Thus one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with us,

Then they prayed, "Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen

You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of joy with your presence.'

But Peter said, "I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!"

And all the prophets, from Samuel and those who followed him, have spoken about and announced these days.

for it is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard."

Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God!"

Peter then told her, "Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!"

When they heard this, they entered the temple courts at daybreak and began teaching. Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin -- that is, the whole high council of the Israelites -- and sent to the jail to have the apostles brought before them.

saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name. Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood on us!"

Then they secretly instigated some men to say, "We have heard this man speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God."

For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us."

I have certainly seen the suffering of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Now come, I will send you to Egypt.'

Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become!

You have no share or part in this matter because your heart is not right before God!

But Simon replied, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen to me."

But Ananias replied, "Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem,

Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius replied, "What is it, Lord?" The angel said to him, "Your prayers and your acts of charity have gone up as a memorial before God.

But Peter said, "Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!"

But get up, go down, and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them."

So Peter went down to the men and said, "Here I am, the person you're looking for. Why have you come?"

and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of charity have been remembered before God.

"No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?"

So he gave orders to have them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for several days.

While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

After the reading from the law and the prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, "Brothers, if you have any message of exhortation for the people, speak it."

After removing him, God raised up David their king. He testified about him: 'I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart, who will accomplish everything I want him to do.'

Though they found no basis for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.

that this promise God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, 'You are my Son; today I have fathered you.'

For this is what the Lord has commanded us: 'I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

So when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!"

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

so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, namely, all the Gentiles I have called to be my own,' says the Lord, who makes these things

Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us with no orders from us and have confused you, upsetting your minds by what they said,

we have unanimously decided to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul,

who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent orders to release you. So come out now and go in peace."

When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, screaming, "These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world have come here too,

For in him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we too are his offspring.'

because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you, because I have many people in this city."

But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of some crime or serious piece of villainy, I would have been justified in accepting the complaint of you Jews,

and said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They replied, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

Now after all these things had taken place, Paul resolved to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. He said, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."

For you have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess.

If then Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against someone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another there.

But if you want anything in addition, it will have to be settled in a legal assembly.

I have desired no one's silver or gold or clothing.

By all these things, I have shown you that by working in this way we must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers of the law.

They have been informed about you -- that you teach all the Jews now living among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.

What then should we do? They will no doubt hear that you have come.

So do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow;

take them and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with the law.

But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided that they should avoid meat that has been sacrificed to idols and blood and what has been strangled and sexual immorality."

So I asked, 'What should I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything that you have been designated to do.'

because you will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.'

Paul looked directly at the council and said, "Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God to this day."

The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Have courage, for just as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."

They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to partake of anything until we have killed Paul.

He replied, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as if they were going to inquire more thoroughly about him.

So do not let them persuade you to do this, because more than forty of them are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him, and now they are ready, waiting for you to agree to their request."

Then the commanding officer sent the young man away, directing him, "Tell no one that you have reported these things to me."

When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "We have experienced a lengthy time of peace through your rule, and reforms are being made in this nation through your foresight.

For we have found this man to be a troublemaker, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

When the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, "Because I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I confidently make my defense.

I have a hope in God (a hope that these men themselves accept too) that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

This is the reason I do my best to always have a clear conscience toward God and toward people.

But there are some Jews from the province of Asia who should be here before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me.

He ordered the centurion to guard Paul, but to let him have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from meeting his needs.

While Paul was discussing righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, I will send for you."

Paul said in his defense, "I have committed no offense against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar."

Paul replied, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, where I should be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

If then I am in the wrong and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, but if not one of their charges against me is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!"

Then, after conferring with his council, Festus replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go!"

But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this preliminary hearing I may have something to write.

So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul held out his hand and began his defense:

"Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today,

They know, because they have known me from time past, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee.

But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance as a servant and witness to the things you have seen and to the things in which I will appear to you.

I have experienced help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said was going to happen:

As Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus exclaimed loudly, "You have lost your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!"

But Paul replied, "I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, but am speaking true and rational words.

Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar."

Since many of them had no desire to eat, Paul stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me and not put out to sea from Crete, thus avoiding this damage and loss.

Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be just as I have been told.

As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense and have gone without food; you have eaten nothing.

So for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, for I am bound with this chain because of the hope of Israel."

They replied, "We have received no letters from Judea about you, nor have any of the brothers come from there and reported or said anything bad about you.

For the heart of this people has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have closed 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."'