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THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES


Chapters
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

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Acts

Chapter 1

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

Jesus ministers for forty days after his resurrection—Kingdom to be restored to Israel at a later time—The Twelve to bear witness in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth—Jesus ascends into heaven—Matthias chosen to fill the vacancy in the Twelve.

 1 THE former treatise have aI made, O bTheophilus , of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given acommandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
 3 To whom also he ashewed himself alive after his bpassion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things cpertaining to the kingdom of God:
 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the apromise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be abaptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time arestore again the kingdom to Israel?
 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the aseasons , which the Father hath put in his own power.
 8 But ye shall receive apower , after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be bwitnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in cSamaria , and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was ataken bup ; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into aheaven ? this same Jesus, which is btaken up from you into heaven, shall so ccome in like dmanner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
 12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.
 13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
 14 These all continued with aone accord in prayer and bsupplication , with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his cbrethren .
 15 ¶ And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
 16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David aspake before concerning bJudas , which was guide to them that took Jesus.
 17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
 18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he aburst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
 19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their aproper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be adesolate , and let no man dwell therein: and his bbishoprick let another take.
 21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one abe ordained to be a bwitness with us of his cresurrection .
 23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
 24 And they aprayed , and said, Thou, Lord, which bknowest the hearts of all men, shew cwhether of these two thou hast dchosen ,
 25 That he may take part of this ministry and aapostleship , from which Judas by transgression bfell , that he might go to his own place.
 26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon aMatthias ; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

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Acts

Chapter 2

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47

Spirit poured out on day of Pentecost—Peter testifies of Jesus’ resurrection—He tells how to gain salvation and speaks of the gift of the Holy Ghost—Many believe and are baptized.

 1 AND when the day of aPentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty awind , and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
 3 And there appeared unto them acloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
 4 And they were all filled with the aHoly Ghost, and began to speak with other btongues , as the cSpirit gave them utterance.
 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own alanguage .
 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and aproselytes ,
 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our atongues the wonderful works of God.
 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
 13 Others amocking said, These men are full of new wine.
 14 ¶ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet aJoel ;
 17 And it shall come to pass in the alast days, saith God, I will bpour out of my cSpirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall dprophesy , and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall edream dreams:
 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall aprophesy :
 19 And I will shew awonders in heaven above, and bsigns in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
 20 The sun shall be turned into adarkness , and the moon into blood, before that great and bnotable cday of the Lord come:
 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be asaved .
 22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man aapproved of God among you by bmiracles and wonders and signs, which cGod did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
 23 Him, being delivered by the adeterminate counsel and bforeknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have ccrucified and slain:
 24 Whom God hath araised up, having loosed the bpains of cdeath : because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
 25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the aLord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in ahell , neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see bcorruption .
 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the apatriarch David, that he is both dead and bburied , and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an aoath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up bChrist to sit on his throne;
 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
 32 This Jesus hath God araised up, whereof we all are bwitnesses .
 33 Therefore being aby the bright hand of God cexalted , and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath dshed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
 34 For aDavid is not bascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my cLord , Sit thou on my right hand,
 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have acrucified , both bLord and Christ.
 37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were apricked in their bheart , and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, cwhat shall we do?
 38 Then Peter asaid unto them, bRepent , and be cbaptized every one of you in the dname of Jesus Christ for the eremission of sins, and ye shall receive the fgift of the gHoly Ghost.
 39 For the apromise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are bafar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, aSave yourselves from this buntoward generation.
 41 ¶ Then they that gladly areceived his bword were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about cthree thousand souls.
 42 And they continued astedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and bfellowship , and in breaking of cbread , and in prayers.
 43 And afear came upon every soul: and many wonders and bsigns were done by the apostles.
 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things acommon ;
 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had aneed .
 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the atemple , and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and bsingleness of heart,
 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord aadded to the bchurch daily such as should be saved.

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Acts

Chapter 3

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

Peter and John heal a man lame from birth—Peter preaches repentance—He also speaks of the age of restoration preceding the Second Coming—He names Christ as the prophet of whom Moses spoke.

 1 NOW Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
 2 And a certain man alame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an aalms .
 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have agive I thee: In the bname of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
 7 And he took him by the right hand, and alifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
 9 And all the people asaw him walking and praising God:
 10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
 11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the aporch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.
 12 ¶ And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our aown power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
 13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath aglorified his Son Jesus; whom ye bdelivered up, and cdenied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
 14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a amurderer to be granted unto you;
 15 And killed the aPrince of life, whom God hath braised from the dead; whereof we are cwitnesses .
 16 And his aname through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the bfaith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
 17 And now, brethren, aI bwot that through cignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
 18 But those things, which God before had ashewed by the mouth of all his bprophets , that Christ should csuffer , he hath so fulfilled.
 19 ¶ aRepent ye therefore, and be bconverted , that your sins may be cblotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the dpresence of the Lord;
 20 And he shall send aJesus Christ, which before was preached unto byou :
 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of arestitution of all things, which God hath bspoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
 22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A aprophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be adestroyed from among the people.
 24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise aforetold of these days.
 25 Ye are the achildren of the prophets, and of the bcovenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be cblessed .
 26 Unto you first God, having raised up his aSon Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

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Acts

Chapter 4

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37

Peter and John are arrested and brought before the council—Peter testifies that salvation comes because of Christ—Sadducees strive to silence them—Saints glory in the testimony of Jesus—They practice a united order.

 1 AND as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
 2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the aresurrection from the dead.
 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
 4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about afive thousand.
 5 ¶ And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and ascribes ,
 6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high apriest , were gathered together at Jerusalem.
 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what apower , or by what bname , have ye done this?
 8 Then Peter, filled with the aHoly Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the aname of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
 11 This is the astone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
 12 Neither is there asalvation in any other: for there is none other bname under heaven given among men, whereby we must be csaved .
 13 ¶ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were aunlearned and bignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
 14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
 16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable amiracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
 17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
 18 And they called them, and acommanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to ahearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
 20 For we cannot but aspeak the things which we have bseen and heard.
 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
 22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.
 23 ¶ And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and aearth , and the sea, and all that in them is:
 25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
 26 The akings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast aanointed , both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
 30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
 31 ¶ And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were aassembled together; and they were all filled with the bHoly Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
 32 And the multitude of them that believed were of aone heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that bought of the things which he cpossessed was his own; but they had all things dcommon .
 33 And with great power gave the apostles awitness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great bgrace was upon them all.
 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses asold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
 35 And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and adistribution was made unto every man according as he had bneed .
 36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed aBarnabas , (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
 37 Having land, sold it, and brought the amoney , and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

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Acts

Chapter 5

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42

Ananias and Sapphira lie to the Lord and lose their lives—Apostles continue the miracles of Jesus—Peter and John are arrested; an angel delivers them from prison; they testify of Christ—Gamaliel counsels moderation.

 1 BUT a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, asold a possession,
 2 And akept back b part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain cpart , and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to alie to the Holy Ghost, and to bkeep back part of the price of the land?
 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not alied unto men, but unto bGod .
 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and agave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
 7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to atempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
 10 Then fell she down astraightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
 11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
 12 ¶ And by the hands of the apostles were many asigns and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
 13 And of the arest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
 14 And believers were the more aadded to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
 15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the ashadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
 16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were ahealed every one.
 17 ¶ Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with aindignation ,
 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
 19 But the aangel of the Lord by night opened the bprison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the awords of this life.
 21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
 22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
 23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
 24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
 25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
 26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
 28 Saying, Did not we straitly acommand you that ye should not teach in this bname ? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s cblood upon us.
 29 ¶ Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to aobey God rather than men.
 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and ahanged on a tree.
 31 Him hath God exalted awith his right hand to be a bPrince and a cSaviour , for to give repentance to Israel, and dforgiveness of sins.
 32 And we are his awitnesses of these things; and so is also the bHoly Ghost, whom God hath cgiven to them that obey him.
 33 ¶ When they heard that, they were acut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
 34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named aGamaliel , a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
 35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as aobeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
 38 And now I say unto you, aRefrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of bmen , it will come to nought:
 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; alest haply ye be found even to bfight against God.
 40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
 41 ¶ And they departed from the presence of the council, arejoicing that they were counted worthy to bsuffer cshame for his dname .
 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and apreach Jesus Christ.

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Acts

Chapter 6

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Apostles choose seven to assist them—Stephen transfigured before the Sanhedrin.

 1 AND in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their awidows were bneglected in the daily cministration .
 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of ahonest breport , full of the Holy Ghost and cwisdom , whom we may appoint over this dbusiness .
 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the aministry of the word.
 5 ¶ And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they achose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the bHoly Ghost, and cPhilip , and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
 6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they alaid their bhands on them.
 7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the apriests were obedient to the faith.
 8 And Stephen, full of faith and apower , did great wonders and bmiracles among the people.
 9 ¶ Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the aLibertines , and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, bdisputing with Stephen.
 10 And they were not able to resist the awisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
 11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak ablasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
 12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
 13 And set up afalse witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
 14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the acustoms which Moses delivered us.
 15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the aface of an bangel .

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Acts

Chapter 7

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60

Stephen recounts the history of Israel and names Moses as a prototype of Christ—He testifies of the apostasy in Israel—He sees Jesus on the right hand of God—Stephen’s testimony is rejected and he is stoned to death.

 1 THEN said the high priest, Are these things so?
 2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father aAbraham , when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in bCharran ,
 3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy acountry , and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
 4 Then came he out of the land of the aChaldaeans , and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
 5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he apromised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
 6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should asojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bbondage , and entreat them evil four hundred years.
 7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.
 8 And he gave him the covenant of acircumcision : and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve bpatriarchs .
 9 And the patriarchs, moved with aenvy , sold bJoseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
 10 And adelivered him out of all his bafflictions , and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
 11 Now there came a adearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
 12 But when Jacob heard that there was acorn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
 13 And at the second time aJoseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto bPharaoh .
 14 Then sent aJoseph , and called his bfather cJacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
 15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
 16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham abought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
 17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
 18 Till another aking arose, which knew not Joseph.
 19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
 20 In which time Moses was born, and was aexceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house bthree months:
 21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own ason .
 22 And Moses was alearned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
 23 And when he was full aforty years old, it came into his heart to visit his bbrethren the children of Israel.
 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was aoppressed , and bsmote the Egyptian:
 25 For he supposed his brethren would have aunderstood how that God by his hand would bdeliver them: but they understood not.
 26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye awrong one to another?
 27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a aruler and a judge over us?
 28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
 29 Then afled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two bsons .
 30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an aangel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
 31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the asight : and as he drew near to behold it, the bvoice of the Lord came unto him,
 32 Saying, I am the aGod of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
 33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
 34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
 35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a adeliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.
 36 He abrought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
 37 ¶ This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A aprophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
 38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively aoracles to give unto us:
 39 To whom our fathers would not aobey , but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
 40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us agods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
 41 And they made a acalf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
 42 Then God turned, and agave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
 43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
 44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the afashion that he had seen.
 45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with aJesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
 46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
 47 But Solomon built him an house.
 48 Howbeit the most High adwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
 49 Heaven is my athrone , and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
 50 Hath not my hand amade all these things?
 51 ¶ Ye astiffnecked and buncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always cresist the dHoly Ghost: as your efathers did, so do ye.
 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers apersecuted ? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of aangels , and have not bkept it.
 54 ¶ When they heard these things, they were acut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
 55 But he, being full of the aHoly Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the bglory of cGod , and dJesus estanding on the fright hand of God,
 56 And said, Behold, I asee the heavens bopened , and the cSon of man standing on the right dhand of eGod .
 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their aclothes at a byoung man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
 59 And they astoned bStephen , ccalling upon d God , and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my espirit .
 60 And he kneeled down, and acried with a loud voice, bLord , lay not this sin to their ccharge . And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

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Acts

Chapter 8

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

Saul persecutes the Church—Philip’s ministry in Samaria—He works miracles and baptizes men and women—Peter and John come to Samaria and confer the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands—Simon seeks to buy this gift and is rebuked by Peter—Philip preaches Christ and baptizes an Ethiopian eunuch.

 1 AND Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great apersecution against the bchurch which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great alamentation over him.
 3 As for Saul, he made ahavock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to bprison .
 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
 5 Then Philip went down to the city of aSamaria , and preached Christ unto them.
 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip aspake , hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
 7 For aunclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many btaken with palsies, and that were lame, were chealed .
 8 And there was great joy in that city.
 9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used asorcery , and bbewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some cgreat one:
 10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
 11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
 12 But when they believed Philip apreaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the bname of Jesus Christ, they were cbaptized , both men and women.
 13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and awondered , beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
 14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the aword of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
 17 Then alaid they their hands on them, and they received the bHoly Ghost.
 18 And when Simon saw that through alaying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
 19 Saying, Give me also this apower , that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the agift of God may be bpurchased with money.
 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not aright in the sight of God.
 22 Repent therefore of this thy awickedness , and pray God, if perhaps the bthought of thine cheart may be forgiven thee.
 23 For I perceive that thou art in the agall of bitterness, and in the bbond of iniquity.
 24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
 25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
 26 And the aangel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
 27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to aworship ,
 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
 29 Then the aSpirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
 32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a alamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him aJesus .
 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
 37 And Philip said, If thou abelievest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he abaptized him.
 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the aSpirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
 40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to aCaesarea .

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Acts

Chapter 9

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43

Jesus appears to Saul—Saul a chosen vessel—Ananias restores Saul’s sight—He is baptized and begins his ministry—Peter heals Aeneas and raises Dorcas from death.

 1 AND Saul, yet breathing out athreatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
 2 And desired of him aletters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a alight from heaven:
 4 And he afell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, bSaul , Saul, why persecutest thou me?
 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am aJesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to bkick against the pricks.
 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, awhat wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
 7 aAnd the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a bvoice , but seeing cno man.
 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
 10 ¶ And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named aAnanias ; and to him said the Lord in a bvision , Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
 11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
 12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much aevil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
 14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a achosen vessel unto me, to bbear my cname before the dGentiles , and ekings , and the children of Israel:
 16 For I will shew him how great things he must asuffer for my name’s sake.
 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his ahands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that bappeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath csent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the dHoly Ghost.
 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received asight forthwith, and arose, and was bbaptized .
 19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
 20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
 21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that adestroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bbound unto the chief priests?
 22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
 23 ¶ And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to akill him:
 24 But their alaying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
 25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a abasket .
 26 And when Saul was come to aJerusalem , he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had aseen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
 28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
 29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and adisputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
 30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
 31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were aedified ; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the bcomfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
 32 ¶ And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the asaints which dwelt at Lydda.
 33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was asick of the palsy.
 34 And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.
 35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord.
 36 ¶ Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this awoman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
 37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.
 38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
 40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, aarise . And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
 41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the asaints and widows, presented her balive .
 42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.
 43 And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.

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Acts

Chapter 10

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48

An angel ministers to Cornelius—Peter in a vision is commanded to take the gospel to the Gentiles—Gospel taught by witnesses—Holy Ghost falls upon Gentiles.

 1 THERE was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much aalms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
 3 He saw in a avision bevidently about the ninth hour of the day an cangel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
 7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
 8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
 9 ¶ On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the ahousetop to pray about the sixth hour:
 10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a atrance ,
 11 And saw aheaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet bknit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or aunclean .
 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath acleansed , that call not thou bcommon .
 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
 17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,
 18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
 19 ¶ While Peter thought on the vision, the aSpirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and ago with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
 21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?
 22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was awarned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
 23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
 24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends.
 25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
 26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a aman .
 27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.
 28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man acommon or bunclean .
 29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?
 30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was afasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a bman stood before me in bright clothing,
 31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
 32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.
 33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
 34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no arespecter of persons:
 35 But in every anation he that bfeareth him, and cworketh drighteousness , is eaccepted with him.
 36 The aword which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
 37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
 38 How God aanointed Jesus of Nazareth with the bHoly Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were coppressed of the devil; for dGod was with him.
 39 And we are awitnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
 40 Him God araised up the third day, and bshewed him openly;
 41 aNot to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
 42 And he commanded us to apreach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was bordained of God to be the cJudge of quick and dead.
 43 To him give all the prophets awitness , that through his bname whosoever cbelieveth in him shall receive dremission of sins.
 44 ¶ While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the aGentiles also was poured out the bgift of the Holy Ghost.
 46 For they heard them speak with atongues , and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the aHoly Ghost as well as we?
 48 And he commanded them to be abaptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

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Acts

Chapter 11

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

God grants the gift of repentance to Gentiles—Disciples first called Christians at Antioch—Church guided by revelation.

 1 AND the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the aGentiles had also received the bword of God.
 2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the acircumcision bcontended with him,
 3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
 4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,
 5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a atrance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
 6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
 7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.
 8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.
 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath acleansed , that call not thou bcommon .
 10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.
 11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.
 12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:
 13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
 14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like agift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the aGentiles granted brepentance unto life.
 19 ¶ Now they which were scattered abroad upon the apersecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
 20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.
 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
 22 ¶ Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth aBarnabas , that he should go as far as Antioch.
 23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
 24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
 25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
 26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they aassembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called bChristians first in cAntioch .
 27 ¶ And in these days came aprophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
 28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the aSpirit that there should be great bdearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
 29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send arelief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
 30 Which also they did, and sent it to the aelders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

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Acts

Chapter 12

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

Martyrdom of James—An angel frees Peter from prison—The Lord slays Herod by disease—The Church grows.

 1 NOW about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
 2 And he akilled bJames the brother of John with the sword.
 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of aunleavened bread.)
 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in aprison , and delivered him to four bquaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after cEaster to bring him forth to the people.
 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
 6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
 7 And, behold, the aangel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.
 9 And he went out, and followed him; and awist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
 10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.
 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
 12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
 14 And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.
 15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
 16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.
 17 But he, abeckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
 18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
 19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to adeath . And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
 20 ¶ And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.
 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
 23 And immediately the aangel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
 24 ¶ But the word of God grew and multiplied.
 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their aministry , and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

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Acts

Chapter 13

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52

Saul and Barnabas called to missionary service—Saul, now Paul, curses a sorcerer—Christ came of the seed of David—Paul offers the gospel to Israel, then to the Gentiles.

 1 NOW there were in the church that was at Antioch certain aprophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and afasted , the bHoly Ghost said, cSeparate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have dcalled them.
 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and alaid their bhands on them, they sent them away.
 4 ¶ So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
 5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
 6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain asorcerer , a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus:
 7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a aprudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
 9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the aHoly Ghost, set his eyes on him,
 10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou achild of the devil, thou benemy of all crighteousness , wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou ashalt be bblind , not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
 12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
 13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and aJohn departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
 14 ¶ But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
 15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
 16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that afear God, give audience.
 17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as astrangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
 18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
 19 And when he had adestroyed seven nations in the bland of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
 20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
 21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own aheart , which shall fulfil all my will.
 23 Of this man’s aseed hath God according to his bpromise raised unto Israel a cSaviour , Jesus:
 24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
 25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
 26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of aAbraham , and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
 27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
 28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be aslain .
 29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
 30 But God raised him from the dead:
 31 And he was aseen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his bwitnesses unto the people.
 32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the afathers ,
 33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my aSon , this day have I begotten thee.
 34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the asure mercies of David.
 35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
 36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
 37 But he, whom God araised again, saw no bcorruption .
 38 ¶ Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the aforgiveness of sins:
 39 And by him all that believe are ajustified from all things, from which ye could not be bjustified by the claw of Moses.
 40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
 41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a awork which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
 42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next asabbath .
 43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious aproselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
 44 ¶ And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with aenvy , and spake bagainst those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and cblaspheming .
 46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the aGentiles .
 47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a alight of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for bsalvation unto the ends of the earth.
 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: aand as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
 49 And the word of the Lord was apublished throughout all the region.
 50 But the Jews astirred up the devout and honourable bwomen , and the chief men of the city, and raised cpersecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
 51 But they shook off the adust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
 52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

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Acts

Chapter 14

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Persecution attends spread of gospel—Paul heals a cripple; he and Barnabas hailed as gods—Paul stoned, revived, preaches—Elders ordained.

 1 AND it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.
 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.
 3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave atestimony unto the word of his bgrace , and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
 4 But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.
 5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the aJews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,
 6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:
 7 And there they preached the gospel.
 8 ¶ And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a acripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:
 9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had afaith to be bhealed ,
 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
 11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The agods are come down to us in the likeness of men.
 12 And they called Barnabas, aJupiter ; and Paul, bMercurius , because he was the chief speaker.
 13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.
 14 Which when the aapostles , Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,
 15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are amen of like bpassions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these cvanities unto the living God, which dmade heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
 16 Who in times past suffered all nations to awalk in their own bways .
 17 Nevertheless he left not himself without awitness , in that he did good, and gave us brain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with cfood and gladness.
 18 And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.
 19 ¶ And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having astoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
 20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
 21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
 22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much atribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
 23 And when they had aordained them belders in every church, and had prayed with cfasting , they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
 24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
 25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:
 26 And thence sailed to aAntioch , from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
 27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the adoor of faith unto the Gentiles.
 28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.

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Acts

Chapter 15

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41

Great dissension arises at Antioch concerning circumcision—Apostles at Jerusalem decide the issue—Paul chooses Silas as his companion.

 1 AND certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be acircumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and adisputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the bapostles and elders about this question.
 3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the aconversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
 4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
 5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the alaw of Moses.
 6 ¶ And the aapostles and belders came together for to consider of this matter.
 7 And when there had been much adisputing , bPeter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the cGentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the dgospel , and believe.
 8 And God, which aknoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
 9 And put no adifference between us and them, bpurifying their hearts by faith.
 10 Now therefore why atempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
 11 But we believe that through the agrace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
 12 ¶ Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
 13 ¶ And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
 14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the aGentiles , to take out of them a people for his bname .
 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
 16 After this I will return, and will build again the atabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
 17 That the aresidue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
 18 aKnown unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
 19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
 20 But that we write unto them, that they aabstain from bpollutions of idols, and from cfornication , and from things strangled, and from dblood .
 21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being aread in the synagogues every sabbath day.
 22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
 23 And they awrote b letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be acircumcised , and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
 25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with aone accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
 26 Men that have ahazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 27 We have sent therefore 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 upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
 29 That ye abstain from meats offered to aidols , and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
 30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
 31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the aconsolation .
 32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
 33 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.
 34 Notwithstanding it pleased aSilas to abide there still.
 35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
 36 ¶ And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and avisit our bbrethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.
 37 And Barnabas determined to take with them aJohn , whose surname was bMark .
 38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
 39 And the acontention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;
 40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, aconfirming the churches.

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Acts

Chapter 16

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

Paul directed in a vision to preach in Macedonia—He casts an evil spirit out of a woman—He and Silas are imprisoned, and convert the jailor—They admonish all to believe on the Lord Jesus and be saved.

 1 THEN came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named aTimotheus , the son of a certain woman, which was a bJewess , and believed; but his father was a Greek:
 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and acircumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
 4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the adecrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
 5 And so were the churches aestablished in the faith, and increased in number daily.
 6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the aHoly Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
 9 And a avision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
 11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis;
 12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.
 13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
 14 ¶ And a certain woman named aLydia , a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose bheart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
 15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and aabide there. And she constrained us.
 16 ¶ And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by asoothsaying :
 17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, aThese men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the aspirit , I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
 19 ¶ And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
 20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
 21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
 22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to abeat them.
 23 And when they had laid many astripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
 25 ¶ And at amidnight Paul and Silas prayed, and bsang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the adoors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
 31 And they said, aBelieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
 35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go.
 36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace.
 37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being aRomans , and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out bprivily ? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
 38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.
 39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.
 40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of aLydia and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

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Acts

Chapter 17

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34

Paul and Silas preach and are persecuted in Thessalonica and in Berea—Paul, in Athens, preaches on Mars’ hill about the Unknown God—He says: ‘We are the offspring of God.’

 1 NOW when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to aThessalonica , where was a synagogue of the Jews:
 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days areasoned with them out of the bscriptures ,
 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout aGreeks a great multitude, and of the chief bwomen not a few.
 5 ¶ But the aJews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain blewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an cuproar , and dassaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
 6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
 7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
 8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
 9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
 10 ¶ And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and asearched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
 12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
 14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and aTimotheus abode there still.
 15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto aAthens : and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.
 16 ¶ Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city awholly given to bidolatry .
 17 Therefore adisputed he in the bsynagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
 18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
 19 And they took him, and brought him unto aAreopagus , saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
 20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
 21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there aspent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
 22 ¶ Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are atoo superstitious.
 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your adevotions , I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE bUNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye cignorantly worship, him ddeclare I unto you.
 24 God that amade the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, bdwelleth not in temples made with hands;
 25 Neither is aworshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and bbreath , and all things;
 26 And hath amade of bone cblood dall enations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath fdetermined the gtimes before happointed , and the ibounds of their habitation;
 27 That they should aseek the Lord, bif haply they might cfeel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
 28 For in him we alive , and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his boffspring .
 29 Forasmuch then as we are the aoffspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto bgold , or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s cdevice .
 30 And the times of this aignorance God bwinked at; but now ccommandeth all men every where to drepent :
 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will ajudge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath bordained ; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath craised him from the dead.
 32 ¶ And when they heard of the aresurrection of the dead, some bmocked : and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
 33 So Paul departed from among them.
 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the aAreopagite , and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

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Acts

Chapter 18

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Being rejected by the Jews, Paul turns to the Gentiles—He preaches, ministers, and travels—Apollos also preaches with power.

 1 AFTER these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
 2 And found a certain Jew named aAquila , born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
 3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and awrought : for by their occupation they were btentmakers .
 4 And he reasoned in the asynagogue every bsabbath , and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
 5 And when Silas and aTimotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and btestified to the Jews that Jesus was cChrist .
 6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he ashook his raiment, and said unto them, Your bblood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
 7 ¶ And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
 8 And aCrispus , the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing bbelieved , and were baptized.
 9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a avision , Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
 10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much apeople in this city.
 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
 12 ¶ And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
 13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to aworship God contrary to the law.
 14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or awicked blewdness , O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
 15 But if it be a aquestion of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
 16 And he drave them from the judgment seat.
 17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.
 18 ¶ And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a avow .
 19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and areasoned with the Jews.
 20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
 21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
 22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
 23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
 24 ¶ And a certain Jew named aApollos , born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and bmighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
 25 This man was ainstructed in the way of the Lord; and being bfervent in the spirit, he spake and taught cdiligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of dJohn .
 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
 27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren awrote , exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
 28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, ashewing by the scriptures that bJesus was Christ.

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Acts

Chapter 19

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41

Paul confers the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands—He preaches and works many miracles—Sons of Sceva fail to cast out devils by exorcism—Worshippers of Diana raise a tumult against Paul.

 1 AND it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper acoasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto aJohn ’s baptism.
 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of arepentance , saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
 5 When they heard this, they were abaptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with atongues , and prophesied.
 7 And all the men were about twelve.
 8 And he went into the asynagogue , and spake boldly for the space of three months, bdisputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
 9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
 10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
 11 And God wrought special amiracles by the hands of Paul:
 12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick ahandkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
 13 ¶ Then certain of the vagabond Jews, aexorcists , took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the bname of the Lord Jesus, saying, We cadjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
 15 And the aevil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
 18 And many that believed came, and aconfessed , and shewed their deeds.
 19 Many of them also which used curious aarts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
 20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
 21 ¶ After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the aspirit , when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see bRome .
 22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
 23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
 24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for aDiana , brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
 25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
 26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
 27 So that not only this our acraft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
 28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
 29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and aAristarchus , men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
 30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
 31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
 32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
 33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And aAlexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
 34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
 35 And when the townclerk had aappeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a bworshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from cJupiter ?
 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing arashly .
 37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
 38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, athe law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
 39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
 40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s auproar , there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
 41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

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Acts

Chapter 20

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38

Paul raises Eutychus from death—Paul is free from blood of all men—He predicts apostasy and cultism—He reveals a teaching from Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

 1 AND after the auproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and bembraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.
 2 And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece,
 3 And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
 4 And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, aAristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and bTimotheus ; and of Asia, cTychicus and dTrophimus .
 5 These going before tarried for us at Troas.
 6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of aunleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
 7 And upon the afirst b day of the week, when the disciples came ctogether to dbreak ebread , Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
 8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and aembracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
 11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
 12 And they brought the young man aalive , and were not a little comforted.
 13 ¶ And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to ago afoot.
 14 And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.
 15 And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus.
 16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he ahasted , if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of bPentecost .
 17 ¶ And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the aelders of the church.
 18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
 19 aServing the Lord with all bhumility of mind, and with many ctears , and dtemptations , which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
 20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
 21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, aand faith toward our Lord bJesus Christ.
 22 And now, behold, I go bound in the aspirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
 23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and aafflictions babide me.
 24 But none of these things amove me, neither count I my blife dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the cgospel of the dgrace of God.
 25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
 26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the ablood of all men.
 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the acounsel of God.
 28 ¶ Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the aflock , over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you boverseers , to feed the cchurch of God, which he hath purchased with his own dblood .
 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall agrievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking aperverse things, to bdraw away disciples after them.
 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to awarn every one night and day with tears.
 32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an ainheritance among all them which are sanctified.
 33 I have acoveted no man’s silver, or bgold , or apparel.
 34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these ahands have bministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
 35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to agive than to receive.
 36 ¶ And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
 37 And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him,
 38 aSorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.

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Acts

Chapter 21

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

Paul journeys to Jerusalem—He is persecuted, arrested, and bound.

 1 AND it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara:
 2 And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.
 3 Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.
 4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the aSpirit , that he should not go up to Jerusalem.
 5 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.
 6 And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.
 7 And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.
 8 And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto aCaesarea : and we entered into the house of bPhilip the cevangelist , which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
 9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did aprophesy .
 10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
 11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the aHoly Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
 12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
 13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to adie at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
 14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The awill of the Lord be done.
 15 And after those days we atook up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.
 16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an aold disciple, with whom we should lodge.
 17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
 18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto aJames ; and all the elders were present.
 19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the aGentiles by his ministry.
 20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all azealous of the law:
 21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to acircumcise their children, neither to walk after the bcustoms .
 22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
 23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a avow on them;
 24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and abe at charges with them, that they may bshave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
 25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to aidols , and from blood, and from strangled, and from bfornication .
 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the aaccomplishment of the days of bpurification , until that an coffering should be offered for every one of them.
 27 And when the aseven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
 28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the atemple , and hath bpolluted this holy place.
 29 (For they had seen before with him in the city aTrophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
 30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
 31 And as they went about to akill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an buproar .
 32 Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief acaptain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.
 33 Then the chief acaptain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
 34 And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the acastle .
 35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people.
 36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.
 37 And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?
 38 Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers?
 39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of aTarsus , a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
 40 And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and abeckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great bsilence , he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,

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Acts

Chapter 22

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Paul recounts the story of his conversion and also tells of seeing Jesus in a vision—He is accorded some privileges as a Roman citizen.

 1 MEN, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
 2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
 3 I am verily a man which am a aJew , born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the bfeet of cGamaliel , and taught according to the perfect manner of the dlaw of the fathers, and was ezealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
 4 And I apersecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
 5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received aletters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
 6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great alight round about me.
 7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, aSaul , Saul, why persecutest thou me?
 8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am aJesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
 9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the avoice of him that spake to me.
 10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
 11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
 12 And one aAnanias , a devout man according to the law, having a good breport of all the Jews which dwelt there,
 13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy asight . And the same hour I looked up upon him.
 14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his awill , and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
 15 For thou shalt be his awitness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
 16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be abaptized , and bwash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
 17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a atrance ;
 18 And asaw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
 19 And I said, Lord, they know that I aimprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
 20 And when the blood of thy amartyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and bconsenting unto his death, and kept the craiment of them that slew him.
 21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the aGentiles .
 22 And they gave him aaudience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
 23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
 24 The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the acastle , and bade that he should be examined by bscourging ; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
 25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a aRoman , and uncondemned?
 26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
 27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
 28 And the achief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
 29 aThen straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
 30 On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was aaccused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.

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Chapter 23

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35

Paul smitten at Ananias’ order—The Lord again appears to Paul—Forty Jews plot his death—He is delivered over to Felix.

 1 AND Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good aconscience before God until this day.
 2 And the high priest aAnanias commanded them that stood by him to bsmite him on the mouth.
 3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou awhited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
 4 And they that stood by said, aRevilest thou God’s high priest?
 5 Then said Paul, I awist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the bruler of thy people.
 6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a aPharisee , the son of a Pharisee: of the bhope and cresurrection of the dead I am called in question.
 7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
 8 For the aSadducees say that there is no bresurrection , neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
 9 And there arose a great cry: and the ascribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an bangel hath spoken to him, let us not cfight against God.
 10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
 11 And the night following the aLord bstood by him, and said, Be of good ccheer , Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at dRome .
 12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a acurse , saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had bkilled Paul.
 13 And they were more than forty which had made this aconspiracy .
 14 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
 15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, aor ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
 16 And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
 17 Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
 18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.
 19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
 20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
 21 But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an aoath , that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
 22 So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
 23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
 24 And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
 25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:
 26 Claudius aLysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
 27 This man was taken of the Jews, and ashould have been killed of them: then came I with an barmy , and rescued him, having understood that he was a cRoman .
 28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they aaccused him, I brought him forth into their council:
 29 Whom I perceived to be accused of aquestions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of bdeath or of bonds.
 30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent astraightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
 31 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
 32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
 33 Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
 34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of aCilicia ;
 35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s ajudgment hall.

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Chapter 24

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Paul is accused of sedition—He answers in defense of his life and doctrine—He teaches Felix of righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come.

 1 AND after five days aAnanias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
 2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,
 3 We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
 4 Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.
 5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
 6 Who also hath gone about to profane the atemple : whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
 7 But the chief acaptain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
 8 Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.
 9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.
 10 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:
 11 Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.
 12 And they neither found me in the temple adisputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
 13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
 14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the aprophets :
 15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a aresurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
 16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a aconscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
 17 Now after many years I came to bring aalms to my nation, and offerings.
 18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me apurified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
 19 Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.
 20 Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,
 21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the aresurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.
 22 And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When aLysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.
 23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.
 24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, atemperance , and judgment to come, Felix btrembled , and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
 26 He hoped also that amoney should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.
 27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

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Chapter 25

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Paul, before Festus, appeals unto Caesar—Agrippa desires to hear Paul.

 1 NOW when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
 2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
 3 And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to akill him.
 4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.
 5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any awickedness in him.
 6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
 7 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
 8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.
 9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
 10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
 11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto aCaesar .
 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.
 13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.
 14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
 15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
 16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
 17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
 18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
 19 But had certain questions against him of their own asuperstition , and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
 20 And because I adoubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.
 21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.
 22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
 23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.
 24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
 25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of adeath , and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
 26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
 27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

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Chapter 26

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

Paul recounts his former persection of the saints as a Pharisee—He testifies of the appearance of Jesus on the Damascus road—Agrippa is ‘almost persuaded’ to be a Christian.

 1 THEN Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
 2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
 3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
 4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
 5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a aPharisee .
 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
 7 Unto which promise our atwelve tribes, binstantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
 8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should araise the dead?
 9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things acontrary to the bname of Jesus of Nazareth.
 10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the asaints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to bdeath , I gave my cvoice against them.
 11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto astrange cities.
 12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
 13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a alight from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, aSaul , Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick bagainst the pricks.
 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have aappeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a bwitness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I asend thee,
 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from adarkness to blight , and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
 19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not adisobedient unto the heavenly bvision :
 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
 21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to akill me.
 22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the aprophets and Moses did say should come:
 23 That Christ should asuffer , and that he should be the first that should brise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
 24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee amad .
 25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
 26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
 27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou abelievest .
 28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou apersuadest me to be a bChristian .
 29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
 30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
 31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of adeath or of bonds.
 32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto aCaesar .

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Chapter 27

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44

Paul, in a perilous voyage, travels toward Rome—An angel comforts him—He uses the gift of seership—He is shipwrecked.

 1 AND when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band.
 2 And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one aAristarchus , a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
 3 And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.
 4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
 5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
 6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
 7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;
 8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
 9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the afast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
 10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
 11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the aowner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
 12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.
 13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
 14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
 15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
 16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
 17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
 18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
 19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
 20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
 21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
 22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s alife among you, but of the ship.
 23 For there stood by me this night the aangel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
 25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
 26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
 27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in aAdria , about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;
 28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
 29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
 30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,
 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
 32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
 33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued afasting , having taken nothing.
 34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your ahealth : for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
 35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
 36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
 37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
 39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain acreek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
 40 And when they had ataken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
 41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
 42 And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
 43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
 44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all asafe to land.

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Acts

Chapter 28

Verses
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Paul is unharmed by a viper’s bite—He heals the sick in Melita—He preaches in Rome, first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles.

 1 AND when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.
 2 And the abarbarous people shewed us no little bkindness : for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
 3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a aviper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
 4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
 5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no aharm .
 6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a agod .
 7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days acourteously .
 8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay asick of a fever and of a bbloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his chands on him, and healed him.
 9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:
 10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.
 11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.
 12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
 13 And from thence we afetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:
 14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.
 15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he athanked God, and took bcourage .
 16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.
 17 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
 18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
 19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.
 20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the ahope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
 21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.
 22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
 23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he aexpounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the bprophets , from morning till evening.
 24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some abelieved not.
 25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well aspake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
 26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not aperceive :
 27 For the aheart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their beyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
 28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the aGentiles , and that they will hear it.
 29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
 30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
 31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.