and they said: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into the sky will come back in just the same way as you have seen him going into the sky."

"It is necessary then that, of the men who have been associated with us during the whole time in which the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

"Rulers and elders of the people, if we are being examined today concerning a benefit conferred upon a cripple, as to how has this man been cured,

But since they saw the man standing with them who had been healed, they had nothing to answer.

"What," said they, "shall we do with these men? For it is well known throughout Jerusalem that a notable miracle has been performed by them, and we cannot deny it.

For the man on whom this miracle of healing had been wrought was over forty years old.

So they left Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been deemed worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of the Name;

Now for some time a man named Simon had been practicing sorcery in that city, and had amazed the people of Samaria. He gave himself out to be some great person.

For he had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Now while Peter was greatly perplexed to know what the vision which he had been sent by Cornelius, and had made inquiries for the house of Simon, stood at the gate,

"So I sent for you without delay, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to listen to what the Lord has commanded you to speak."

"And lo! at that very moment, three men who had been sent for me from Caesarea stood before the house in which I was.

Then those who had been scattered by the trouble that arose over Stephen, traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch; but they preached the word to none except Jews.

"Brothers, sons of Abraham's race, and all among you who reverence God, to us has the word of this salvation been sent.

"And when they had fulfilled everything which had been written concerning him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, and all who had been ordained to eternal life, believed.

Thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been commended to the grace of God, for the work which they had now completed.

and after there had been a long discussion, Peter rose and said: "Brothers, you know how a good while ago God made choice among you, that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the message of the gospel and believe.

"Now then, why are you tempting God by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear?

"Says the Lord, who has been making this known from the beginning of the world.

"that you abstain from food that has been sacrificed to idols, and from tasting blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication. Keep yourselves clear from these things and it will be well with you. Farewell."

So they, when they had been dispatched, went down to Antioch, and after gathering the whole multitude together, they handed them the letter,

Paul was about to open his mouth, when Gallio said to the Jews. "If it had been some misdemeanor or wicked villainy, it would have been within reason for me to listen to you Jews;

He had been instructed in the ways of the Lord, and being full of zeal, he used to speak and to teach accurately the facts about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John.

"Now what they have been told about you, again and again, is that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses, and not to circumcise their children, nor to follow the old customs.

"This man Paul had been seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with the troops, and rescued him, as I had learned that he was a Roman citizen.

"owing to your wise care, has been improved in every respect and in every place, we accept it with profound thankfulness.

Then at a nod from the governor, Paul spoke. "Because I know that for many years you have been a judge in this nation, I feel encouraged to make my defense.

"who ought to have been here before you, and to have made accusations if they had anything against me.

I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give any man up for punishment, before the accused had his accusers face to face, and had opportunity of defending himself against the charges that had been brought against him.

And Agrippa said to Festus, "If he had not appealed to Caesar, he might have been set free."

When for a long time they had been without food, Paul stood among them and said: "Men, you ought to have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and so have spared yourselves this injury and loss.

"So take courage, men! I believe God, I believe that things will turn out exactly as it has been told me.

And while day was dawning, Paul kept urging them all to take some food. "This is the fourteenth day," he said, "that you have been on the watch, fasting, having eaten nothing.