"But as the time of the promise that God had made to Abraham was drawing near, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt

This man deceitfully took advantage of our people [and] mistreated our ancestors, {causing them to abandon their infants} so that they would not be kept alive.

And he thought his brothers would understand that God was granting deliverance to them by his hand, but they did not understand.

And you took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of the god Rephan, the images that you made, to worship them, and I will deport you beyond Babylon!'

The tabernacle of the testimony {belonged} to our fathers in the wilderness, just as the one who spoke to Moses directed [him] to make it according to the design that he had seen,

and which, [after] receiving [it] in turn, our fathers brought in with Joshua {when they dispossessed the} nations that God drove out from the presence of our fathers, until the days of David,

And Saul was agreeing with his murder. Now there happened on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was being said by Philip, [as] they heard [him] and saw the signs that he was performing.

And there was great joy in that city.

They were all paying attention to {him}, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called 'Great.'"

And Simon himself also believed, and [after he] was baptized he was {keeping close company with} Philip. And [when he] saw the signs and great miracles that were taking place, he was astonished.

Now [when] the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

who went down [and] prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit.

Now Simon, [when he] saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money,

saying, "Give to me also this power, so that whomever I place [my] hands on may receive the Holy Spirit!"

But Simon answered [and] said, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me."

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Get up and go toward the south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert [road].)

Now the passage of scripture that he was reading aloud was this: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer [is] silent, so he did not open his mouth.

[and] asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he could bring [them] tied up to Jerusalem.

Now as [he] proceeded, it happened that [when] he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

and he has seen in a vision a man {named} Ananias coming in and placing hands on him so that he may regain [his] sight."

So Ananias departed and entered into the house, and placing [his] hands on him, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me so that you may regain [your] sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

And all who heard [him] were amazed, and were saying, "Is this not the one who was wreaking havoc in Jerusalem [on] those who call upon this name, and had come here for this [reason], that he could bring them tied up to the chief priests?"

But Saul was increasing in strength even more, and was confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus [by] proving that this one is the Christ.

But their plot became known to Saul, and they were also watching the gates both day and night so that they could do away with him.

And [when he] arrived in Jerusalem, he was attempting to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, [because they] did not believe that he was a disciple.

But Barnabas took him [and] brought [him] to the apostles and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

Now it happened that [as] Peter was traveling through all [the places], [he] also came down to the saints who lived [in] Lydda.

Now it happened that in those days [after] becoming sick, she died. And [after] washing [her], they placed her in an upstairs room.

And [because] Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, [when they] heard that Peter was in {Lydda}, sent two men to him, urging, "Do not delay to come to us!"

So Peter got up [and] accompanied them. [When he] arrived, they brought [him] up to the upstairs room, and all the widows came to him, weeping and showing [him] tunics and [other] clothing that Dorcas used to make [while she] was with them.

And it happened that [he] stayed many days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.

Now while Peter was greatly perplexed within himself [as to] what the vision that he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having found the house of Simon by asking around, stood at the gate.

So it happened that when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at [his] feet, [and] worshiped [him].

And he said to them, "You know that it is forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or to approach a foreigner. And to me God has shown [that] I should call no man common or unclean.

Therefore I sent for you at once, and you {were kind enough to come}. So now we all are present before God to hear all the things that have been commanded to you by the Lord."

So Peter opened [his] mouth [and] said, "In truth I understand that God is not one who shows partiality,

[As for] the message that he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ--this one is Lord of all--

you know the thing that happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism that John proclaimed:

And we [are] witnesses of all [the things] that he did both in the land of the Judeans and in Jerusalem, whom they also executed [by] hanging [him] on a tree.

God raised this one up on the third day and granted [that] he should become visible,

And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify solemnly that this one is the one appointed by God [as] judge of the living and of the dead.

To this one all the prophets testify, [that] through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins."

And those believers from the circumcision who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles,

So he ordered [that] they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for several days.

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had accepted the word of God.

Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, proclaiming the message to no one except Jews alone.

{And the report came to the attention} of the church that was in Jerusalem about them, and they sent out Barnabas as far as Antioch,

And [when he] found [him], he brought [him] to Antioch. And it happened to them also [that they] met together [for] a whole year with the church and taught a large number [of people]. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

And one of them {named} Agabus stood up [and] indicated by the Spirit [that] a great famine was about to come over the whole inhabited earth (which took place in the time of Claudius).

Now at that time, Herod the king laid hands on some of those from the church to harm [them].

And [when he] saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. ({Now this was during the feast} of Unleavened Bread.)

Now when Herod was about to bring him [out], on that [very] night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards before the door were watching the prison.

And he went out [and] was following [him]. And he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but was thinking [he] was seeing a vision.

And [after they] had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened for them by itself, and they went out [and] went forward [along] one narrow street, and at once the angel departed from him.

And [when] Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know truly that the Lord has sent out his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and all {that the Jewish people expected}!"

And recognizing Peter's voice, because of [her] joy she did not open the gate, but ran in [and] announced [that] Peter was standing at the gate.

And [when] Herod had searched for him and did not find [him], he questioned the guards [and] ordered [that they] be led away to execution. And he came down from Judea to Caesarea [and] stayed [there].

Now there were prophets and teachers in Antioch in the church that was there: Barnabas, and Simeon (who was called Niger), and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.

For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, [because they] did not recognize this one, and the voices of the prophets that are read on every Sabbath, fulfilled [them] [by] condemning [him].

And [although they] found no charge [worthy] of death, they asked Pilate [that] he be executed.

And when they had carried out all the things that were written about him, they took [him] down from the tree [and] placed [him] in a tomb.

And we proclaim the good news to you: that the promise that was made to the fathers,

But that he has raised him from the dead, no more going to return to decay, he has spoken in this way: 'I will give you the reliable divine decrees of David.'

"Therefore let it be known to you, men [and] brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all [the things] from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses,

'Look, you scoffers, and be astonished and perish! For I am doing a work in your days, a work that you would never believe [even] if someone were to tell [it] to you.'"

And [as] they were going out, they began urging [that] these things be spoken about to them on the next Sabbath.

Both Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly [and] said, "It was necessary [that] the word of God be spoken first to you, since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life! Behold, we are turning to the Gentiles!

For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have appointed you {to be} a light for the Gentiles, {that you would bring} salvation to the end of the earth.'

Now it happened that in Iconium they entered {together} into the synagogue of the Jews and spoke in such a way that a large number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

This man listened [while] Paul was speaking. {Paul}, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be healed,

And the priest of the [temple] of Zeus that was just outside the city brought bulls and garlands to the gates [and] was wanting to offer sacrifice, along with the crowds.

and saying, "Men, why are you doing these [things]? We also are men with the same nature as you, proclaiming the good news [that] you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things [that are] in them--

who in generations that are past permitted all the nations to go their [own] ways.

And [after they] had proclaimed the good news in that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,

and from there they sailed away to Antioch where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had completed.

And [when they] arrived and called the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.

And [when they] arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and reported all that God had done with them.

And [after] there was much debate, Peter stood up [and] said to them, "Men [and] brothers, you know that in the early days God chose among you through my mouth [that] the Gentiles should hear the message of the gospel and believe.

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

'After these [things] I will return and build up again the tent of David that has fallen, and the [parts] of it that had been torn down I will build up again and will restore it,

so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles {who are called by my name}, says the Lord, who makes these [things]

Because we have heard that some have gone out from among us--to whom we gave no orders--[and] have thrown you into confusion by words upsetting your {minds},

[that you] abstain from food sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. [If you] keep yourselves from {these things} you will do well. Farewell.

And a sharp disagreement took place, so that they separated from one another. And Barnabas took along Mark [and] sailed away to Cyprus,

Paul wanted this one to go with him, and he took [him] [and] circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for [they] all knew that his father was Greek.

And as they went through the towns, they passed on to them to observe the rules that had been decided by the apostles and elders [who were] in Jerusalem.

And when he had seen the vision, we wanted at once to go away to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city [of that] district of Macedonia, a [Roman] colony. And we were staying in this city for some days.

And it happened that [as] we were going to the place of prayer, a certain female slave who had a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing a large profit to her owners [by] fortune-telling.

But [when] her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas [and] dragged [them] into the marketplace before the rulers.

and are proclaiming customs that are not permitted for us to accept or to practice, [because we] are Romans!"

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and all the bonds were unfastened.

And he brought them outside [and] said, "Sirs, what must I do so that I can be saved?"

And he took them at that [very] hour of the night [and] washed [their] wounds, and he himself was baptized at once, and all those of his [household].

And he brought them up into [his] house [and] set a meal before [them], and rejoiced greatly that he had believed in God with his whole household.

And the jailer reported these words to Paul: "The chief magistrates have sent [an order] that you should be released. So come out now [and] go in peace!"

So the police officers reported these words to the chief magistrates, and they were afraid [when they] heard that they were Roman citizens.

explaining and demonstrating that it was necessary [for] the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and [saying], "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ."

But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that the message of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there too, inciting and stirring up the crowds.