And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

Him God raised up the third day, and gave Him to be seen openly; not to all the people,

Not 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.

To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

And all the Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that on the Gentiles also the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out.

Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

The apostles and brothers all over Judea heard that the heathen had also accepted God's message,

But Peter began [at the beginning] and explained [the events] to them step by step, saying,

"While I was in the town of Jaffa, offering prayer," he said, "in a trance I saw a vision. There descended what seemed to be an enormous sail, being let down from the sky by ropes at the four corners, and it came close to me.

And looking on it with attention I saw in it all sorts of beasts and birds.

And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.

And the Spirit told me to accompany them, not hesitating [at all]. So these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the man's house.

Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

And, while I was talking to them, the Holy Spirit came on them, as on us at first.

And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

[Therefore], if God gave to them [i.e., the Gentiles] the same gift as He gave to us [Jews] when we [apostles, See chapter 1-2] believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I stand against [the will of] God [by refusing to immerse them]?'"

When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”

The fugitives from the persecution that had broken out over Stephen went all the way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they told the message to none but Jews.

When the church in Jerusalem heard this news, they sent Barnabas all the way to Antioch.

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.

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

And they determined, according as any one of the disciples was well off, each of them to send to the brethren who dwelt in Judaea, to minister to them;

Now, about that time, King Herod arrested certain members of the Church, in order to ill-treat them;

So Peter was closely guarded in prison, while earnest prayer for him was offered to God by the church.

On the night before Herod was to bring him out for execution, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.

So, he followed the angel out [of the jail], not fully realizing what had happened, thinking [perhaps] he had seen [all this in] a vision.

Passing the first Guard, and then the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city, which opened to them of itself; and, when they had passed through that, and had walked along one street, all at once the angel left him.

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.

When he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many [believers] were gathered together and were praying continually [and had been praying all night].

And well knowing Peter's voice, she opened not the door for joy; but running in, told that Peter was standing before the door.

But motioning to them with his hand to be quiet and listen, he described how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brothers and sisters.” Then he left and went to another place.

Herod searched for him but didn't find him, so he questioned the guards and ordered them to be executed. Then he left Judea, went down to Caesarea, and stayed there for a while.

Now the people of Tyre and Sidon had incurred Herod's violent displeasure. So they sent a large deputation to wait on him; and having secured the good will of Blastus, his treasurer, they begged the king to be friendly with them again, because their country was dependent on his for its food supply.

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets [who spoke a new message of God to the people] and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod [Antipas] the tetrarch, and Saul.

While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.”

And while they were in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogue of the Jews; and they had John as their attendant.

And when they had gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus;

And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

Now, watch! The hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, [so blind that you will be] unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him, and he groped around, seeking people to lead him by the hand.

And after the reading of the law of Moses and [the writings of] the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent [word] to Paul and Barnabas, saying, "Brothers, if you [men] have any message that will exhort [or encourage] the people, you may speak."

So Paul rose and, motioning with his hand, spoke as follows: "Men of Israel and all here who reverence God, hear what I have to say.

"The God of this people of Israel chose our forefathers and made this people great, while they sojourned in the land of Egypt. And with an uplifted arm he led them out of it.

When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave their land [to our ancestors] as an inheritance—this took about four hundred and fifty years.

This all took about 450 years. After this, He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.

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 heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

But while John was completing [his] mission, he said, 'What do you suppose me to be? I am not [he]! But behold, one is coming after me of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandals of [his] feet!'

“Brothers, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation [obtained through faith in Jesus Christ].

They found no ground at all for putting him to death, and yet demanded his execution from Pilate;

And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

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 sure mercies of David.

For this reason He also says in another Psalm, ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see decay.’

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:

"Therefore let it be known to you, men [and] brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all [the things] from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses,

And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which ye will in no wise believe if one declare it to you.

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people earnestly begged to have all this repeated to them on the following Sabbath.

Now after the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, while conversing, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

And [at the same time] Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and confidently, saying, “It was necessary that God’s message [of salvation through faith in Christ] be spoken to you [Jews] first. Since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, now we turn to the Gentiles.

And [when] the Gentiles heard [this], they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of the Lord. And all those who were designated for eternal life believed.

And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

But the Jews stirred up the well-to-do religious women and the leading men of the town, and they started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.

But the unbelieving Jews excited the minds of the gentiles against the brothers, and made them ill-disposed.

They stayed therefore a good while, speaking boldly, confiding in the Lord, who gave witness to the word of his grace, giving signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

And the throng of the city was divided; and some indeed were with the Jews, while some were with the apostles.

And when an assault was making, both of those of the nations and the Jews with their rulers, to use them ill and stone them,

And there was sitting at Lystra, a man disabled in his feet, who had never walked at all, being lame from his birth.

The same heard Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes upon him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole,

But the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it; and tearing their clothes they rushed out into the middle of the crowd, exclaiming, "Sirs, why are you doing all this?

And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

Even by saying this, it was all Paul and Barnabas could do to keep the crowds from offering sacrifices to them.

But while the disciples encircled him, he rose up and entered into the city. And on the morrow he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.

Making strong the souls of the disciples, saying to them that they were to keep the faith, and that we have to go through troubles of all sorts to come into the kingdom of God.

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 door of faith unto the Gentiles.

And certain men, who came down from Judea, taught the brothers, Unless ye will be circumcised in the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

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.

And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

And God, who knows all hearts, gave His testimony in their favour by bestowing the Holy Spirit on them just as He did on us;

and made no distinction at all betwixt us and them, by their faith, purifying their hearts.

Well now, why are you trying to impose a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we ourselves could bear?

But we believe [we] will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in {the same} way those also [are]."

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.

And to this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written, After this I will return and build again the fallen tabernacle of David;

After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

That the residue 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.

Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

but that we write to them that they are to abstain from anything that has been contaminated by [being offered to] idols and from sexual impurity and from [eating the meat of] what has been strangled and from [the consumption of] blood.

After all, Moses has had people to proclaim him in every city for generations, and on every Sabbath his books are read aloud in the synagogues."

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:

It seemed good to us, having come to an agreement together, to send these men to you, with our well loved Barnabas and Paul,

We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves also will tell you by word of mouth the same 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.

They, therefore, having been solemnly sent, came down to Antioch, where they called together the whole assembly and delivered the letter.

Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets (divinely inspired spokesmen), encouraged and strengthened the believers with many words.