Chronological
15 Then some from Judea came down and taught the brothers, saying, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 And when there was great dissension and disputation by Paul and Barnabas against them, they ordained that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, should go up to Jerusalem (to the apostles and elders) about this question.
3 Thus, being sent forth by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. And they brought great joy to all the brothers.
4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and by the apostles and elders. And they told what things God had done through them.
5 “But,” they said, “some of the Pharisee sect who believed, rose up, saying that it was necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.”
6 Then the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
7 And when there had been great disputation, Peter rose up, and said to them, “Men, brothers, you know that a good while ago, God chose me from among us. So that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the Word of the Gospel and believe.
8 “And God, Who knows the hearts, bore them witness in giving the Holy Ghost to them even as to us.
9 “And after He had purified their hearts by faith, He made no distinction between us and them.
10 “Now, therefore, why do you tempt God, to lay a yoke on the disciples’ necks which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 “But we believe we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, just as they are.”
12 Then all the multitude kept silent and heard Barnabas and Paul, who told what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
13 And after their silence, James answered, saying, “Men, brothers, hear me.
14 “Simeon has declared how God first visited the Gentiles, to take a people to His Name.
15 “And the words of the Prophets agree with this. As it is written,
16 ‘After this I will return, and will rebuild the Tabernacle of David, which has fallen down. And I will rebuild the ruins thereof, and I will set it up.
17 ‘So that the remaining men - and all the Gentiles upon whom My Name is called - might seek after the Lord, says the Lord Who does all these things.’
18 “From the beginning of the world, God knows all His works.
19 “Therefore my judgment is that we do not trouble those of the Gentiles who have turned to God,
20 “but that we write to them to abstain from filthiness of idols, and from fornication, and from that which is strangled, and from blood.
21 “For Moses has, for generations, had those who preach him in every city (seeing he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath).”
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and elders (with the whole church) to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: namely, Judas (whose surname was Barsabas) and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
23 And they wrote letters by them like this, “The Apostles, and the Elders, and the Brothers, to the Gentile Brothers in Antioch, and in Syria, and in Cilicia, greetings,
24 “Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, and upset your minds, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the Law’ (to whom we gave no such commandment),
25 “It therefore seemed good to us - after we had come together with one mind - to send chosen men to 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 therefore sent Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost (and to us) to lay no more burden upon you other than these necessary things:
29 “that you abstain from things offered to idols, and blood, and that which is strangled, and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you shall do well. Farewell.”
30 Now when they had left, they came to Antioch. And after they had assembled the multitude, they delivered the letter.
31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.
32 And Judas and Silas, being Prophets, encouraged the brothers with many words, and strengthened them.
33 And after they had stayed there a time, they were sent back in peace by the brothers to the apostles.
34 However, Silas thought it good to remain there.
35 Paul and Barnabas also stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching (with many others) the Word of the Lord.
36 But after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit our brothers in every city where we have preached the Word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”
37 And Barnabas planned to take John (called Mark) with them.
38 But Paul did not think it good to take with them one who had left them in Pamphylia, and not gone with them to do the work.
39 Therefore there was such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another. And Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus.
40 And Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brothers to the grace of God.
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, establishing the churches.
16 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy - the son of a believing Jewish woman, but whose father was Greek
2 of whom the brothers at Lystra and Iconium reported well.
3 Paul wanted him to go forth with him. So, he took and circumcised him, because of the Jews who were in that area (for they all knew that his father was Greek).
4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered the decrees to keep, ordained by the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
5 And so the churches were established in the faith and increased in number daily.
6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia.
7 Then they came to Mysia and sought to go into Bithynia. But the Spirit did not allow them.
8 Therefore they passed through Mysia, and came down to Troas,
9 where a vision appeared to Paul in the night: A Macedonian man stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come into Macedonia, and help us!”
10 And after he had seen the vision, we immediately prepared to go into Macedonia, being assured that the Lord had called us to preach the Gospel to them.
11 Then went we forth from Troas. And with a straight course, we came to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis;
12 and from there to Philippi (which is the chief city in the parts of Macedonia, and whose inhabitants came from Rome to dwell there). And we stayed in that city some days.
13 And on the Sabbath day, we went out of the city, to a riverside where they customarily prayed. And we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
14 And a certain woman named Lydia (a seller of purple, of the city of the Thyatirians), who worshipped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart, so that she paid attention to the things which Paul spoke.
15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she implored us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she insisted.
16 And it happened that as we went to prayer, a certain maid having a spirit of divination (who made her masters much money with divining) met us.
17 She followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who show to you the way of salvation!”
18 And she did this for many days. But Paul, being annoyed, turned around and said to the spirit, “I command you in the Name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out the same hour.
19 Now when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace, to the Magistrates.
20 And they brought them to the governors, saying, “These Jewish men trouble our city,
21 “and preach ordinances which are not lawful for us to receive, nor to observe, seeing we are Romans!”
22 Then the people rose up together against them. And the governors tore their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
23 And when they had beaten them terribly, they cast them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely
24 (who, having received such a commandment, cast them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks).
25 Now at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and sang Psalms to God. And the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken. And immediately all the doors opened. And all the shackles were loosened.
27 Then the keeper of the prison awoke from his sleep. And when he saw the prison doors open, he drew out his sword and was about to kill himself (having assumed that the prisoners had escaped).
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm! For we all are here!”
29 Then he called for a light and rushed in, trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas.
30 And he brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you and your household shall be saved.”
32 And they preached the Word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in the house.
33 Afterward, that same hour of the night, he took them and washed their wounds. And he was baptized immediately, with all who belonged to him.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them, and rejoiced that he, with all his household, believed in God.
35 And when it was day, the governors sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go!”
36 Then the keeper of the prison told these words to Paul, saying, “The governors have sent word to free you. Therefore, leave now. And go in peace.”
37 Then Paul said to them, “After they have beaten us openly (uncondemned Romans) and have cast us into prison, now they wish to thrust us out secretly? Certainly not! But let them come and bring us out.”
38 And the sergeants told these words to the governors, who were afraid when they heard that they were Romans.
39 Then they came and pleaded with them; and brought them out and asked them to leave the city.
40 And they went out of the prison and entered into the house of Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they comforted them, and departed.
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