He said to them, "Then remember that every scribe who has become a disciple of the Kingdom of Heaven must be like a householder who can supply from his storeroom new things as well as old."

Jesus answered, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for human nature has not disclosed this to you, but my Father in heaven! But I tell you, your name is Peter, a rock, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not subdue it.

But I tell you, your name is Peter, a rock, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not subdue it.

"I tell you, whatever you forbid on earth will be held in heaven to be forbidden, and whatever you permit on earth will be held in heaven to be permitted.

Alas for you experts in the Law! For you have taken the key to the door of knowledge, but you have not entered it yourselves, and you have kept out those who tried to enter."

And the Master said, "Who then will be the faithful, thoughtful manager, whom his master will put in charge of his household, to give the members of it their supplies at the proper time?

But some women of our number have astounded us. They went to the tomb early this morning

And they told what had happened on the road, and how they had known him when he broke the bread in pieces.

"Receive the holy Spirit! If you forgive any men's sins, they are forgiven them, and if you fix any men's sins upon them, they will remain fixed."

He is Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and to whose resurrection we are all witnesses. So he has been exalted to God's right hand, and has received from his Father and poured over us the holy Spirit that had been promised, as you see and hear. read more. "For David did not go up to heaven, but he said, 'The Lord said to my lord, Sit at my right hand, Until I make your enemies your footstool.' "Therefore the whole nation of Israel must understand that God has declared this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ."

So they welcomed his message and were baptized, and about three thousand people joined them that day.

Those who were scattered went from place to place preaching the good news of the message.

Then Peter began and said, "Now I really understand that God shows no partiality, but welcomes the man of any nation who reveres him and does what is right. read more. He has sent his message to Israel's descendants, and made the good news of peace known to them through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of us all.

He has sent his message to Israel's descendants, and made the good news of peace known to them through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of us all. You know the story that has gone all over Judea, starting from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed,

You know the story that has gone all over Judea, starting from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed, about Jesus of Nazareth, and how God endowed him with the power of the holy Spirit, and he went about doing good and curing all who were in the power of the devil, because God was with him.

about Jesus of Nazareth, and how God endowed him with the power of the holy Spirit, and he went about doing good and curing all who were in the power of the devil, because God was with him. We are witnesses of everything that he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. Yet they put him upon a cross and killed him. read more. But God raised him to life on the third day and caused him to be plainly seen, not by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had designated beforehand, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen from the dead. He also directed us to announce to the people and bear solemn testimony that he is the one whom God has appointed to be the judge of the living and the dead. It is of him that all the prophets bear witness that everyone that believes in him will have his sins forgiven in his name." Before Peter had finished saying these words, the holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to his message. The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the holy Spirit had been showered upon the heathen too, for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and declaring the greatness of God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone refuse the use of water to baptize these people when they have received the holy Spirit just as we did?" And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on there a few days.

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.

As they were engaged in worshiping the Lord and in fasting, the holy Spirit said, "Set Barnabas and Saul apart for me, for the work to which I have called them."

When they arrived there, they called the church together, and reported how God had worked with them, and how he had opened the way to faith for the heathen.

The apostles and elders had a meeting to look into this matter. After a long discussion, Peter got up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose that of you all I should be the one from whose lips the heathen should hear the message of the good news and believe it.

After a long discussion, Peter got up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose that of you all I should be the one from whose lips the heathen should hear the message of the good news and believe it. And God who knows men's hearts testified for them by giving them the holy Spirit just as he had done to us, read more. making no difference between us and them, but cleansing their hearts by faith. Then why do you now try to test God, by putting on the necks of these disciples a yoke that neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? Why, we believe that it is by the mercy of the Lord Jesus that we are saved just as they are."

When they finished James made this response: "Brothers, listen to me.

In my opinion, therefore, we ought not to put obstacles in the way of those of the heathen who are turning to God,

Then the apostles and elders with the whole church resolved to select representatives and send them with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch. They were Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers. They were the bearers of this letter: "The apostles and the brothers who are elders send greeting to the brothers of heathen birth in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. read more. As we have heard that some of our number, without any instructions from us, have disturbed you by their teaching and unsettled your minds, we have unanimously resolved to select representatives and send them to you with our dear brothers Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we send Judas and Silas to you, to give you this same message by word of mouth. For the holy Spirit and we have decided not to lay upon you any burden but this indispensable one,

After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.

Paul stayed some time longer, and then bade the brothers goodbye and sailed for Syria, with Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut, because of a vow he had been under. When they reached Ephesus he left them there. He went to the synagogue there and had a discussion with the Jews. read more. They asked him to stay longer, but he would not consent.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, for his own conduct condemned him.

But if a man is caught doing something wrong, brothers, you are spiritual, and you must set him right, in a spirit of gentleness. Think of yourself, for you may be tempted too.

But you have been anointed by the Holy One. You all know the truth;

"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: " 'He who is holy and true, who carries the key of David, who opens and no one shall shut, and shuts and no one shall open, speaks thus: