Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.

Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

Choosing of the Seven

Now at this time, as the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint developed on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.

But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him,

And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death.

a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and made many charitable contributions to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.

They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.”

And he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner; and yet God has shown me that I am not to call any person unholy or unclean.

We are witnesses of all the things that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.

All the Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been poured out on the Gentiles.

And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the Jewish believers took issue with him,

The Church in Antioch

So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.

When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well. (Now these were the days of Unleavened Bread.)

When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper.

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus,

Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them and urging them to continue in the grace of God.

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

But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region.

Acceptance and Opposition

In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a way that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.

But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brothers.

But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, while others, with the apostles.

And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to treat them abusively and to stone them,

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking that he was dead.