worshipping God, was hearing, whose heart the Lord did open to attend to the things spoken by Paul;

¹⁵ and when she was baptized, and her household, she did call upon us, saying, `If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, having entered into my house, remain;' and she constrained us.