So take care that these words of the prophets do not come true for you;

Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the Synagogue, the people begged for a repetition of this teaching on the next Sabbath.

Then Paul and Barnabas without fear said, It was necessary for the word of God to be given to you first; but because you will have nothing to do with it, and have no desire for eternal life, it will now be offered to the Gentiles.

For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying [praising and giving thanks for] the word of the Lord; and all those who had been appointed (designated, ordained) to eternal life [by God] believed [in Jesus as the Christ and their Savior].

And the Lord's message was spread far and wide over the entire region.

But they shook the dust off of their feet against them [i.e., as an expression of contempt for the people's attitude] and went on to Iconium.

and as for the disciples, they were more and more filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

And it came to pass in Iconium according to the same thing, for them to enter into the synagogue of the Jews, and to speak so as for a great quantity to believe, both of Jews and of Greeks.

So Paul and Barnabas stayed for a long time, speaking boldly and confidently for the Lord, who continued to testify to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders (attesting miracles) be done by them.

But the multitude of the city was divided: and some were for the Jews, and some for the apostles:

Now at Lystra a man sat who was unable to use his feet, for he was crippled from birth and had never walked.

And they called Barnabas, Jupiter, and Paul, Mercury, for he was the chief speaker.

yet He did not leave Himself without some witness [as evidence of Himself], in that He kept constantly doing good things and showing you kindness, and giving you rains from heaven and productive seasons, filling your hearts with food and happiness.”

And even with these words, it was hard for them to keep the people from making an offering to them.

But some Jews came to that place from Antioch and Iconium, and got control over the people; and after stoning Paul, they had him pulled out of the town, taking him for dead.

But [after] the disciples surrounded him, he got up [and] went into the city. And on the next day he departed with Barnabas for Derbe.

strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging [them] to continue in the faith and [saying], "Through many persecutions it is necessary [for] us to enter into the kingdom of God."

And when they had appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.

And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

And [when they] arrived and called the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.

They stayed there with the disciples for a long time.

there having been, therefore, not a little dissension and disputation to Paul and Barnabas with them, they arranged for Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, to go up unto the apostles and elders to Jerusalem about this question,

So they set out, being accompanied for a short distance by some other members of the Church; and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the whole story of the conversion of the Gentiles and inspired all the brethren with great joy.

But some of the Pharisees, who were of the faith, got up and said, It is necessary for these to have circumcision and to keep the law of Moses.

And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

and there having been much disputing, Peter having risen up said unto them, 'Men, brethren, ye know that from former days, God among us did make choice, through my mouth, for the nations to hear the word of the good news, and to believe;

And God, who knows the heart, became a witness for them, by giving them the Holy Spirit, as he gave it also to us;

Why then are you testing God, by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke so hard that not even our fathers or we were strong enough for it?

For we believe that [both] we [Jews] and they [Gentiles] will be saved in the same way, through the unearned favor of the Lord Jesus."

Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

So that the rest of men may make search for the Lord, and all the Gentiles on whom my name is named,

he that does all these things, is the Lord himself that has said it." for the works of God are all known to him from the beginning of the world.

Therefore I conclude we should not cause difficulty for those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

They wrote this letter for them to deliver: "From: The apostles and the elders, your brothers To: Their gentile brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.

Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

And when they had been there for some time, they were sent back in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.

And it seemed fitting to Silas to wait for him.

And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare.

So there arose a serious disagreement between them, which resulted in their parting from one another, Barnabas taking Mark and setting sail for Cyprus.

While Paul chose Silas for his companion and, after he had been committed by the Brethren to the gracious care of the Lord,

Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

They went as far as Mysia and tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them,

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.

After setting sail from Troas we headed straight for Samothrace [i.e., an island in the Aegean Sea] and the next day we went on to Neapolis [i.e., a seaport in Macedonia],

and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city [of that] district of Macedonia, a [Roman] colony. And we were staying in this city for some days.

And on the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where it was the custom for prayer to be, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had assembled.

And a certain woman {named} Lydia from the city of Thyatira, a merchant dealing in purple cloth who showed reverence for God, was listening. The Lord opened {her} heart to pay attention to what was being said by Paul.

Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit of prediction. She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling.

And this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.

But when the girl's slave-owners saw that their prospects for income [from her activities] were [now] gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the open shopping market, in front of the authorities.

And when they brought them to the governors, they said, These men cause great disturbance in our city, for they are Jews, and teach customs,

And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

And the people made an attack on them all together: and the authorities took their clothing off them, and gave orders for them to be whipped.

And suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so as for the foundations of the prison to shake. And immediately all the doors were opened, and the bonds of all the men were unfastened.

The jailor, who was awakened from sleep [by the commotion] saw the jail doors open so drew his [short] sword and prepared to kill himself, assuming that all the prisoners had escaped. [Note: He would have faced a humiliating execution himself if he had allowed capital offense criminals to escape. With that prospect in view, it was considered honorable by the Romans for a person to commit suicide].

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

and after he brought them out [of the inner prison], he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

And having brought them into his house he laid the table for them, and rejoiced with all his house, having believed in God.

In the morning the Magistrates sent the police with an order for the men to be discharged.

The jailer reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace.”

Then said Paul unto them, "They have beaten us, openly un-condemned, for all that we are Romans, and have cast us into prison: and now would they send us away privily? Nay not so, but let them come themselves and fetch us out."

And the police gave an account of these words to the authorities, and they were full of fear on hearing that they were Romans;

and having come they called for them, and leading them out, requested them to go away from their city.

and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

explaining and pointing out [scriptural evidence] that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you, is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).”

But the Jews were filled with jealousy and, taking along some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace and forming a mob, threw the city into an uproar. And attacking Jason's house, they were looking for them to bring [them] out to the popular assembly.

whom Jason has entertained in his house: and the practice of all these fellows is in direct opposition to all Caesar's ordinances, for they affirm that another is king, one Jesus.

Now these people were more noble and open-minded than those in Thessalonica, so they received the message [of salvation through faith in the Christ] with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

And then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still.

And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

Also certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers approached him for discussion. Some asked, "What will this know-it-all have to say?" Others said, "He seems to be advocating [a belief in] some different gods." [They said this] because he was proclaiming Jesus and the resurrection [of the dead].

For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

And Paul got to his feet on Mars' Hill and said, O men of Athens, I see that you are overmuch given to fear of the gods.

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, because it is He who gives to all [people] life and breath and all things.

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

If then we are the offspring of God, it is not right for us to have the idea that God is like gold or silver or stone, formed by the art or design of man.

Therefore God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God’s purpose for their lives],

because He has set a day when He will judge the inhabited world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed and destined for that task, and He has provided credible proof to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

There he met a Jew of the name of Aquila, a native of Pontus, who, with his wife Priscilla, had lately come from Italy, in consequence of the order which had been issued by the Emperor Claudius for all Jews to leave Rome. Paul paid them a visit,

And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

When the Jews resisted [Paul's efforts] and spoke against him and his message, he shook out his clothing [i.e., an expression of rejection and contempt] and said to them "Let your blood be on your own heads [i.e., you are responsible for whatever harm comes from your action]; I am not responsible. From now on I will go [and preach] to the Gentiles [only]."

And the Lord said by vision in the night to Paul, Fear not, but speak and be not silent;

For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

So he settled there for a year and six months, teaching them the word of God [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].

As Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of a crime or of moral evil, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you Jews.

But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.

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.