One of them named Agabus stood up, and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius.

Now about that time, Herod the king stretched out his hands to oppress some of the church.

When he saw that it pleased the Jewish people, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread.

And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision.

When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out, and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

When Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting."

Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

When she recognized Peter's voice, she did not open the gate for joy, but ran in, and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

They said to her, "You are crazy." But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his angel."

When Herod had sought for him, and did not find him, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

As John was fulfilling his course, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'

When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree, and placed him in a tomb.

that God has fulfilled the same to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, 'You are my Son. Today I have become your father.'

"Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'

Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins,

Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the Prophets:

So when they went out they begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, "It was necessary that God's word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, 'I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.'"

It happened in Iconium that they entered together into the Jewish synagogue, and so spoke that a great number of both of Jews and of Greeks believed.

He was listening to Paul speaking, who, fastening eyes on him, and seeing that he had faith to be made whole,

"Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them;

Yet he did not leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness."

But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.

When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God.

When they had arrived, and had gathered the church together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations.

When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them.

When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News, and believe.

Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are."

that the rest of mankind may seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,' says the Lord, who makes these things

"Therefore my judgment is that we do not trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,

but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.

Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, to whom we gave no commandment;

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell."

After they had spent some time there, they were sent back with greetings from the brothers to those that had sent them forth.

But Paul did not think that it was a good idea to take with them someone who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and did not go with them to do the work.

Then the contention grew so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away to Cyprus,

Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.

It happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.

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

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened.

The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

explaining and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Messiah."

whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."

Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the crowds.

But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed.

Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, "You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.

that they should seek God, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man.

The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,

because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead."

But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.

But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable that I should bear with you;

for he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

It happened that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples.

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

Paul said, "John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus."

This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the evil spirits went out.

The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

About that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.

whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, "Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth.

You see and hear, that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands.

Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute; but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing, and that she should even be deposed from her magnificence, whom all Asia and the world worships."

But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours shouted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians."

When the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?

Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash.

For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hastening, if it were possible for him, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

When they had come to him, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time,

how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house,

except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me.

But I make my life an account of nothing precious to myself, so that I may finish my race, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

"Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about proclaiming the Kingdom, will see my face no more.

Therefore I testify to you this day that I am clean from the blood of all men,

For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Therefore watch, remembering that for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish everyone night and day with tears.

You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me.

In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

When it happened that we had parted from them and had set sail, we came with a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

Having found the disciples, we stayed there seven days. These said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

When it happened that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.

When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the customs.

What then? They will certainly hear that you have come.

Take them, and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the Law.

But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality."

For they had previously seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple.

As they were trying to kill him, news came up to the commanding officer of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

When he came to the stairs, it happened that he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd;

When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,

It happened that, as I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from the sky a great light around me.

When I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.