And the speech pleased the whole multitude; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch,

Now those who had been dispersed by the persecution that arose after the death of Stephen, traveled as far as Phenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none but Jews.

Now those who had been dispersed by the persecution that arose after the death of Stephen, traveled as far as Phenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none but Jews.

and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, that they met together in the church for a whole year, and taught a great multitude; and the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. In those days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. read more. And one of them, named Agabus, rose and made known, by the Spirit, that a great famine was about to come on the whole habitable land; which took place in the days of Claudius. And every one of the disciples determined, as he had the means, to send relief to the brethren that dwelt in Judea; which also they did; and they sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Now there were certain prophets and teachers in the church that was at Antioch; Barnabas, and Simeon, who is called Niger, and Lucius of Gyrene, and Manaen, who was brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. And while they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said: Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, to the work to which I have called them. read more. Then, after they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. Therefore, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and thence sailed to Cyprus.

Therefore, having been sent forth by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and thence sailed to Cyprus.

But having passed through from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia; and on the sabbath-day they went into the synagogue, and sat down.

But having passed through from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia; and on the sabbath-day they went into the synagogue, and sat down.

and when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch,

and when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch,

thence they sailed to Antioch, from which place they had been commended to the grace of God, for the work which they had accomplished.

And certain men came down from Judea, and taught the brethren, saying: Unless you be circumcised, according to the custom of Moses, you can not be saved. Therefore, after Paul and Barnabas had no little dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others from among them, should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. read more. Being, therefore, con ducted on their journey by the church, they passed through Phenicia and Samaria, making known the conversion of the Gentiles; and they gave great joy to all the brethren. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and the apostles and elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees, who believed, arose, saying, that it was necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together to deliberate about this matter. And after there had been much disputing, Peter arose, and said to them: Brethren, you know that, at the beginning, God made choice among us, that, by my mouth, the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel, and 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; and he made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why do you put God to the proof, by placing a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we ourselves, were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved, even as they, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then all the multitude kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they made known what signs and wonders God had done by them among the Gentiles. And after they were silent, James answered and said: Brethren, hear me; Simeon has declared how God, at the first, did visit the Gentiles, in order to take out from among them a people for his name. And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and build again the tabernacle of David which has fallen down; and I will build again its ruins, and I will set it up; that the rest of men may seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name has been called, says the Lord, who does all these things. Known to God from eternity are all bis works. For these reasons, my judgment is, that we give no trouble to those who, from among the Gentiles, have turned to God; but that we write to them to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from lewdness, and from what is strangled, and from blood. For, from ancient times, Moses has, in every city, those who preach him, being read in the synagogue every sabbath-day. Then it pleased the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to send to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, chosen men from among themselves; Judas, who was surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren;

Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching, with many others, the word of the Lord. And, after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, let us return, and visit our brethren in every city in which we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. read more. And Barnabas determined to take with him John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul did not think it proper to take with them him who had departed from them from Pamphylia, and did not go with them to the work. There was, therefore, a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other: and Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas, and departed, having been commended to the grace of God by the brethren. And he passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

When they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia,

and having landed at Caesarea, and gone up and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

and having landed at Caesarea, and gone up and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. And having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

But when Peter came to Antioch, I openly opposed him, because he had incurred blame. For, before certain persons came from James, he ate- with the Gentiles: but, when they had come, he withdrew, and separated himself, because he feared those who were of the circumcision. read more. And the other Jews, also, acted hypocritically with him, so that even Barnabas was led away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter, before them all: If you, being a Jew, live after the manner of the Gentiles, and not after the manner of the Jews, why do you compel the Gen tiles to observe Jewish customs? We, who are Jews by birth, and not Gentile sinners, knowing that a man is not justified by works of law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed on Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of law: because, by works of law no flesh shall be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are also found sinners, is Christ, there fore, the minister of sin? It can not be. For if I build again those things which I have destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For, through law, I have died to law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, yet I live; no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God: for if righteousness be through law, then Christ has died in vain.

For I testify for him, that he has a great zeal for you and those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, salute you. read more. Salute the brethren in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is in his house. And when this letter has been read among you, cause that it be read in the church of the Laodiceans also; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea;

knowing that such a one is perverted, and sins, being self-condemned.

saying: What you see, write in a book, and send to the seven churches; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.

And to the angel of the church in Laodicea, write: These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;