“No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything common and ritually unclean!”

While Peter was thinking about the vision, the Spirit told him, “Three men are here looking for you.

Then Peter went down to the men and said, “Here I am, the one you’re looking for. What is the reason you’re here?”

Peter said to them, “You know it’s forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner. But God has shown me that I must not call any person common or unclean.

That’s why I came without any objection when I was sent for. So I ask: Why did you send for me?”

Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this hour, at three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house. Just then a man in a dazzling robe stood before me

Therefore I immediately sent for you, and you did the right thing in coming. So we are all present before God, to hear everything you have been commanded by the Lord.”

For they heard them speaking in other languages and declaring the greatness of God.

Then Peter responded,

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.

“I was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a visionary state, an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners from heaven, and it came to me.

When I looked closely and considered it, I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky.

“‘No, Lord!’ I said. ‘For nothing common or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth!’

He reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is also named Peter.

Those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one except Jews.

Then the report about them was heard by the church that was at Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch.

for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And large numbers of people were added to the Lord.

Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul,

and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer was being made earnestly to God for him by the church.

On the night before Herod was to bring him out for execution, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.

Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.”

He had been very angry with the Tyrians and Sidonians. Together they presented themselves before him. They won over Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, and through him they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country.

As they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them to.”

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.

Now, look! The Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Suddenly a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any message of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”

Then Paul stood up and motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen!

And for about 40 years He put up with them in the wilderness;

Then they asked for a king, so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years.

“Brothers, sons of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, the message of this salvation has been sent to us.

For the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers, since they did not recognize Him or the voices of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled their words by condemning Him.

Though they found no grounds for the death penalty, they asked Pilate to have Him killed.

and He appeared for many days to those who came with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people.

For David, after serving his own generation in God’s plan, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and decayed.

For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

I have made you
a light for the Gentiles
to bring salvation
to the ends of the earth.”

So they stayed there for some time and spoke boldly in reliance on the Lord, who testified to the message of His grace by granting that signs and wonders be performed through them.

After the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

From there they sailed back to Antioch where they had been entrusted to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

But after Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, the church arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this controversy.

Simeon has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for His name.

Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God,

For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”

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

For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—to put no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

As they traveled through the towns, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem for them to observe.

After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to evangelize them.

and from there to Philippi, a Roman colony, which is a leading city of that district of Macedonia. We stayed in that city for a number of days.

Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit of prediction. She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling.

And she did this for many days.

But Paul was greatly aggravated and turning to the spirit, said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out right away.

and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice.”

Then the jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

The jailer reported these words to Paul: “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace.”

But the Jews became jealous, and they brought together some scoundrels from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. Attacking Jason’s house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly.

Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was troubled within him when he saw that the city was full of idols.

For what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these ideas mean.”

For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed:

TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

He did this so they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

and being of the same occupation, stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.

For I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city.”

As Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of a crime or of moral evil, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you Jews.

So Paul, having stayed on for many days, said good-bye to the brothers and sailed away to Syria. Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He shaved his head at Cenchreae because he had taken a vow.

And though they asked him to stay for a longer time, he declined,

For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.

And this went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the message about the Lord.

This became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. Then fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

So after sending two of those who assisted him, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

For a person named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, provided a great deal of business for the craftsmen.

But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a united cry went up from all of them for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

For you have brought these men here who are not temple robbers or blasphemers of our goddess.

In fact, we run a risk of being charged with rioting for what happened today, since there is no justification that we can give as a reason for this disorderly gathering.”

After the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, and after saying good-bye, departed to go to Macedonia.

and stayed three months. When he was about to set sail for Syria, a plot was devised against him by the Jews, so a decision was made to go back through Macedonia.

These men went on ahead and waited for us in Troas,

But Paul went down, fell on him, embraced him, and said, “Don’t be alarmed, for his life is in him!”

Then we went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, intending to take Paul on board there. For these were his instructions, since he himself was going by land.

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so he would not have to spend time in Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.

Now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.

except that in town after town the Holy Spirit testifies to me that chains and afflictions are waiting for me.

for I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole plan of God.

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.

You yourselves know that these hands have provided for my needs and for those who were with me.

In every way I’ve shown you that by laboring like this, it is necessary to help the weak and to keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, for He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

This man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

When they heard it, they glorified God and said, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.

Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have obligated themselves with a vow.

Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay for them to get their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that what they were told about you amounts to nothing, but that you yourself are also careful about observing the law.

Then the next day, Paul took the men, having purified himself along with them, and entered the temple, announcing the completion of the purification days when the offering for each of them would be made.

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

for the mass of people followed, yelling, “Take him away!”

He continued, “I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel and educated according to the strict view of our patriarchal law. Being zealous for God, just as all of you are today,

“Then I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’

“And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that is assigned for you to do.’

For you will be a witness for Him to all people of what you have seen and heard.

“Then He said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

They listened to him up to this word. Then they raised their voices, shouting, “Wipe this person off the earth—it’s a disgrace for him to live!”

As they stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing by, “Is it legal for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and is uncondemned?”