Acts 8 Cross References - Williams

¹ Saul heartily approved of his being put to death. So on that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all of them, except the apostles, were scattered over Judea and Samaria. ² Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation for him. ³ But Saul continued to harass the church, and by going from house to house and dragging off men and women he continued to put them into prison. ⁴ Now those who were scattered went from place to place preaching the good news of the message. ⁵ So Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began to preach the Christ to the Samaritans. ⁶ As the crowds continued to listen to his message and continued to see his wonder-works which he was performing, with one mind they became interested in what was said by Philip. ⁷ For many of those under the power of foul spirits cried out and the spirits came out of them, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. ⁸ So there was great rejoicing in that city. ⁹ There was a man named Simon in the city, who had kept the Samaritan people thrilled by practicing magic there and by claiming to be a great man. ¹⁰ Everybody, high and low, kept running after him, saying, "He is certainly what is known as the Great Power of God!" ¹¹ They kept running after him, because for a long time he had thrilled them with his magical performances. ¹² But when the people came to believe the good news proclaimed by Philip about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were constantly baptized. ¹³ So Simon himself came to believe too, and after he was baptized he continued to be devoted to Philip, and he was always thrilled at seeing such great signs and wonder-works continuously performed. ¹⁴ When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted God's message, they sent Peter and John there. ¹⁵ They came and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶ for as yet He had not come upon any of them, but they had been baptized merely in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid their hands upon them, and one by one they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ So when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was conferred by the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, ¹⁹ and said, "Give me this power too, that when I lay my hands on anyone he may receive the Holy Spirit." ²⁰ But Peter said to him, "Your money go to perdition with you for even dreaming you could buy the gift of God with money! ²¹ You have no share or part in this matter, for your heart is not sincere in the sight of God. ²² So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, to see if this thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are a bitter weed and a bundle of crookedness!" ²⁴ So Simon answered, "Both of you beg the Lord for me that none of the things you have said may befall me!" ²⁵ So after they had given their testimony and spoken the Lord's message, they started back to Jerusalem, and on the way continued to tell the good news in many Samaritan villages. ²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go south by the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza; this is the desert road." ²⁷ So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian official, a member of the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, her chief treasurer, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ and now was on his way home. He was seated in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ So the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join him in his chariot." ³⁰ Then Philip ran up and listened to him reading the prophet Isaiah, and he asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" ³¹ He answered, "How in the world could I, unless someone teaches me?" And he begged him to get up and sit with him. ³² Now this was the passage of Scripture that he was reading: "Like a sheep He was led away to be slaughtered, and just as a lamb is dumb before its shearer, so He does not open His mouth. ³³ Justice was denied Him in His humiliation, who can tell of His times? For His life is removed from the earth." ³⁴ "Tell me, I pray, of whom is the prophet speaking," asked the official of Philip, "of himself or of someone else?" ³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and starting from this passage, he told him the good news about Jesus. ³⁶ As they continued down the road, they came to some water, and the official said, "Look! here is some water! What is there to keep me from being baptized?" ³⁷ Omitted Text. ³⁸ So he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the official both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away; the official saw him no more, for he went on home rejoicing; ⁴⁰ but Philip was found at Ashdod, and he went on telling the good news in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

² and asked, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him." ³ Now when King Herod heard of it, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ So he called together all the high priests and scribes of the people, and anxiously asked them where the Christ was to be born.

¹ In those days John the Baptist appeared, and kept preaching in the desert of Judea, ² and saying, "Repent! For the kingdom of heaven is near." ³ This is he who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah, when he said: "Here is a voice of one who shouts in the desert, 'Get the road ready for the Lord; Make the paths straight for him.'"

¹⁶ And as soon as Jesus was baptized, He at once went up out of the water, and look! the heavens opened, and John saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove upon Him,

²⁴ So the news about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were sick with various diseases, especially those who were suffering with torturing diseases; and he cured them.

² Then He opened His mouth and continued to teach them as follows:

¹³ "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its strength, what can make it salt again? It is good for nothing but to be thrown away and trodden under foot.

²² "The eye is the very lamp of the body. If then your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the very source of light in you is darkness, how dense is that darkness! ²⁴ No one can be a slave to two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and money.

⁷ "Keep on asking, and the gift will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and the door will open to you. ⁸ For everyone who keeps on asking, receives, and everyone who keeps on seeking, finds, and to the one who keeps on knocking, the door will open.

¹ Then He called His twelve disciples to Him, and gave them authority over foul spirits, so that they could drive them out, and so that they could cure any disease or ailment.

⁵ Jesus sent these twelve out, after giving them the following charge: "Do not go to the heathen, or to any Samaritan town, ⁶ but rather to the lost sheep of Israel's house.

⁸ Keep on curing the sick, raising the dead, healing lepers, and driving out demons. You received and gave no pay; you must give and take none.

²³ But whenever they persecute you in one town, flee to a different one. For I solemnly say to you, you will not cover all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man returns.

²⁵ The pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and the slave should be satisfied to become like his master. If men have called the Head of the house Beelzebub, how much worse names will they heap upon the members of His family! ²⁶ So you must never be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, nor a secret that will not be known. ²⁷ What I speak to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ears, you must proclaim from housetops. ²⁸ You must never be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. But rather you must keep on fearing Him who can destroy both soul and body in the pit.

⁵ the blind are seeing and the crippled are walking, the lepers are being healed and the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised and the poor are having the good news preached to them.

⁴² The queen of the south will rise with the leaders of this age at the judgment and condemn them, for she came from the farthest limits of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and there is more than Solomon here!

¹⁹ When anyone hears the message of the kingdom and does not understand it, the wicked one comes and carries off the seed that was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

²³ And what was sown in rich soil illustrates the man who hears the message and understands it, and yields fruit, one a hundred, one sixty, another thirty-fold."

³⁶ Then He left the crowds and went into His house. And His disciples came up to Him and said, "Explain to us the story of the wild wheat in the field."

⁴⁴ "The kingdom of heaven is like a pot of gold which was buried in a field, which a man found and buried again; and for joy over it he went and sold all he had and bought that field.

⁵¹ "Do you understand all these stories?" They answered Him, "Yes."

¹⁰ And He called the people to Him and said, "Listen to this and learn it!

¹⁵ Then Peter said to Him, "Explain the maxim for us."

¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, immorality, stealing, false witnessing, irreverent speech.

³⁰ and great crowds came up to Him bringing with them the lame, the crippled, the blind, the deaf, and many others. They laid them at His feet, and He cured them, ³¹ so that the crowd was astonished to see the dumb talking, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. So they praised the God of Israel.

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

¹ Just at that moment the disciples came up and asked Jesus, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" ² And He called a little child to Him, and had him stand in the midst of them, ³ and said: "I solemnly say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you can never get into the kingdom of heaven at all.

³ and said: "I solemnly say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you can never get into the kingdom of heaven at all. ⁴ So then, whoever becomes as lowly as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven,

¹⁹ "Again, I tell you, if only two of you on earth agree on what they pray for, they will get it from my Father in heaven.

¹⁵ Have I not the right to do what I please with my own money? Or, is your eye causing you to be covetous, because I am generous? ¹⁶ So those who are last now will be first then, and those first will be last."

² and ordered them, "Go into the village that is ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie her and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, you will say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he at once will send them." ⁴ Now this occurred to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: ⁵ "Tell the daughter of Zion, your King is now coming to you, gentle, and riding on a donkey, yea, on the colt of a beast of burden." ⁶ So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.

⁶ and the rest seized his slaves, treated them with violence, and murdered them.

³⁴ Therefore, I am going to send you prophets, wise men, and scribes, some of whom you will kill -- even crucify -- and some you will flog in your synagogues and chase from city to city,

¹⁵ "So when you see the destructive desecration, mentioned by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place" -- let the reader take notice --

⁶² Then the high priest arose and said to Him, "Have you no answer to make? What do you say to the evidence that they bring against you?" ⁶³ But Jesus kept silent. So the high priest said to Him, "I charge you, on your oath, in the name of the living God, tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."

³ Then Judas, who had betrayed Him, as he felt condemned, in remorse brought back the thirty pieces to the high priests and elders, ⁴ and said, "I did wrong in turning an innocent man over to death." But they said, "What is that to us? You must see to that yourself." ⁵ Then he tossed the money into the temple and left, and went off and hanged himself.

¹² And while the charges were being made against Him by the high priests and elders, He made no answer. ¹³ Then Pilate said to Him, "Do you not hear how strong is the evidence they are bringing against you?" ¹⁴ But He did not answer him a single word, so that the governor was dumbfounded beyond expression. ¹⁵ Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to set any prisoner free whom the people wanted. ¹⁶ At that time they had a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when they met for this purpose, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to set free, Barabbas, or Jesus, the so-called Christ?" ¹⁸ For he knew that they had turned Him over to the court out of envy. ¹⁹ Now while he was on the bench, his wife sent him this word, "Do not have anything to do with that righteous man, for I have this morning suffered excruciating pain in a dream caused by Him." ²⁰ But the high priests and the elders lined up the crowds to ask for Barabbas, and to have Jesus put to death. ²¹ Still the governor answered, "Which of the two do you want me to set free for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." ²² Pilate asked them, "What then shall I do with Jesus. the so-called Christ?" They all answered, "Have Him crucified!" ²³ He asked, "Why, what has He done that is wrong?" But they kept on shouting louder and louder, "Have Him crucified!" ²⁴ So Pilate, since he saw that he was making no headway with them, but that a riot was about to break out instead, took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, and said, "I am not responsible for this man's death; you must see to it yourselves." ²⁵ And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" ²⁶ Then he set Barabbas free for them, but had Jesus flogged and turned over to be crucified.

¹⁹ Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptize them into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

¹⁰ And just as soon as He started to come up out of the water, He saw the heavens split open and the Spirit coming down like a dove to enter Him.

³ Then four men came bringing to Him a paralyzed man. ⁴ And as they could not get him near to Jesus, on account of the crowd, they dug through the roof over the spot where He was standing and let the pallet down that the paralyzed man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, "My son, your sins are forgiven." ⁶ Some scribes were sitting there arguing and saying to themselves, ⁷ "Why is He talking this way? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God alone?" ⁸ Now Jesus at once felt in His spirit that they were arguing about this, and said, "Why are you arguing to yourselves about this? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say to him, 'Get up, pick up your pallet and start walking!" ¹⁰ But to show you that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth," turning to the paralyzed man He said, ¹¹ "I tell you, get up, pick up your pallet, and go home."

²⁶ Then it gave a shriek and violently convulsed the boy, and got out of him. And the boy looked like a corpse, so much so that the people said that he was dead.

¹⁵ I solemnly say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God as a little child does, will never get into it at all."

¹⁴ "So when you see the destructive desecration standing where he has no right to stand" -- let the reader take notice -- "then let those who remain in Judea fly to the hills;

¹³ So He sent off two of His disciples, and said to them, "Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, ¹⁴ and whatever house he goes into, tell the owner that the Teacher asks, 'Where is my room where I may eat the Passover supper with my disciples?' ¹⁵ Then he will show you a large upstairs room, furnished and ready; get everything ready for us there." ¹⁶ So off the disciples went; they reached the city, found everything just as He had told them, and they got the Passover supper ready.

¹⁵ Then He said to them, "You must go all over the world and preach the good news to all the creation. ¹⁶ He who believes it and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe it will be condemned.

¹⁶ He who believes it and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe it will be condemned. ¹⁷ And the following signs will attend those who believe: By using my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in foreign languages;

¹⁷ And the following signs will attend those who believe: By using my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in foreign languages; ¹⁸ they will take snakes in their hands; even if they drink anything poisonous, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well."

¹⁰ But the angel said to them: "Stop being afraid, for now I bring you good tidings of great joy which is to be for all the people; ¹¹ for today, in the town of David, a Saviour for you has been born, who is to be your Messiah and Lord.

²⁵ Now there was in Jerusalem a man named Symeon, an upright, devout man; he was expecting to see the consolation of Israel, and he was under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

² in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the message of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the desert. ³ And he went all over the Jordan valley, preaching a baptism conditioned on repentance to obtain the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the sermon-book of the prophet Isaiah: "Here is a voice of one shouting in the desert, 'Get the road ready for the Lord, make the paths straight for Him.

⁴ as it is written in the sermon-book of the prophet Isaiah: "Here is a voice of one shouting in the desert, 'Get the road ready for the Lord, make the paths straight for Him.

¹⁷ The roll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him, and He unrolled it and found the place where it was written:

¹³ The portion of them on the rock illustrates those who accept the message, bubbling over with joy when they first hear it, but it takes no real root. They believe for awhile, but in the time of testing they fall away.

² and then He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to cure the sick.

⁵² so He sent messengers before Him. Then they went on and entered into a Samaritan town, to make preparations for Him. ⁵³ But they would not receive Him, because He was facing in the direction of Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When the disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?" ⁵⁵ But He turned at once and reproved them. ⁵⁶ Then they went on to a different village.

⁶⁰ Then He answered him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but you go on and continue to spread the good news of the kingdom of God."

¹ After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on before Him, two by two, to every town or place which He was going to visit. ² So He was saying to them: "The harvest is plentiful, but the reapers are scarce. So pray the Lord of the harvest to send out reapers to His harvest-field.

¹⁷ Now the seventy returned and joyously reported, "Lord, even the demons are submitting to us in your name."

⁹ So I tell you, keep on asking, and the gift will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and the door will open to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who keeps on asking, receives; and the one who keeps on seeking, finds; and to the one who keeps on knocking, the door will open. ¹¹ Now is there a father among you who, if his son asks him for a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or, if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ So if you, in spite of your being bad, know how to give your children what is good, how much more surely will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who continue to ask Him?"

⁴⁹ This is why the Wisdom of God said, 'I will send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill, and some they will persecute'; ⁵⁰ so that the blood of all the prophets that has been shed from the creation of the world may be charged against the men of this age --

⁷ When He noticed how the guests were picking out the best places, He told them the following story: ⁸ "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding supper, never take the best place, for someone of greater distinction than you may have been invited, ⁹ so that your host may not come and say to you, 'Make room for this man'; and then in embarrassment you will proceed to take and keep the lowest place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited anywhere, go and take the lowest place, so that when your host comes in, he may say to you, 'My friend, come up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow-guests. ¹¹ For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

⁸ So He sent Peter and John, saying to them, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover meal."

³⁴ They drew lots to divide His clothes among them.

²⁷ Then He began with Moses and went through all the prophets and explained to them all the passages in the Scriptures about Himself.

⁴⁴ Then He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you, that everything which is written about me in the law of Moses, in the prophets, and in the Psalms, had to be fulfilled."

⁴⁴ Then He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you, that everything which is written about me in the law of Moses, in the prophets, and in the Psalms, had to be fulfilled." ⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds so that they might continue to understand the Scriptures,

⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds so that they might continue to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said to them, "The Scriptures said that the Christ should suffer as He has suffered, should rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and that in His name repentance as the condition for the forgiveness of sins should be preached to all the nations. Beginning at Jerusalem

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said, "Look! He is the Lamb of God who is to take away the world's sin.

⁵ His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you." ⁶ Now in accordance with the custom of purification practiced by the Jews, six stone water jars were standing there, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. ⁷ Jesus said to them, "Fill these jars with water." So they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ Then He said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the manager of the feast." So they took him some.

²³ Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people, because they saw the wonder-works which He was performing, trusted in Him as the Christ. ²⁴ But He would not trust Himself to them, because He knew all men ²⁵ and needed no testimony from anyone about them, for He well knew what was in human nature.

⁵ Jesus answered, "I most solemnly say to you, no one can ever get into the kingdom of God, unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

²² After this, Jesus and His disciples went into Judea, and for some time He stayed there with them and kept baptizing people. ²³ But John too was baptizing people at Aenon, near Salim, for there was plenty of water there, and so the people were coming and being baptized.

²³ But John too was baptizing people at Aenon, near Salim, for there was plenty of water there, and so the people were coming and being baptized.

¹ Now when the Lord learned that the Pharisees had heard that He was winning and baptizing more disciples than John --

²⁵ The woman said to Him, "I know that the Messiah is coming, the One who is called the Christ. When He comes, He will tell us everything." ²⁶ Jesus said to her, "I, the very one who is talking to you, am He!"

³⁴ Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work.

³⁹ Many of the Samaritans in that town believed in Him because of the woman's testimony, when she said, "He has told me everything I ever did." ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they kept on urging Him to stay with them; so He did stay there two days. ⁴¹ Then a much larger number believed in Him because of what He said Himself, ⁴² and they were saying to the woman, "It is not merely because of what you said that we now believe, for we have heard Him ourselves, and we know that He is really the Saviour of the world."

²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything that He Himself is doing, and He will show Him greater deeds than these, so that you will keep on wondering.

³⁹ "You keep on searching the Scriptures, for you yourselves suppose that you will get possession of eternal life through them; and yet they are witnesses that testify to me,

³⁹ "You keep on searching the Scriptures, for you yourselves suppose that you will get possession of eternal life through them; and yet they are witnesses that testify to me, ⁴⁰ but you refuse to come to me to get possession of life.

⁴⁴ How can you believe, you who are always accepting honor from one another, but never seek the honor that comes from the one God?

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered Him, "To whom can we go, Lord? You have the message that gives eternal life, ⁶⁹ and we have come to believe, yes more, we know by experience, that you are the Holy One of God."

¹⁸ Whoever utters merely his own ideas is seeking his own honor, but whoever seeks the honor of him who sent him is sincere, and there is no dishonesty in him.

²¹ Jesus answered them, "I have done just one deed, and yet you are all dumbfounded!

³⁰ Even while He was saying this, many believed in Him. ³¹ So Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him, "If you live in accordance with what I teach, you are really my disciples,

³⁴ Jesus answered them, "I most solemnly say to you, everyone who lives in sin is a slave of sin.

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had turned the man out of the synagogue; so He found him and said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of Man yourself?" ³⁶ He answered, "Who is He, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in Him." ³⁷ Jesus answered him, "You have seen Him; you are talking to Him right now!" ³⁸ So he said, "Lord, I believe!" Then he worshiped Him.

²⁷ She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

³¹ So the Jews who were with her in the house sympathizing with her, when they saw Mary jump up and go out, followed her, because they supposed that she was going to the grave to pour out her grief there. ³² When Mary came where Jesus was and saw Him, she threw herself at His feet, and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." ³³ So when Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping too, He sighed in sympathy and shook with emotion, ³⁴ and asked, "Where have you laid him?" They answered, "Lord, come and see." ³⁵ Jesus burst into tears.

²⁰ There were some Greeks among those who were coming up to worship at the feast,

⁴⁸ Whoever persistently rejects me and refuses to accept my teachings has something to judge him -- the very message I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

¹² I most solemnly say to you, whoever perseveres in believing in me can himself do the things that I am doing; yes, he can do even greater things than I am doing, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And anything you ask for as bearers of my name I will do for you, so that the Father may be glorified through the Son. ¹⁴ Yes, I repeat it, anything you ask for as bearers of my name I will do it for you.

²⁰ Remember what I once told you: No slave is greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you too. If they have observed my teaching, they will observe yours too.

²⁷ And you too are to bear testimony to me, because you have been with me from the start."

² Men will turn you out of their synagogues. Yes, indeed, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think that he is rendering a religious service to God.

²³ At that time you will ask me no more questions. I most solemnly say to you, the Father will give you, as bearers of my name, whatever you ask Him for. ²⁴ Up to this time you have not asked for anything as bearers of my name, but now you must keep on asking, and you will receive, that your cup of joy may be full to the brim.

⁹ He said this that the statement He had just made might be fulfilled, "I have not lost one of those whom you have given me." ¹⁰ So Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. ¹¹ Then Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into the sheath. Must I not drink the cup which the Father has handed me?"

¹² Because of this Pilate kept on trying to set Him free, but the Jews shouted, "If you set Him free, you are no friend to the emperor. Anyone who claims to be a king is uttering treason against the emperor!" ¹³ On hearing this Pilate had Jesus brought out and had Him sit on the judge's bench at the place called the Stone Platform, or in Hebrew, Gabbatha. ¹⁴ It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, and it was about noon. Then Pilate said to the Jews, "There is your king!" ¹⁵ But they shouted, "Kill Him! Kill Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Must I crucify your king?" The high priests answered, "We have no king but the emperor!" ¹⁶ So Pilate then turned Him over to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus,

³¹ But these have been recorded, in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life, as bearers of His name.

¹⁷ For the third time Jesus asked him, "Simon, son of John, do you really tenderly love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus the third time asked him, "Do you really tenderly love me?" So he answered Him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I do tenderly love you." Jesus said to him, "Then feed my sheep.

³ After He had suffered, He had shown Himself alive to them, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them through a period of forty days, and telling them the things about the kingdom of God.

⁸ but you are going to receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you must be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and all over Judea and Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth."

¹⁸ (This man bought a piece of land with the money which he took for his treachery, and he fell there face downward and his body broke in two, and all his intestines poured out.

⁴ and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages as the Spirit granted them to utter divine things. ⁵ Now there were devout Jews from every part of the world living in Jerusalem.

³⁸ Peter said to them, "You must repent -- and, as an expression of it, let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ -- that you may have your sins forgiven; and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,

³⁸ Peter said to them, "You must repent -- and, as an expression of it, let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ -- that you may have your sins forgiven; and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, ³⁹ for the promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are far away whom the Lord our God may call to Him."

⁴¹ So they accepted his message and were baptized, and about three thousand persons united with them on that day.

⁴⁷ constantly praising God and always having the favor of all the people. And every day the Lord continued to add to them the people who were being saved.

¹ Peter and John were on their way up to the temple at the three o'clock hour of prayer, ² when a man crippled from his birth was being carried by, who used to be laid every day at what was called The Beautiful Gate of the temple, to beg from people on their way into the temple. ³ So when he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them to give him something.

⁶ But Peter said, "No silver or gold have I, but what I do have I will give you. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth start walking." ⁷ Then he took him by the right hand and lifted him, and his feet and ankles instantly grew strong,

¹⁰ and recognized him as the very man who used to sit at The Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg, they were completely astounded and bewildered at what occurred to him.

¹⁹ So now repent and turn to Him, to have your sins wiped out, that times of revival may come from the presence of the Lord, ²⁰ and He may send back Jesus, the Christ who long ago was appointed for you.

¹⁴ but still a vast number of people, both men and women, who believed in the Lord, continued to join them,

¹⁶ Even from the towns around Jerusalem crowds continued coming in to bring their sick ones and those troubled with foul spirits, and they were all cured.

¹⁸ they had the apostles arrested and put into the common jail. ¹⁹ But in the night the angel of the Lord threw open the jail doors and let them out, and said to them, ²⁰ "Go and take your stand in the temple square and continue to tell the people the message of this new life."

³³ When they heard this, they were furious, and wanted to kill them.

³⁶ For in the days gone by Theudas appeared, claiming that he was a man of importance, and a considerable number of men, about four hundred, espoused his cause, but he was slain and all his followers were dispersed and as a party annihilated.

⁴⁰ They were convinced by him, and after calling the apostles in and having them flogged, they charged them to stop speaking on the authority of Jesus, and then turned them loose.

⁴² and not for a single day did they stop teaching in the temple square and in private houses the good news of Jesus the Christ.

⁵ This suggestion was approved by the whole body, and so they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Procorus, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, who was a convert to Judaism. ⁶ They presented these men to the apostles, and after they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.

³⁸ This is the one who in the congregation in the desert went between the angel, who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and our forefathers, who also received, to be handed down to you, utterances that still live.

⁵⁴ As they continued to listen to this address, they were becoming infuriated and began to grind their teeth at him.

⁵⁸ and dragged him out of the city and continued stoning him. The witnesses, in the meantime, laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

¹ Saul heartily approved of his being put to death. So on that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all of them, except the apostles, were scattered over Judea and Samaria.

⁴ Now those who were scattered went from place to place preaching the good news of the message.

⁶ As the crowds continued to listen to his message and continued to see his wonder-works which he was performing, with one mind they became interested in what was said by Philip. ⁷ For many of those under the power of foul spirits cried out and the spirits came out of them, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. ⁸ So there was great rejoicing in that city. ⁹ There was a man named Simon in the city, who had kept the Samaritan people thrilled by practicing magic there and by claiming to be a great man.

⁹ There was a man named Simon in the city, who had kept the Samaritan people thrilled by practicing magic there and by claiming to be a great man. ¹⁰ Everybody, high and low, kept running after him, saying, "He is certainly what is known as the Great Power of God!" ¹¹ They kept running after him, because for a long time he had thrilled them with his magical performances.

¹¹ They kept running after him, because for a long time he had thrilled them with his magical performances. ¹² But when the people came to believe the good news proclaimed by Philip about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were constantly baptized. ¹³ So Simon himself came to believe too, and after he was baptized he continued to be devoted to Philip, and he was always thrilled at seeing such great signs and wonder-works continuously performed. ¹⁴ When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted God's message, they sent Peter and John there.

¹⁴ When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted God's message, they sent Peter and John there. ¹⁵ They came and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,

¹⁷ Then they laid their hands upon them, and one by one they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ So when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was conferred by the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

²⁰ But Peter said to him, "Your money go to perdition with you for even dreaming you could buy the gift of God with money! ²¹ You have no share or part in this matter, for your heart is not sincere in the sight of God. ²² So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, to see if this thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

²⁵ So after they had given their testimony and spoken the Lord's message, they started back to Jerusalem, and on the way continued to tell the good news in many Samaritan villages.

²⁷ So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian official, a member of the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, her chief treasurer, who had come to Jerusalem to worship,

³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and starting from this passage, he told him the good news about Jesus.

³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and starting from this passage, he told him the good news about Jesus. ³⁶ As they continued down the road, they came to some water, and the official said, "Look! here is some water! What is there to keep me from being baptized?"

³⁶ As they continued down the road, they came to some water, and the official said, "Look! here is some water! What is there to keep me from being baptized?" ³⁷ Omitted Text. ³⁸ So he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the official both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away; the official saw him no more, for he went on home rejoicing; ⁴⁰ but Philip was found at Ashdod, and he went on telling the good news in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

¹ Now Saul, as he was still breathing threats of murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that if he found any men or women belonging to The Way he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem. ³ As he traveled on he finally approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He dropped to the ground; then he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" ⁵ He asked, "Who are you, sir?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ⁶ But get up and go into the city, and there it will be told you what you ought to do." ⁷ His fellow-travelers stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could not see anyone. ⁸ Then Saul got up off the ground, but he could not see anything, although his eyes were wide open. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus, ⁹ and for three days he could not see, and he did not eat or drink anything. ¹⁰ Now there was in Damascus a disciple named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" And he answered, "Yes, Lord, I am here." ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called 'The Straight Street,' and ask at the house of Judas for one named Saul, from Tarsus, for he is now praying there.

¹¹ And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called 'The Straight Street,' and ask at the house of Judas for one named Saul, from Tarsus, for he is now praying there. ¹² He has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, to restore his sight." ¹³ But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard many people tell of this man, especially the great sufferings he has brought on your people in Jerusalem.

¹⁷ So Ananias left and went to that house, and there he laid his hands upon Saul, and said, "Saul, my. brother, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road on which you were coming here, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

²⁰ and at once he began to preach in their synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ And all who heard him were astounded and said, "Is not this the man who harassed those who called upon this name in Jerusalem, and has come here expressly for the purpose of putting them in chains and taking them back to the high priests?"

³¹ So the church all over Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, and as it continued to be built up spiritually and to live in reverence for the Lord, it continued to increase in numbers through the encouragement that the Holy Spirit gave.

³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years as a paralytic. ³⁴ So Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ now cures you! Get up and make your bed!" And at once he got up.

¹ Now at Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a colonel in what was known as the Italian regiment, ² a religious man, too, who revered God with all his household, who was always liberal in his many deeds of charity to the people, and who had the habit of praying to God.

⁷ After the angel who had spoken to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants, and a religious soldier who was one of his devoted attendants,

¹⁹ While Peter was meditating on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "There are two men looking for you.

²² They answered, "Cornelius, a colonel in the army, an upright man and one who reveres God, and a man of high reputation with the whole Jewish nation, was instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to listen to a message you would bring."

²⁴ The next day he started off with them, and some of the brothers in Joppa went along with him. The day after that they reached Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for him, as he had invited in his kinsmen and close friends.

³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth and said, "Now I really see that God shows no partiality,

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these truths, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. ⁴⁵ Then the Jewish believers who had gone along with Peter were astounded because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been showered upon the heathen too,

⁴⁵ Then the Jewish believers who had gone along with Peter were astounded because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been showered upon the heathen too, ⁴⁶ for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and telling of the greatness of God. Then Peter asked, ⁴⁷ "No one can refuse the use of water, can he, for these to be baptized, since they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did ourselves?"

⁴⁷ "No one can refuse the use of water, can he, for these to be baptized, since they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did ourselves?" ⁴⁸ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to stay on there a few days.

¹ Now the apostles and the brothers all over Judea heard that the heathen too had accepted God's message.

¹² And the Spirit told me to go with them without any hesitation at all. These six brothers, too, went with me, and we all went into the man's house.

¹⁵ When I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them as He did upon us at the beginning, ¹⁶ and I remembered the saying of the Lord, 'John baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.' ¹⁷ So if God had given them the same gift that He gave us when we believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to try -- and how could I if I tried -- to thwart God?"

¹⁷ So if God had given them the same gift that He gave us when we believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to try -- and how could I if I tried -- to thwart God?"

¹⁹ Now the fugitives from the persecution that started over Stephen went all the way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, telling the message to none but Jews.

¹⁹ Now the fugitives from the persecution that started over Stephen went all the way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, telling the message to none but Jews. ²⁰ But there were some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who on reaching Antioch began to speak to the Greeks too, and proceeded to tell them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

²⁰ But there were some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who on reaching Antioch began to speak to the Greeks too, and proceeded to tell them the good news about the Lord Jesus. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord. ²² Now the news about them came to the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and so they sent Barnabas all the way to Antioch.

⁸ Then the angel said to him, "Tighten your belt and put on your shoes? He did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your coat and follow me!" ⁹ So he kept following him out, but he was not conscious that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was dreaming it. ¹⁰ They passed the first guard, then the second, and at last came to the iron gate which led into the city. The gate of itself opened to them, and they passed out and proceeded one block when all at once the angel left him. ¹¹ Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I really know that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting to do to me."

¹⁹ Herod had search made for him, and when he could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he left Judea for Caesarea, and stayed there.

²³ But the angel of the Lord at once struck him down, because he did not give the glory to God; he was eaten by worms, and so died.

¹ Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who is called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen who was an intimate friend of the governor, and Saul. 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." ³ So after fasting and praying, they laid their hands upon them and let them go.

³ So after fasting and praying, they laid their hands upon them and let them go. ⁴ So, as they were sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from that port sailed away to Cyprus.

⁶ Then they went through the whole island as far as Paphos, and there they found a Jewish magician and false prophet whose name was Barjesus.

⁴⁴ The next sabbath almost the whole town turned out to hear God's message.

⁴⁸ The heathen kept on listening and rejoicing and giving the glory to God's message, and all who had been destined to eternal life believed,

⁵² and the disciples continued to be full of joy and the Holy Spirit.

² But the Jews who refused to accept their message aroused and exasperated the minds of the heathen against the brothers. ³ In spite of this, however, they stayed there a considerable time and continued to speak with courage from the Lord, who continued to bear testimony to His gracious message and kept on granting signs and wonders to be done by them. ⁴ But the masses of the town were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. ⁵ And so when there was a movement on the part of both the heathen and the Jews, along with their authorities, to insult and stone them, ⁶ they became aware of it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding country, ⁷ and there they continued to tell the good news. ⁸ Now in the streets of Lystra a man used to sit who had no strength in his feet, who had been crippled from his birth, and had never walked. ⁹ He continued listening to Paul as he spoke, and as Paul by looking straight at him observed that he had faith that he would be cured, ¹⁰ he shouted aloud to him, "Get on your feet and stand erect!" Then up he leaped and began to walk. ¹¹ So the crowds, because they saw what Paul had done, shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods in human form have come down to us!"

⁴ When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported what God had done through them as instruments.

³⁵ But Paul and Barnabas stayed on at Antioch, and with many others continued to teach the Lord's message and to tell the good news.

⁶ Then they crossed Phrygia and Galatia. But because they were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia, ⁷ they went on to Mysia and tried to get into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.

¹⁴ Among them was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple goods from the town of Thyatira, and she stayed to listen to us. She was already a worshiper of God, and the Lord so moved upon her heart that she accepted the message spoken by Paul. ¹⁵ When she and her household were baptized, she begged us by continuing to say, "If you have made up your mind that I am a real believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she continued to insist that we do so. ¹⁶ Once as we were on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who had the gift of magical fortune-telling, and continued to make great profits for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ This girl kept following Paul and the rest of us, shrieking, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, and they are proclaiming to you a way of salvation." ¹⁸ She kept this up for a number of days. Because Paul was so much annoyed by her, he turned and said to the spirit in her, "In the name of Jesus Christ I order you to come out of her." And that very moment it came out.

³¹ They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you and your household will be saved." ³² Then they told God's message to him and to all the members of his household. ³³ Even at that time of the night he took them and washed their wounds, and he and all the members of his household at once were baptized. ³⁴ Then he took them up to his house and gave them food, and he and all the members of his household were happy in their faith in God.

³⁴ Then he took them up to his house and gave them food, and he and all the members of his household were happy in their faith in God.

² So Paul, as he usually did, went to the synagogue, and for three sabbaths discussed with them the Scriptures, ³ explaining them and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and said, "This very Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Christ."

¹¹ The Jews there were better disposed than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message with all eagerness and carried on a daily study of the Scriptures to see if Paul's message was true.

¹¹ The Jews there were better disposed than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message with all eagerness and carried on a daily study of the Scriptures to see if Paul's message was true. ¹² Many of them came to believe, and not a few distinguished Greek women and men.

¹⁸ Some of the Epicurean and the Stoic philosophers began to debate with him; and some said, "What is this scraps-of-truth-picker trying to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities." They said so because he was telling the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

³⁰ Though God overlooked those times of ignorance, He now commands all men everywhere to repent,

⁵ By the time Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was wholly absorbed in preaching the message and was enthusiastically assuring the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

⁸ But Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, and so did all his family, and from time to time many of the Corinthians heard, believed, and were baptized.

²⁸ for he successfully refuted the Jews in public and proved by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

² and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered him, "So far from that, we never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

⁵ On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, ⁶ and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

⁶ and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

¹¹ God also continued to do such wonder-works through Paul

¹³ But some wandering Jews who claimed to be driving out the evil spirits tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had evil spirits in them, saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches!"

¹⁸ And many who became believers kept coming and confessing and uncovering their former practices. ¹⁹ Many people who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them up before the public gaze. They estimated the price of them and found it to be ten thousand dollars. ²⁰ In a way of just such power as this the Lord's message kept on spreading and prevailing.

²¹ but constantly and earnestly I urged Greeks as well as Jews to turn with repentance to God and to have faith in our Lord Jesus. ²² And I am here now on my way to Jerusalem, because I am impelled by the Spirit to do so, though I am not aware what will befall me there, ²³ except that in town after town the Holy Spirit emphatically assures me that imprisonment and sufferings are awaiting me.

²⁵ And now I know that none of you among whom I went about preaching the kingdom will ever see my face again.

⁸ The next day we left there and went on to Caesarea, where we went to the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him.

¹¹ He came to see us and took Paul's belt and with it bound his own hands and feet, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says, 'The Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt like this, and then will turn him over to the heathen.'"

¹⁶ Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us and took us to the house of Mnason, a man from Cyprus, one of the early disciples, to spend the night.

³ "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here in this city, and carefully educated under the teaching of Gamaliel in the law of our forefathers. I was zealous for God, as all of you are today. ⁴ I persecuted this Way even to the death, and kept on binding both men and women and putting them in jail,

¹⁹ So I said, 'Lord, they know for themselves that from one synagogue to another I used to imprison and flog those who believed in you, ²⁰ and when the blood of your martyr Stephen was being shed, I stood by and approved it, and held the clothes of those who killed him.'

²³ Then he called in two of his captains and said to them, "Get two hundred men ready to march to Caesarea, with seventy mounted soldiers and two hundred armed with spears, to leave at nine o'clock tonight."

³³ they, on reaching Caesarea, delivered the letter to the governor and turned Paul over to him, too.

¹ Now three days after his arrival Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,

⁴ Festus answered that Paul was being kept in custody in Caesarea, and that he himself was going there soon.

⁶ After staying there not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day, after taking his seat on the judge's bench, he ordered Paul brought in.

¹³ After the passing of a few days, King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to pay official respects to Festus,

⁹ I myself, indeed, once thought it my duty to take extreme measures in hostility to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ That was what I did at Jerusalem; yes, I received authority from the high priests and shut behind the prison bars many of God's people. Yes, when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them, and often in all the synagogues ¹¹ I had them punished and tried to force them to use abusive language; in my extreme fury against them I continued to pursue them even into distant towns.

²² As I have gotten help from God clear down to this very day, I stand here to testify to high and low alike, without adding a syllable to what Moses and the prophets said should take place, ²³ if the Christ should suffer, and by being the first to rise from the dead was to proclaim the light to the Jewish people and to the heathen."

²³ For just last night an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood by my side

⁶ The natives kept on looking for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual take place on him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

²³ So they set a day for him, and came in large numbers to see him at the place where he was lodging, and from morning till night he continued to explain to them the kingdom of God, at the same time giving them his own testimony and trying from the law of Moses and the prophets to convince them about Jesus.

²⁵ Because they could not agree among themselves, they started to leave, when Paul had spoken one word more: "The Holy Spirit beautifully expressed it in speaking to your forefathers through the prophet Isaiah:

²⁸ "So you must understand that this message of God's salvation has been sent to the heathen; and they will listen to it!"

³¹ yes, he continued to preach to them the kingdom of God, and to teach them about the Lord Jesus Christ, and that with perfect, unfettered freedom of speech.

¹¹ For I am longing to see you, to impart to you some spiritual gift, that you may be strengthened;

⁴ Do you think so little of the riches of God's kindness, forbearance, and patience, not conscious that His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

² by whom we have an introduction through faith into this state of God's favor, in which we safely stand; and let us continue exulting in the hope of enjoying the glorious presence of God.

¹⁷ But, thank God, that though you once were slaves of sin, you became obedient from your hearts to that form of teaching in which you have been instructed, ¹⁸ and since you have been freed from sin, you have become the slaves of right-doing. ¹⁹ I am speaking in familiar human terms because of the frailty of your nature. For just as you formerly offered the parts of your bodies in slavery to impurity and to ever increasing lawlessness, so now you must once for all offer them in slavery to right-doing, which leads to consecration. ²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free so far as doing right was concerned. ²¹ What benefit did you then derive from doing the things of which you are now ashamed? None, for they end in death. ²² But now, since you have been freed from sin and have become the slaves of God, the immediate result is consecration, and the final destiny is eternal life.

³⁶ As the Scripture says: "For your sake we are being put to death the livelong day; we are treated like sheep to be slaughtered."

¹⁰ For in their hearts people exercise the faith that leads to right standing, and with their lips they make the acknowledgment which means salvation.

¹⁴ But how can people call upon One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in One about whom they have not heard? And how can people hear without someone to preach to them?

⁹ and for the heathen peoples to praise God for His mercy, as the Scripture says: "For this I will give thanks to you among the heathen, and will sing praises to your name." ¹⁰ And again: "Rejoice, you heathen peoples, with His people!"

¹⁰ And again: "Rejoice, you heathen peoples, with His people!" ¹¹ And again: "All you heathen peoples, praise the Lord, yea, let all peoples sing His praise."

¹¹ And again: "All you heathen peoples, praise the Lord, yea, let all peoples sing His praise." ¹² And again Isaiah says: "The noted Son of Jesse will come, even He who rises to rule the heathen; on Him the heathen will set their hope."

¹² And again Isaiah says: "The noted Son of Jesse will come, even He who rises to rule the heathen; on Him the heathen will set their hope." ¹³ May the hope-inspiring God so fill you with perfect joy and peace through your continuing faith, that you may bubble over with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit. So I have completed the telling of the good news of Christ all the way from Jerusalem around to Illyricum.

¹³ Christ has been parceled out by you! It was not Paul who was crucified for you, was it? You were not baptized in Paul's name, were you? ¹⁴ I am thankful that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so as to keep anyone from saying that you were baptized in my name.

²³ we are preaching the Christ who was crucified -- a message that is a trap-stick to the Jews and nonsense to the Greeks, ²⁴ but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks alike, the Christ who is God's power and God's wisdom.

² for I determined, while among you, to be unconscious of everything but Jesus Christ and Him as crucified.

¹¹ for no one can lay any other foundation than the one that is laid, that is, Jesus Christ Himself.

¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself. If any one of you supposes that he is wise in this world's wisdom, as compared with the rest of you, to become really wise he must become a fool.

² If a man supposes that he has already gotten some true knowledge, as yet he has not learned it as he ought to know it.

¹¹ But from the Lord's point of view woman is not independent of man nor man of woman.

³ So I want to inform you that no one speaking under the power of the Spirit of God can say, "Jesus is accursed!" and no one except one under the power of the Holy Spirit can really say, "Jesus is Lord!"

¹¹ But the one and same Spirit accomplishes all these achievements, and apportions power to each of us as He chooses.

¹⁹ But in the public congregation I would rather speak five words with my mind in action, in order to instruct the people too, than ten thousand words in ecstasy.

³⁶ Did the message of God begin with you Corinthians? Or, are you the only people it has reached? ³⁷ If anyone claims to have the prophetic spirit, or any other spiritual gift, let him recognize that what I now am writing is the Lord's command.

⁸ He was seen by me, too, as though I were born out of time. ⁹ For I belong to the lowest rank of the apostles, and am not fit to bear the title apostle, because I once persecuted the church of God.

⁹ For I belong to the lowest rank of the apostles, and am not fit to bear the title apostle, because I once persecuted the church of God.

¹¹ O Corinthians, my tongue is telling you everything; my heart is stretched with love for you.

¹⁹ For you who are so wise yourselves are glad to listen to fools!

² I know a man in union with Christ fourteen years ago -- whether in the body or out of it, I do not know, but God knows -- who was caught up to the third heaven. ³ Yes, I know that this man -- whether in or out of the body, I do not know, but God knows -- ⁴ was actually caught up into paradise, and heard things that must not be told, which no man has a right even to mention.

¹³ You have heard, indeed, of my former conduct as an adherent of the Jewish religion, how I kept on furiously persecuting the church of God, and tried to destroy it,

⁹ and because they recognized the favor God had shown me, James, Cephas, and John, the so-called pillar apostles, gave Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, with the understanding that we should go to the heathen and they to the Jews.

¹ O senseless Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose very eyes Jesus Christ was pictured as the crucified One? ² I want to ask you only this one thing: Did you receive the Spirit by doing what the law commands, or by believing the message you heard? ³ Are you so senseless? Did you begin by the Spirit, but are now approaching perfection by fleshly means? ⁴ Have you suffered so much for nothing? If it really is for nothing. ⁵ Now when He supplies you with the Spirit and performs His wonder-works among you, does He do it because you do what the law commands, or because you believe the message that you heard --

²⁷ For all of you who have been baptized into union with Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is no room for Jew or Greek, no room for slave or freeman, no room for male or female, for you are all one through union with Christ Jesus.

¹⁴ so that we may not be babies any longer, or like sailors tossed about and driven around by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men through their cunning in inventing new methods of error.

²¹ if, as I take it, you have heard Him and in union with Him have been taught the truth as it is seen in Jesus,

¹⁷ So stop becoming senseless, but understand what the Lord's will is.

¹² Now I want you to rest assured, brothers, that those things which have befallen me have actually resulted in the progress of the good news;

¹⁹ for I know that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my spiritual welfare,

⁸ Because He was recognized as a man, in reality as well as in outward form, He finally humiliated Himself in obedience so as to die, even to die on a cross. ⁹ This is why God has highly exalted Him, and given Him the name that is above every other name,

³ For we are the true circumcision, who by the Spirit of God worship Him, who take pride in Christ Jesus only, and do not rely on outward privileges,

⁶ by the standard set by zeal, I was a persecutor of the church, and measured by the uprightness reached by keeping the law, I was faultless.

⁴ By the help of the Lord always keep up the glad spirit; yes, I will repeat it, keep up the glad spirit.

¹⁶ Let the message of Christ continue to live in you in all its wealth of wisdom; keep on teaching it to one another and training one another in it with thankfulness, in your hearts singing praise to God with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

² But, although we had just suffered and been insulted, as you remember, at Philippi, we again summoned courage by the help of God, in spite of the terrific strain, to tell you God's good news.

¹³ For another reason too, we, as far as we are concerned, are constantly giving thanks to God; that is, when you received the message you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the message of men but as the message of God, as it really is, which keeps on working in you who believe.

² and so I sent my brother Timothy, God's minister in the preaching of the good news of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,

⁴ the one who keeps up his opposition and so far exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, that he actually takes his seat in the sanctuary of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

¹⁰ and with a completely wicked deception for men who are on the way to destruction, because they refused to love the truth so as to be saved.

¹³ though I once used to abuse, persecute, and insult Him. But mercy was shown me by Him, because I did it in ignorance and unbelief,

¹ Now the Spirit distinctly declares that in later times some will turn away from the faith, because they continuously give their attention to deceiving spirits and the things that demons teach

¹⁴ Stop neglecting the gift you received, which was given you through prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you.

²² Make it a rule not to ordain anyone in haste, and not to be responsible for the sins of others; keep yourself pure.

⁵ and perpetual friction between people who are depraved in mind and deprived of truth, who imagine that religion is only a means of gain.

⁹ But men who keep planning to get rich fall into temptations and snares and many foolish, hurtful desires which plunge people into destruction and ruin.

⁶ For this reason I now remind you to rekindle and keep burning the fire of the divine gift which came upon you when I laid my hands upon you.

²⁵ With gentleness he must correct his opponents, for God might grant them repentance that would lead them to a full knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they might recover their senses and escape from the devil's trap in which they have been caught by him to do his will.

² For people will be selfish, avaricious, boastful, haughty, abusive, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, irreverent,

⁵ keeping up the forms of religion but not giving expression to its power. Avoid such people.

⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, these people resist the truth, for they are depraved in mind and so counterfeits in the faith. ⁹ But they will not make any more progress, for their folly will be evident to everybody, as theirs was.

¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures which can give you wisdom that leads to salvation through the faith that leans on Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God, and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in doing what is right, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be perfectly fit, thoroughly equipped for every good enterprise.

³ For once we too were without understanding, disobedient, misled, habitual slaves to all sorts of passions and pleasures, spending our lives in malice and envy.

⁵ He saved us, not for upright deeds that we had done, but in accordance with His mercy, through the bath of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ which He abundantly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour,

¹⁴ Are not the angels all attending spirits sent forth to serve for the sake of those who are going to be unceasing possessors of salvation?

⁴ while God continued to confirm their testimony with signs, marvels, and various sorts of wonder-works, and with gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed in accordance with His will.

¹² For God's message is alive and full of power in action, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the depths of soul and spirit, to the dividing of joints and marrow, and passing judgment on the thoughts and purposes of the heart. ¹³ No creature of His can escape God's sight, but everything is bare and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we have to give account.

² of teaching about ceremonial washings and the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and final judgment.

⁸ By faith Abraham, on being called, obeyed in starting off for a country which he was to receive as his own, and he did it in spite of the fact that he did not know where he was going.

²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, because he was not afraid of the king's anger, for he persevered as though he were actually seeing Him who is unseen.

¹⁵ Continue to look after one another, that no one fails to gain God's spiritual blessing; or some evil like a bitter root may spring up and trouble you, and many of you be contaminated by it --

⁹ Let the poor brother of lowly station rejoice in his exalted station as a Christian, ¹⁰ and the rich brother rejoice in his being on a level with the poor, because the rich will fade away like the flower of the grass.

¹⁰ and the rich brother rejoice in his being on a level with the poor, because the rich will fade away like the flower of the grass.

²¹ So strip yourselves of everything impure and all the evils prevailing around you, and in humble spirit welcome the message which when rooted in your hearts is able to save your souls.

⁶ But you, in contrast, have humiliated the poor man. Are not the rich men those who oppress you and drag you to court?

¹⁹ Do you believe in one God? Very well; the demons, too, believe that, and shudder. ²⁰ But, O senseless man, are you willing to learn that faith without good deeds is worthless? ²¹ Was not our forefather Abraham shown to be upright by his good deeds, namely, by offering Isaac his son upon the altar? ²² You see that faith cooperated with his good deeds, and by his good deeds faith was made complete; ²³ and so the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham put his faith in God, and it was credited to him for uprightness, and he was called God's friend." ²⁴ You see that a man is shown to be upright by his good deeds, and not merely by his faith. ²⁵ Was not even Rahab the prostitute shown to be upright by her good deeds, namely, by entertaining the scouts and sending them off by a different road? ²⁶ Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without good deeds is dead.

¹⁶ But, as it is, you boast of your proud pretensions. All such boasting is wicked.

³ your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will testify against you and devour your flesh like fire. You have stored up these things for the last days.

¹⁶ So practice confessing your sins to one another, and praying for one another, that you may be cured. An upright man's prayer, when it keeps at work, is very powerful.

¹¹ earnestly trying to find out the time, and the nature of the times, which the Spirit of the Christ within them pointed to, in foretelling the sufferings of the Christ and the glory that should follow them. ¹² It was made known to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in their searching for these things that have already been told to you by those who through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven brought you the good news. The angels long to take a peep into these things.

¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without a blemish or a blot,

¹ So once for all get rid of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all sorts of slander, ² and like new-born babies thirst for pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to final salvation,

²¹ Indeed, it was to this kind of living that you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you might follow His footsteps. ²² He never committed a sin, and deceit was never found on His lips. ²³ Although He was abused, He never retorted; although He continued to suffer, He never threatened, but committed His case to Him who judges justly. ²⁴ He bore our sins in His own body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to uprightness. By His wounds you have been healed,

²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this figure, now saves you, too -- I do not mean the mere removal of physical stains, but the craving for a clear conscience toward God -- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

¹² By Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I regard him, I have written you this short letter, to encourage you and to testify that this is the true, unmerited favor of God. Stand firm in it.

² Many people will follow their immoral ways, and because of them the true Way will be abused,

⁴ For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but hurled them down to Tartarus and committed them to dark dungeons to await their doom,

¹⁴ They have eyes full of adultery and insatiable by sin. They practice enticing unsteady souls. They have trained their hearts in greed. They are doomed to a curse! ¹⁵ They have left the straight road and gone astray. They have followed the road that Balaam, the son of Beor, trod, who fell in love with the profits of wrongdoing ¹⁶ but was reproved for his offense; a dumb animal spoke with a human voice and stopped the prophet's madness. ¹⁷ Such men are dried-up springs, clouds driven by the storm, and they are doomed to densest darkness. ¹⁸ For by uttering arrogant nonsense, through base desires of the lower nature, they entice into immorality men who are just escaping from those who live in error, ¹⁹ promising them freedom, though they are slaves of destruction themselves; for a man is the slave of anything that conquers him.

¹⁵ Whoever owns that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in union with him and he in union with God.

¹ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His child.

⁵ Now who is it that continues to conquer the world, if it is not the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶ He is the One who came through water and blood -- Jesus Christ; not through water only but through water and blood. The Spirit also testifies to this, because the Spirit is truth.

¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his own heart. Whoever does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has borne to His Son. ¹¹ And this testimony is that God has given us eternal life, and this life is given through union with His Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son does not have life. ¹³ I have written this to you who believe in the person of the Son of God, so that you may know that you already have eternal life.

⁹ I have written briefly to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to be first among them, refuses to listen to me.

²¹ I have given her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her immorality.

²³ and I will surely strike her children dead. So all the churches will know that I am He who searches men's inmost hearts, and that I will repay each of you for exactly what you have done.

¹⁷ Because you say, 'I am rich, I have already become rich, I need nothing,' and you do not know that you are the very one that is wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked; ¹⁸ I advise you to buy of me gold that has been refined in the fire, so that you may become rich, and white clothes to put on, to hide your shameful nakedness, and salve to put on your eyes, to make you see.

³ I saw that one of his heads seemed to have been mortally wounded, but its mortal wound had been healed. And the whole world was so amazed that they followed the wild beast,

¹³ He performs great wonders; even makes fire come down out of heaven to earth before men's eyes. ¹⁴ He leads the inhabitants of the earth astray because of the wonders he is permitted to perform in the presence of the wild beast, telling the inhabitants of the earth to erect a statue to the wild beast that bears the sword-thrust and yet has lived.

¹⁸ Here is scope for wisdom! Let anyone who has the mental keenness calculate the number of the wild beast, for it is the number of a certain man; his number is six hundred and sixty-six.

¹⁵ The businessmen who dealt in these things, who had grown rich from their business with her, will stand a long way off for fear of her torture, weeping and mourning,

⁶ Blessed and holy is the man who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death will have no power, but they will be priests of God and Christ, and reign with Him the thousand years.

¹⁵ The dogs, that is, those who practice magic and immorality, murderers, idolaters, and those who love and practice lying, are on the outside.

¹⁹ and if anyone subtracts from it some of the words of this prophetic book, God will subtract from him his share in the tree of life and the holy city which are described in this book.