so that the residue of men may seek out the Lord, and all the nations on whom my name is invoked, saith the Lord, who does these things

but to write to them to abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.

Inasmuch as we have heard that some who went out from amongst us have troubled you by words, upsetting your souls, saying that ye must be circumcised and keep the law; to whom we gave no commandment;

it seemed good to us, having arrived at a common judgment, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

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

to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication; keeping yourselves from which ye will do well. Farewell.

But after certain days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city where we have announced the word of the Lord, and see how they are getting on.

And as they passed through the cities they instructed them to observe the decrees determined on by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

And having passed through Phrygia and the Galatian country, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia,

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There was a certain Macedonian man, standing and beseeching him, and saying, Pass over into Macedonia and help us.

And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go forth to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to announce to them the glad tidings.

and thence to Philippi, which is the first city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city certain days.

And a certain woman, by name Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard; whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul.

And when she had been baptised and her house, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there. And she constrained us.

And it came to pass as we were going to prayer that a certain female slave, having a spirit of Python, met us, who brought much profit to her masters by prophesying.

She, having followed Paul and us, cried saying, These men are bondmen of the Most High God, who announce to you the way of salvation.

and announce customs which it is not lawful for us to receive nor practise, being Romans.

But Paul said to them, Having beaten us publicly uncondemned, us who are Romans, they have cast us into prison, and now they thrust us out secretly? no, indeed, but let them come themselves and bring us out.

opening and laying down that the Christ must have suffered and risen up from among the dead, and that this is the Christ, Jesus whom I announce to you.

whom Jason has received; and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying, that there is another king, Jesus.

And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as to the sea; but Silas and Timotheus abode there.

But they that conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and, having received a commandment to Silas and Timotheus, that they should come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.

And having taken hold on him they brought him to Areopagus, saying, Might we know what this new doctrine which is spoken by thee is?

nor is served by men's hands as needing something, himself giving to all life and breath and all things;

that they may seek God; if indeed they might feel after him and find him, although he is not far from each one of us:

for in him we live and move and exist; as also some of the poets amongst you have said, For we are also his offspring.

Being therefore the offspring of God, we ought not to think that which is divine to be like gold or silver or stone, the graven form of man's art and imagination.

because he has set a day in which he is going to judge the habitable earth in righteousness by the man whom he has appointed, giving the proof of it to all in having raised him from among the dead.

But as they opposed and spoke injuriously, he shook his clothes, and said to them, Your blood be upon your own head: I am pure; from henceforth I will go to the nations.

And departing thence he came to the house of a certain man, by name Justus, who worshipped God, whose house adjoined the synagogue.

But as Paul was going to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, If indeed it was some wrong or wicked criminality, O Jews, of reason I should have borne with you;

And Paul said, John indeed baptised with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on him that was coming after him, that is, on Jesus.

And this took place for two years, so that all that inhabited Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

And having sent into Macedonia two of those ministering to him, Timotheus and Erastus, he remained himself awhile in Asia.

and ye see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great crowd, not only of Ephesus, but almost of all Asia, saying that they are no gods which are made with hands.

Now not only there is danger for us that our business come into discredit, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be counted for nothing, and that her greatness should be destroyed whom the whole of Asia and the world reveres.

And having heard this, and being filled with rage, they cried out, saying, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.

But, recognising that he was a Jew, there was one cry from all, shouting for about two hours, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.

And the townclerk, having quieted the crowd, said, Ephesians, what man is there then who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of Artemis the great, and of the image which fell down from heaven?

These things therefore being undeniable, it is necessary that ye should be calm and do nothing headlong.

And having spent three months there, a treacherous plot against him having been set on foot by the Jews, as he was going to sail to Syria, the resolution was adopted of returning through Macedonia.

And there accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater son of Pyrrhus, a Berean; and of Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius and Timotheus of Derbe, and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.

These going before waited for us in Troas;

But Paul descending fell upon him, and enfolding him in his arms, said, Be not troubled, for his life is in him.

And when he met with us at Assos, having taken him on board, we came to Mitylene;

for Paul thought it desirable to sail by Ephesus, so that he might not be made to spend time in Asia; for he hastened, if it was possible for him, to be the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem.

And when they were come to him, he said to them, Ye know how I was with you all the time from the first day that I arrived in Asia,

how I held back nothing of what is profitable, so as not to announce it to you, and to teach you publicly and in every house,

But I make no account of my life as dear to myself, so that I finish my course, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the glad tidings of the grace of God.

Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, wherein the Holy Spirit has set you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of God, which he has purchased with the blood of his own.

And now I commit you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give to you an inheritance among all the sanctified.

I have shewed you all things, that thus labouring we ought to come in aid of the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

But when we had completed the days, we set out and took our journey, all of them accompanying us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And kneeling down upon the shore we prayed.

And as we stayed there many days, a certain man, by name Agabus, a prophet, came down from Judaea,

and coming to us and taking the girdle of Paul, and having bound his own hands and feet, said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, The man whose this girdle is shall the Jews thus bind in Jerusalem, and deliver him up into the hands of the Gentiles.

And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing with them a certain Mnason, a Cyprian, an old disciple, with whom we were to lodge.

And when we arrived at Jerusalem the brethren gladly received us.

And on the morrow Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders came there.

What is it then? a multitude must necessarily come together, for they will hear that thou art come.

take these and be purified with them, and pay their expenses, that they may have their heads shaved; and all will know that of those things of which they have been informed about thee nothing is true; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, keeping the law.

And when the seven days were nearly completed, the Jews from Asia, having seen him in the temple, set all the crowd in a tumult, and laid hands upon him,

crying, Israelites, help! this is the man who teaches all everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and has brought Greeks too into the temple, and profaned this holy place.

And as they were seeking to kill him, a representation came to the chiliarch of the band that the whole of Jerusalem was in a tumult;

But as he was about to be led into the fortress, Paul says to the chiliarch, Is it allowed me to say something to thee? And he said, Dost thou know Greek?

I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to the exactness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as ye are all this day;

as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the elderhood: from whom also, having received letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus to bring those also who were there, bound, to Jerusalem, to be punished.

And it came to pass, as I was journeying and drawing near to Damascus, that, about mid-day, there suddenly shone out of heaven a great light round about me.

And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rise up, and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which it is appointed thee to do.

And as I could not see, through the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came to Damascus.

And it came to pass when I had returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the temple, that I became in ecstasy,

And they heard him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a one as that from the earth, for it was not fit he should live.

And as they were crying, and throwing away their clothes, and casting dust into the air,

But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?

And the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman.

And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people.

For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both of them.

But the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also.

Now therefore do ye with the council make a representation to the chiliarch so that he may bring him down to you, as about to determine more precisely what concerns him, and we, before he draws near, are ready to kill him.

And the chiliarch having taken him by the hand, and having gone apart in private, inquired, What is it that thou hast to report to me?

And he said, The Jews have agreed together to make a request to thee, that thou mayest bring Paul down to-morrow into the council, as about to inquire something more precise concerning him.

And having called to him certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night.

But that I may not too much intrude on thy time, I beseech thee to hear us briefly in thy kindness.

But Paul, the governor having beckoned to him to speak, answered, Knowing that for many years thou hast been judge to this nation, I answer readily as to the things which concern myself.

As thou mayest know that there are not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem,

having hope towards God, which they themselves also receive, that there is to be a resurrection both of just and unjust.

Whereupon they found me purified in the temple, with neither crowd nor tumult. But it was certain Jews from Asia,

And Felix, knowing accurately the things concerning the way, adjourned them, saying, When Lysias the chiliarch is come down I will determine your affair;

And as he reasoned concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment about to come, Felix, being filled with fear, answered, Go for the present, and when I get an opportunity I will send for thee;

But when two years were completed, Felix was relieved by Porcius Festus as his successor; and Felix, desirous to oblige the Jews, to acquire their favour, left Paul bound.

asking as a grace against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying people in wait to kill him on the way.

But Paul said, I am standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.

If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.

And when they had spent many days there, Festus laid before the king the matters relating to Paul, saying, There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix,

to whom I answered, It is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and he have got opportunity of defence touching the charge.

concerning whom the accusers, standing up, brought no such accusation of guilt as I supposed;

but had against him certain questions of their own system of worship, and concerning a certain Jesus who is dead, whom Paul affirmed to be living.

And as I myself was at a loss as to an inquiry into these things, I said, Was he willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be judged concerning these things?

And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye see this person, concerning whom all the multitude of the Jews applied to me both in Jerusalem and here, crying out against him that he ought not to live any longer.

And Agrippa said to Paul, It is permitted thee to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretching out his hand answered in his defence:

And, when we were all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against goads.