The Prologue

¹ Many great teachings have been given to us through the Law and the Prophets ² and the others^[a] that followed them, ³ and for these we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom. ⁴ Now those who read them must not only themselves understand them ⁵ but must also as lovers of learning be able through ⁶ both speaking and writing to help the outsiders. ⁷ So my grandfather Jesus, who had devoted himself especially ⁸ to the reading of the Law ⁹ and the Prophets ¹⁰ and the other books of our ancestors ¹¹ and had acquired considerable proficiency in them, ¹² was himself also led to write something pertaining to instruction and wisdom, ¹³ so that by becoming familiar also with his book^[b] those who love learning ¹⁴ might make even greater progress in living according to the law.

¹⁵ You are invited, therefore, ¹⁷ to read it ¹⁶ with goodwill and attention ¹⁸ and to be indulgent ¹⁹ in cases where we may seem ²⁰ to have rendered some phrases imperfectly, despite our diligent labor in translating. ^21–22 For what was originally expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same effect when translated into another language. ²³ Not only this book, ²⁴ but even the Law itself, the Prophets,^{[c] 25} and the rest of the books ²⁶ differ not a little when read in the original.

²⁷ In the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Euergetes, ²⁸ when I came to Egypt and stayed for some time, ²⁹ I found a copy affording^[d] no little instruction. ³⁰ It seemed highly necessary that I should myself devote some diligence and labor to the translation of this book. ^31–32 During that time I have applied my skill day and night ³³ to complete and publish the book ³⁴ for those living abroad who wish to gain learning and are ³⁵ preparing ³⁶ to live according to the law.^(A)

In Praise of Wisdom

James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12 About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. ² He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword.^{(A) 3} After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.)^{(B) 4} When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. ⁵ While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.^(C)

Peter Delivered from Prison

⁶ The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison.^{(D) 7} Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.^{(E) 8} The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.” He did so. Then he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” ⁹ Peter^[a] went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.^{(F) 10} After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him.^{(G) 11} Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”^(H)

¹² As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying.^{(I) 13} When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.^{(J) 14} On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate.^{(K) 15} They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”^{(L) 16} Meanwhile Peter continued knocking, and when they opened the gate they saw him and were amazed. ¹⁷ He motioned to them with his hand to be silent and described for them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he added, “Tell this to James and to the brothers and sisters.” Then he left and went to another place.^(M)

¹⁸ When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.^(N)

The Death of Herod

²⁰ Now Herod^[b] was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body, and after winning over Blastus, the king’s personal attendant, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.^{(O) 21} On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. ²² The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a mortal!” ²³ And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.^(P)

²⁴ But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents.^(Q)

Fear of the Lord Is True Wisdom

²⁵ Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to^[a] Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.^(A)

Barnabas and Saul Commissioned

13 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a childhood friend of Herod the ruler,^[b] and Saul.^{(B) 2} While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”^{(C) 3} Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.^(D)

The Apostles Preach in Cyprus

⁴ So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.^{(E) 5} When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. And they had John also to assist them.^{(F) 6} When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus.^{(G) 7} He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.^{(H) 8} But the magician Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.^{(I) 9} But Saul, also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him^{(J) 10} and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?^{(K) 11} And now listen—the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he fumbled about for someone to lead him by the hand.^{(L) 12} When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.