"Make the people sit down," said Jesus. The ground was covered with thick grass; so they sat down, the adult men numbering about 5,000.

Perceiving, however, that they were about to come and carry Him off by force to make Him a king, Jesus withdrew again up the hill alone by Himself.

Next morning the crowd who were still standing about on the other side of the Lake found that there had been but one small boat there, and they had seen that Jesus did not go on board with His disciples, but that His disciples went away without Him.

Now the Jews began to find fault about Him because of His claiming to be the bread which came down out of Heaven.

But, knowing in Himself that His disciples were dissatisfied about it, Jesus asked them,

After this Jesus moved from place to place in Galilee. He would not go about in Judaea, because the Jews were seeking an opportunity to kill Him.

Among the mass of the people there was much muttered debate about Him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others said, "Not so: he is imposing on the people."

Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke out boldly about Him.

If any one is willing to do His will, he shall know about the teaching, whether it is from God or originates with me.

The Pharisees heard the people thus expressing their various doubts about Him, and the High Priests and the Pharisees sent some officers to apprehend Him.

The Jews therefore said to one another, "Where is he about to betake himself, so that we shall not find him? Will he betake himself to the Dispersion among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

But this rabble who understand nothing about the Law are accursed!"

"You are giving testimony about yourself," said the Pharisees; "your testimony is not true."

"Even if I am giving testimony about myself," replied Jesus, "my testimony is true; for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you know neither of these two things.

I am one giving testimony about myself, and the Father who sent me gives testimony about me."

"I have told you," answered Jesus, "and you do not believe. The deeds that I do in my Father's name--they give testimony about me.

Large numbers of people also came to Him. Their report was, "John did not work any miracle, but all that John said about this Teacher was true."

But one of them, named Caiaphas, being High Priest that year, said, "You know nothing about it.

Therefore Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but He left that neighbourhood and went into the district near the Desert, to a town called Ephraim, and remained there with the disciples.

The meaning of this His disciples did not understand at the time; but after Jesus was glorified they recollected that this was written about Him, and that they had done this to Him.

Then, after Judas had received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. "Lose no time about it," said Jesus to him.

Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask Him, and He said, "Is this what you are questioning one another about--my saying, 'A little while and you do not see me, and again a little while and you shall see me'?

"All this I have spoken to you in veiled language. The time is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in veiled language, but will tell you about the Father in plain words.

Jesus therefore, knowing all that was about to befall Him, went out to meet them. "Who are you looking for?" He asked them.

So the High Priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching.

"Do you say this of yourself, or have others told it you about me?" replied Jesus.

It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about six o'clock in the morning. Then he said to the Jews, "There is your king!"

Nicodemus too--he who at first had visited Jesus by night--came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, in weight about seventy or eighty pounds.

But the rest of the disciples came in the small boat (for they were not far from land--only about a hundred yards off)

On seeing him, Peter asked Jesus, "And, Master, what about him?"

Once when they were with Him, they asked Him, "Master, is this the time at which you are about to restore the kingdom of Israel?"

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Oliveyard, which is near Jerusalem, about a mile off.

It was on one of these days that Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren--the entire number of persons present being about 120--and said,

"Brethren, it was necessary that the Scripture should be fulfilled--the prediction, I mean, which the Holy Spirit uttered by the lips of David, about Judas, who acted as guide to those who arrested Jesus.

Yet we all alike hear these Galilaeans speaking in our own language about the wonderful things which God has done."

Peter however, together with the Eleven, stood up and addressed them in a loud voice. "Men of Judaea, and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem," he said, "be in no uncertainty about this matter but pay attention to what I say.

Those, therefore, who joyfully welcomed his Message were baptized; and on that one day about three thousand persons were added to them;

Seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple, he asked them for alms.

But many of those who had listened to their preaching believed; and the number of the adult men had now grown to be about 5,000.

As for us, what we have seen and heard we cannot help speaking about."

About three hours had passed, when his wife came in, knowing nothing of what had happened.

"Israelites," he said, "be careful what you are about to do in dealing with these men.

But they did not desist from teaching every day, in the Temple or in private houses, and telling the Good News about Jesus, the Christ.

About this time, as the number of disciples was increasing, complaints were made by the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrews because their widows were habitually overlooked in the daily ministration.

But when Philip began to tell the Good News about the Kingdom of God and about the Name of Jesus Christ, and they embraced the faith, they were baptized, men and women alike.

Then Philip began to speak, and, commencing with that same portion of Scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus.

"Lord," answered Ananias, "I have heard about that man from many, and I have heard of the great mischief he has done to Thy people in Jerusalem;

About three o'clock one afternoon he had a vision, and distinctly saw an angel of God enter his house, who called him by name, saying, "Cornelius!"

The next day, while they were still on their journey and were getting near the town, about noon Peter went up on the house-top to pray.

It tells how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, so that He went about everywhere doing acts of kindness, and curing all who were being continually oppressed by the Devil--for God was with Jesus.

Now, about that time, King Herod arrested certain members of the Church, in order to ill-treat them;

The Lord's hand is now upon you, and you will be blind for a time and unable to see the light of day." Instantly there fell upon him a mist and a darkness, and, as he walked about, he begged people to lead him by the hand.

For a period of about forty years, He fed them, like a nurse, in the Desert.

Then, after overthrowing seven nations in the land of Canaan, He divided that country among them as their inheritance for about four hundred and fifty years;

and when they had carried out everything which had been written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb.

And we bring you the Good News about the promise made to our forefathers,

So he sprang up and began to walk about. Then the crowds, seeing what Paul had done, rent the air with their shouts in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods have assumed human form and have come down to us."

When they reached the frontier of Mysia, they were about to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit this.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

(For all the Athenians and their foreign visitors used to devote their whole leisure to telling or hearing about something new.)

But, when Paul was about to begin his defence, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it had been some wrongful act or piece of cunning knavery I might reasonably have listened to you Jews.

But since these are questions about words and names and your Law, you yourselves must see to them. I refuse to be a judge in such matters."

Then the people all set upon Sosthenes, the Warden of the synagogue, and beat him severely in front of the court. Gallio did not concern himself in the least about this.

He had been instructed by word of mouth in the way of the Lord, and, being full of burning zeal, he used to speak and teach accurately the facts about Jesus, though he knew of no baptism but John's.

They numbered in all about twelve men.

God also brought about extraordinary miracles through Paul's instrumentality.

Now just at that time there arose no small commotion about the new faith.

No sooner, however, did they see that he was a Jew, than there arose from them all one roar of shouting, lasting about two hours. "Great is the Ephesian Diana," they said.

Now what they have been repeatedly told about you is that you teach all the Jews among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, and that you forbid them to circumcise their children or observe old-established customs.

Associate with these men and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses so that they can shave their heads. Then everybody will know that there is no truth in these stories about you, but that in your own actions you yourself scrupulously obey the Law.

But, when the seven days were nearly over, the Jews from the province of Asia, having seen Paul in the Temple, set about rousing the fury of all the people against him.

When he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul said to the Tribune, "May I speak to you?" "Do you know Greek?" the Tribune asked.

"But on my way, when I was now not far from Damascus, about noon a sudden blaze of light from Heaven shone round me.

I saw Jesus, and He said to me, "'Make haste and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.'

And when they continued their furious shouts, throwing their clothes into the air and flinging dust about,

The following night the Lord came and stood at Paul's side, and said, "Be of good courage, for as you have borne faithful witness about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome."

Now therefore you and the Sanhedrin should make representations to the Tribune for him to bring him down to you, under the impression that you intend to inquire more minutely about him; and we are prepared to assassinate him before he comes near the place."

But Paul's sister's son heard of the intended attack upon him. So he came and went into the barracks and told Paul about it;

and that neither in the Temple nor in the synagogues, nor anywhere in the city, did they find me disputing with any opponent or collecting a crowd about me.

While I was busy about these, they found me in the Temple purified, with no crowd around me and no uproar; but there were certain Jews from the province of Asia.

unless it was in that one expression which I made use of when I shouted out as I stood among them, "'The resurrection of the dead is the thing about which I am on my trial before you to-day.'"

At this point Felix, who was fairly well informed about the new faith, adjourned the trial, saying to the Jews, "When the Tribune Lysias comes down, I will enter carefully into the matter."

Not long after this, Felix came with Drusilla his wife, a Jewess, and sending for Paul, listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.

about whom, when I went to Jerusalem, the High Priests and the Elders of the Jews made representations to me, begging that sentence might be pronounced against him.

But they quarrelled with him about certain matters connected with their own religion, and about one Jesus who had died, but--so Paul persistently maintained--is now alive.

Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see here the man about whom the whole nation of the Jews made suit to me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

I have nothing very definite, however, to tell our Sovereign about him. So I have brought the man before you all--and especially before you, King Agrippa--that after he has been examined I may find something which I can put into writing.

Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak about yourself." So Paul, with outstretched arm, proceeded to make his defence.

"As regards all the accusations brought against me by the Jews," he said, "I think myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in being about to defend myself to-day before you,

And that was how I acted in Jerusalem. Armed with authority received from the High Priests I shut up many of God's people in various prisons, and when they were about to be put to death I gave my vote against them.

For the King, to whom I speak freely, knows about these matters. I am not to be persuaded that any detail of them has escaped his notice; for these things have not been done in a corner.

and going on board a ship of Adramyttium which was about to sail to the ports of the province of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, the Macedonian, from Thessalonica, forming one of our party.

It was now the fourteenth night, and we were drifting through the Sea of Adria, when, about midnight, the sailors suspected that land was close at hand.

"For our part," they replied, "we have not received any letters from Judaea about you, nor have any of our countrymen come here and reported or stated anything to your disadvantage.

So they arranged a day with him and came to him in considerable numbers at the house of the friends who were entertaining him. And then, with solemn earnestness, he explained to them the subject of the Kingdom of God, endeavouring from morning till evening to convince them about Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

I call God to witness--to whom I render priestly and spiritual service by telling the Good News about His Son-- how unceasingly I make mention of you in His presence,

because what may be known about Him is plain to their inmost consciousness; for He Himself has made it plain to them.

Did then a thing which is good become death to me? No, indeed, but sin did; so that through its bringing about death by means of what was good, it might be seen in its true light as sin, in order that by means of the Commandment the unspeakable sinfulness of sin might be plainly shown.

For the words are the language of promise and run thus, "About this time next year I will come, and Sarah shall have a son."

But what does it say? "The Message is close to you, in your mouth and in your heart;" that is, the Message which we are publishing about the faith--