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:

And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He [i.e., Jesus] is the One whom God ordained to be the Judge of people who are [now] alive and those who have [already] died.

And the apostles and the brethren who are in Judea heard that also the nations did receive the word of God,

"You went into the houses of men who are not Jews," they said, "and you ate with them."

And the Spirit told me to accompany them without any misgivings. There also went with me these six brethren who are now present, and we reached the Centurion's house.

he will tell you how you and all your household are to be saved.'

They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel!”

[and] said, "O [you who are] full of all deceit and of all unscrupulousness, [you] son of the devil, [you] enemy of all righteousness! Will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord!

Now, look! The Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Suddenly a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

Then after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogues sent to them, saying, Men and brethren, if ye are disposed to give a word of exhortation to the people, speak.

And, as John was fulfilling his course, he was saying - Whom are ye supposing that I am? I, am not he! But lo! there cometh, after me, one of whom I am not worthy, the sandals of his feet, to loosen.

It is to you, my brethren, who are the children of Abraham, and to all who fear God among you, that this salutary news is sent.

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.

fulfilled the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath; and having found no cause of death, asked Pilate that he should be executed;

And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

And we are bringing you the good news of the promise made to our fathers (ancestors),

that God has completely fulfilled this promise to our children by raising up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today I have begotten (fathered) You.’

But that he raised him from the dead, no more in future to return to corruption, he hath thus spoken, "I will give you the holy things of David, which are sure."

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

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.

For these are the Lord's orders to us: I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the end of the earth."

And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

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 generations that are past permitted all the nations to go their [own] ways.

And certain having come down from Judea, were teaching the brethren -- 'If ye be not circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye are not able to be saved;'

After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them: “Brothers, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe.

So now why are you putting God to the test [by] placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

But we believe that we are saved through the [precious, undeserved] grace of the Lord Jesus [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life], in just the same way as they are.”

and after they are silent, James answered, saying, 'Men, brethren, hearken to me;

The words of the prophets are in accord with this, as it is written:

so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles {who are called by my name}, says the Lord, who makes these [things]

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

Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, from fornication, from animals that are strangled, and from their 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."

And they wrote 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:

we have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, and they by word are telling the same things.

For it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upon you no other burden except these things which are of absolute necessity;

To keep from things offered to false gods, and from blood, and from things put to death in ways which are against the law, and from the evil desires of the body; if you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. May you be happy.

But after certain days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city where we have announced the word of the Lord, and see how they are getting on.

this one did Paul wish to go forth with him, and having taken him, he circumcised him, because of the Jews who are in those places, for they all knew his father -- that he was a Greek.

And as they were going on through the cities, they were delivering to them the decrees to keep, that have been judged by the apostles and the elders who are in Jerusalem,

When she and her family were baptized, she urged us, "If you are convinced that I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she continued to insist that we do so.

The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the market place [where trials were held],

and when they had brought them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men, who are Jews, are throwing our city into confusion and causing trouble.

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

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

After bringing them out [of the jail area] he said, "Sirs, what do I have to do to be saved?"

The jailer reported this message to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent orders that you are to be released. So you can take your leave and go unmolested."

But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and do they now cast us out privily? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.

And the rod-bearers told to the magistrates these sayings, and they were afraid, having heard that they are Romans,

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;

and Jason has welcomed them [into his house and protected them]! And they all are saying things contrary to the decrees of Caesar, [actually] claiming that there is another king, Jesus.”

but these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all enthusiasm, searching the scriptures daily, if these things are so.

So he had discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place day after day with any who happened to be there.

having also taken him, unto the Areopagus they brought him, saying, 'Are we able to know what is this new teaching that is spoken by thee,

For you are bringing some astonishing things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what {these things mean}."

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

Now as I was going along and carefully looking at your objects of worship, I came to an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you already worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

The God who has made the world and all things which are in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands,

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.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

The times of ignorance, therefore, overlooking, God, as things now are, is charging all men everywhere to repent,

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]."

because I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you, because many people are mine in this city."

They said, "This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the Law."

but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves; I am not minded to be a judge of these matters.

And Paul having remained yet a good many days, having taken leave of the brethren, was sailing to Syria -- and with him are Priscilla and Aquilas -- having shorn his head in Cenchera, for he had a vow;

and there were certain -- seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest -- who are doing this thing;

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified,

These [craftsmen] he called together, along with the workmen of similar trades, and said, “Men, you are well aware that we make a good living from this business.

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:

And not only is this interest in danger to us to come into disrepute; but even the temple of the great goddess Diana to be considered for nought, and they are about even to despise the majesty of her, whom all Asia and the world worships.

Therefore [because] these [things] are undeniable, it is necessary [that] you be quiet and do nothing rash!

For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.

But, if after, something further, ye are seeking, in the regular assembly shall it be settled.

For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.

And when they arrived he said to them:

“You know well how I [lived when I] was with you, from the first day that I set foot in Asia [until now],

how nothing I did keep back of what things are profitable, not to declare to you, and to teach you publicly, and in every house,

except that in town after town the Holy Spirit testifies to me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me.

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 inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

I have shown you [with respect to] all [things] that [by] working hard in this way it is necessary to help those who are in need, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

sorrowing most of all for the word that he had said -- that they are about no more to see his face; and they were accompanying him to the ship.

and he came to us, and taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own hands and feet, and said: Thus says the Holy Spirit; the Jews that are in Jerusalem will so bind the man to whom this girdle belongs; and they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

Then Paul replied, "What are you doing weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus!"

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 zealous of the law:

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 circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.

What then ought you to do? They are sure to hear that you have come to Jerusalem;

Therefore do just what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow;

Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave 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.

But as for the Gentiles who have accepted the faith, we have communicated to them our decision that they are carefully to abstain from anything sacrificed to an idol, from blood, from what is strangled, and from fornication."

When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from the province of Asia who had seen him in the temple area stirred up the whole crowd and seized him,

Then you are not [as I assumed] the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led those 4,000 men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?”

I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

"To this the high priest and all the council of elders are witnesses. It was from them that I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was already on my way to bring those also who were there back to Jerusalem, in bonds, for punishment.

and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'