So he came to Jerusalem, and attempted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was a disciple.

He also used to hold conversations and debates with the Grecian Jews, but they kept trying to kill him.

When they learned this the brothers took him down to Caesarea, and then sent him forth to Tarsus.

At once he rose to his feet. All the people of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

She, as it happened, was taken ill just at that time, and died. After washing her body, they laid it in an upper room.

And as Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, when they heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the entreaty, "Delay not to come to us."

So Peter arose and went with them. On his arrival they took him up-stairs, and all the widows stood near him, weeping, and showing him the cloaks and garments which Dorcas used to make, while she was still with them.

The next day, while they were still on their way and were approaching the town, about noon, Peter went up to the housetop to pray.

He had become very hungry and longed for food; but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance.

"Cornelius," they answered, "a captain, a devout man, and God-fearing, of whom the whole, Jewish nation speaks well, was instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to listen to your message."

and the day after that they reached Caesarea. There Cornelius was waiting for them, and had brought together all his relatives and intimate friends.

"And we were witnesses of all that he did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him, hanging him on a tree.

For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain with them for a time.

On hearing this they held their peace and glorified God, saying, "Forsooth then, to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life."

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.

When news of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch, where for a whole year they were guests of the church, and taught many people. And it was in Antioch that the disciples first received the name of "Christians."

This they did, forwarding their contributions to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

And when they had passed the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate that led to the city. This opened to them of its own accord; and they went out passed on through one street; and suddenly the angel left him.

"You are mad," they said. But she confidently insisted that it was so. "It is his angel," they said.

Meanwhile Peter continued to knock, until at last they opened the door, and were amazed to see that it was really he.

Now Herod was violently displeased with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him, with one accord, and after conciliating Blastus, the royal chamberlain, they begged for peace because their country depended upon the king's country for its food supply.

And as they were worshiping the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

So after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them, and let them go.

So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

And while they were in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.

They had John Mark as an assistant; and after going through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain Jewish sorcerer and false prophet, named Bar-Jesus,

Then they themselves, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch in Pisidia. Here they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day and sat down.

And, after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the wardens of the synagogue sent word to them. "Brothers," they said, "if you have any word of encouragement to the people, say it."

"The God of this people of Israel chose our forefathers and made this people great, while they sojourned in the land of Egypt. And with an uplifted arm he led them out of it.

"Then they asked for a king, and he gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a Benjamite for forty years.

"For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.

"Though they found no cause of death in him, yet they asked Pilate to put him to death.

"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 they saw the crowds, the Jews were filled with jealousy, and began to contradict Paul's statements, and to abuse him.

So Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly. "It was necessary," they said, "first to proclaim the word of God to you. But since you push it away from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

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.

But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.

As for the disciples, they were continually filled with joy, and with the Holy Spirit.

In Iconium it happened that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great number both of Jews and of Gentiles believed.

Long time, therefore, they tarried there, speaking fearlessly in the Lord, who attested the word of his grace by permitting signs and wonders to be performed by their hands.

And there they continued to proclaim the gospel.

And he sprang up and began to walk about. Then the crowds, when they saw what Paul had done, shouted in the Lycaonian tongue, saying, "The gods are come down to us in human form."

And they began to call Barnabas "Zeus," and Paul, since he was the principal speaker, "Hermes";

But when the apostles, Paul and Barnabas, heard of it, they rent their garments and rushed out among the crowd, shouting and crying.

Even with saying this they with difficulty restrained the crowds from sacrificing to them.

And now a party of Jews came down form Antioch and Iconium, and after persuading the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.

and after preaching the gospel to that town, and winning many converts, they went back to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch,

Everywhere they strengthened the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to hold to the faith. "It is through many tribulations," they said, "that we must enter into the kingdom of God."

They chose elders for them in every church, after prayer and fasting, and commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Then passing through Pisidia they came to Pamphylia and,

after preaching the word in Perga, they came down to Attaleia.

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

On their arrival they assembled the church and reported all things that God had done through them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

And they tarried no little time with the disciples.

So the church saw them off on their journey, and they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria. Here they set forth the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.

Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they were received by the church and the apostles and elders, and they told them all things that God had done with them.

"On the contrary we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that we and they shall be saved."

Then the whole assembly remained silent, and listened to Barnabas and Saul as they told the signs and wonders which God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.

When they had finished speaking, James said:

They took with them the following letter. "The apostles and older brothers send greeting to the Gentile Brotherhood throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia;

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

and when they had read it they rejoiced at the comfort it brought.

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let is go back and visit the brothers in every city in which we have proclaimed the word of the Lord. Let us see how they fare."

So there arose a sharp irritation, so that they parted company; Barnabas taking Mark with him, sailed away to Cyprus;

And as they went on their way through the cities they handed them the resolutions which the apostles and the elders in Jerusalem had ordained for them to keep.

Then they went through Phrygia and Galatia, the Holy Spirit having forbidden them to proclaim the message in Asia.

When they got as far as Mysia, they attempted to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit it;

and so they passed by Mysia and went on down to Troas.

But when her owners saw that their hopes of gain were gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them before the magistrates, into the market-place.

Then they brought them before the praetors, saying. "These fellows are Jews, who are making a great disturbance in our city.

"They are teaching customs which it is not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or practise."

"Believe on the Lord Jesus," they answered, "and you will be saved, you and all your household."

Then they spoke the message of the Lord to him, as well as to all who were in his house.

But Paul said: "They have flogged us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Roman citizens; and have thrown us into prison. Are they now going to get rid of us secretly? No, indeed! Let them come here, themselves and take us out."

The lictors reported these words to the praetors, who were frightened when they heard that they were Romans.

So they came and conciliated them, and after taking them out of prison, begged them to leave the town.

So Paul and Silas came out of the prison, and went to Lydia's house; and after they had seen the brethren and encouraged them, they left Philippi.

Now when they had gone through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica. Here there was a Jewish synagogue,

But the Jews, moved with jealousy, called to their aid certain ill-favored and idle fellows, formed a mob, and began to set the town in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.

And when they had failed to find Paul and Silas, they began to drag Jason and some of the brethren before the politarchs, shouting. "These fellows who have upset the habitable earth are come hither also.

"Jason has received them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus."

Both the crowd and the politarchs were disturbed when they heard this,

but when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

Now the brothers sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they got there they betook themselves to the Jewish synagogue.

The Jews of Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they very readily received the message with all readiness of mind, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether these things were so.

As soon as the Jews in Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul in Berea also, they came there, and stirred up and troubled the crowds.

Then they laid hold of him and brought him up to Mars Hill, saying. "May we be told what this new teaching of yours is?

"so that they might seek God, if perhaps they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from every on of us;

"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but he now commands all men that they should all, everywhere, repent;

Paul came to them, and because he was of the same trade with them, he lodged with them, and worked with them??or by trade they were tentmakers.

But as they opposed him and abused him, he shook out his garments in protest, and said: "Your blood be upon your own hands. I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."

"This fellow," they said, "is persuading men to offer unlawful worship to God."

Then they all laid hold of Sosthenes, the warden of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal; but Gallio took no notice.

When they came to Ephesus he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.

When they begged him to stay longer, he would not consent,

He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; and when Priscilla and Aquila heard him they took him home and explained to him more accurately the way of God.

"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked them. "No" said they, "we did not even hear that there is a Holy Spirit."

"Into what, then, were you baptized?" he asked. And they said, "Into the baptism of John."