Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Get up and go toward the south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert [road].) And he got up [and] went, and behold, [there was] a man, an Ethiopian eunuch (a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury) who had come to worship in Jerusalem read more. and was returning and sitting in his chariot, and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Approach and join this chariot." So Philip ran up to [it] [and] heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet and said, "So then, do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "So how could I, unless someone will guide me?" And he invited Philip to come up [and] sit with him. Now the passage of scripture that he was reading aloud was this: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer [is] silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his {descendants}? For his life was taken away from the earth." And the eunuch answered [and] said to Philip, "I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this--about himself or about someone else?" So Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, proclaimed the good news to him [about] Jesus. And as they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"

And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water--Philip and the eunuch--and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer, for he went on his way rejoicing. read more. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and [as he] passed through, he proclaimed the good news [to] all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest [and] asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he could bring [them] tied up to Jerusalem. read more. Now as [he] proceeded, it happened that [when] he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" So he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he [said], "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting! But get up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you {what you must do}." (Now the men who were traveling together with him stood speechless, [because they] heard the voice but saw no one.) So Saul got up from the ground, but [although] his eyes were open he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, they brought [him] into Damascus. And he was {unable to see} [for] three days, and he did not eat or drink. Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus {named} Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" And he said, "Behold, [here] I [am], Lord!" And the Lord [said] to him, "Get up, go to the street called 'Straight' and in the house of Judas look for {a man named Saul from Tarsus}. For behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man {named} Ananias coming in and placing hands on him so that he may regain [his] sight." But Ananias replied, "Lord, I have heard from many [people] about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, and here he has authority from the chief priests to tie up all who call upon your name!" But the Lord said to him, "Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." So Ananias departed and entered into the house, and placing [his] hands on him, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me so that you may regain [your] sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately [something] like scales fell from his eyes and he regained [his] sight and got up [and] was baptized, and [after] taking food, he regained his strength. And he was with the disciples in Damascus several days. And immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: "This one is the Son of God!" And all who heard [him] were amazed, and were saying, "Is this not the one who was wreaking havoc in Jerusalem [on] those who call upon this name, and had come here for this [reason], that he could bring them tied up to the chief priests?" But Saul was increasing in strength even more, and was confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus [by] proving that this one is the Christ.

So they were sent on their way by the church, [and] passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

And on the day of the Sabbath, we went outside the [city] gate beside the river, where we thought there was a place of prayer, and we sat down [and] spoke to the women assembled [there]. 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. read more. And after she was baptized, and her household, she urged [us], saying, "If you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, come to my house [and] stay." And she prevailed upon us.

But [when] her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas [and] dragged [them] into the marketplace before the rulers. And [when they] had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, read more. and are proclaiming customs that are not permitted for us to accept or to practice, [because we] are Romans!" And the crowd joined in attacking them, and the chief magistrates tore off their clothing [and] gave orders to beat [them] with rods. And [after they] had inflicted many blows on them, they threw [them] into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely. Having received such an order, {he} put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying [and] singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and all the bonds were unfastened. And [after] the jailer was awake and saw the doors of the prison open, he drew [his] sword [and] was about to kill himself, [because he] thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, "Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!" And demanding lights, he rushed in and, {beginning to tremble}, fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas. And he brought them outside [and] said, "Sirs, what must I do so that I can be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household!" And they spoke the message of the Lord to him, together with all those in his house. And he took them at that [very] hour of the night [and] washed [their] wounds, and he himself was baptized at once, and all those of his [household]. And he brought them up into [his] house [and] set a meal before [them], and rejoiced greatly that he had believed in God with his whole household.

to open their eyes [so that they] may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, [so that] they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

[He will do this] if you listen to the voice of Yahweh your God by keeping his commandment and his statutes written in the scroll of this law [and] if you return to Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your inner self.

[Then] I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.

Let [the] wicked forsake his way, and [the] man of sin his thoughts. And let him return to Yahweh, that he may take pity on him, and to our God, for he will {forgive manifold}.

Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Return, and turn away from your idols and from all of your detestable things! Turn away your faces!" '

"Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways," {declares} the Lord Yahweh. "Repent and turn around from all of your transgression, and it will not be as a stumbling block of iniquity to you.

For the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they hear with difficulty, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them."

and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become like young children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven!

and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become like young children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven!

so that '{they may look closely} and not perceive, and {they may listen carefully} and not understand, lest they turn and it be forgiven them.'"

{For this reason} I tell you, her sins--[which were] many--have been forgiven, for she loved much. But [the one] to whom little is forgiven loves little."

"But [when he] came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired workers have an abundance {of food}, and I am dying here from hunger!

And Zacchaeus stopped [and] said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I am giving to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I am paying [it] back four times [as much]!"

but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And you, [when] once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And you, [when] once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!" And he said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise."

"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they see with [their] eyes and understand with [their] hearts and turn, and I heal them."

So those who accepted his message were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added.

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding every day to the total [of] those who were being saved.

Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out,

Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out,

Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out,

And Philip came down to the city of Samaria [and] began proclaiming the Christ to them. And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was being said by Philip, [as] they heard [him] and saw the signs that he was performing.

But when they believed Philip [as he] was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized.

Now as [he] proceeded, it happened that [when] he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

And all those who lived [in] Lydda and Sharon saw him, who [all] indeed turned to the Lord.

And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

and saying, "Men, why are you doing these [things]? We also are men with the same nature as you, proclaiming the good news [that] you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things [that are] in them--

So they were sent on their way by the church, [and] passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

So they were sent on their way by the church, [and] passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

And he brought them outside [and] said, "Sirs, what must I do so that I can be saved?"

testifying both to Jews and to Greeks with respect to repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.

but to those in Damascus first, and in Jerusalem and all the region of Judea and to the Gentiles, I proclaimed [that they should] repent and turn to God, doing deeds worthy of repentance.

For the heart of this people has become dull, and with [their] ears they hear with difficulty, and they have shut their eyes, lest they see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and understand with [their] heart, and turn, and I would heal them." '

but whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

[Then] I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.

Zion will be redeemed by justice, and those of her who repent, by righteousness.

Make the heart of this people insensitive, and make its ears unresponsive, and shut its eyes so that it may not look with its eyes and listen with its ears and comprehend [with] its mind and turn back, and it may be healed [for] him."

Then you shall see and you shall be radiant; and your heart shall tremble and open itself wide, because [the] abundance of [the] sea shall fall upon you; [the] wealth of [the] nations shall come to you.

and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become like young children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven!

Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out,

So they were sent on their way by the church, [and] passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

For [they] themselves report about us, what sort of welcome we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve [the] living and true God,

to open their eyes [so that they] may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, [so that] they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'