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).

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 [while] they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart now for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

And [when they] had crossed over the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name [was] Bar-Jesus,

[and] said, "O [you who are] full of all deceit and of all unscrupulousness, [you] son of the devil, [you] enemy of all righteousness! Will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord!

And now behold, the hand of the Lord [is] against you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun {for a while}. And immediately mist and darkness fell over him, and he was going around looking for [people] to lead [him] by the hand.

And [after] removing him, he raised up David for their king, about whom he also said, testifying, 'I have found David the [son] of Jesse [to be] a man in accordance with my heart, who will carry out all my will.'

Before {his coming} John had publicly proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

But while John was completing [his] mission, he said, 'What do you suppose me to be? I am not [he]! But behold, one is coming after me of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandals of [his] feet!'

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.

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 he also says in another [psalm], 'You will not permit your Holy One to experience decay.'

"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,

And on the coming Sabbath, nearly the whole city came together to hear the word of the Lord.

And [when] the Gentiles heard [this], they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of the Lord. And all those who were designated for eternal life believed.

So the word of the Lord was carried through the whole region.

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

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 [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.

So they were sent on their way by the church, [and] passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

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.

But we believe [we] will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in {the same} way those also [are]."

And the whole group became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

'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]

Then it seemed best to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to send men chosen from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas--Judas who was called Barsabbas and Silas, men [who were] leaders among the brothers--

Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, and they will report the same [things] by word of mouth.

[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.

who was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.

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 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.

But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, "Do no harm to yourself, for we are all here!"

And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household!"

And they spoke the message of the Lord to him, together with all those in his house.

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.

whom Jason has entertained as guests! And these [people] [are] all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus!"

Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. {They} accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures every day [to see] if these [things] were so.

Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him [when he] observed the city was full of idols.

(Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who stayed there used to spend [their] time in nothing else than telling something or listening to something new.)

the God who made the world and all the things in it. This one, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands,

And he made from one [man] every nation of humanity to live on all the face of the earth, determining [their] fixed times and the fixed boundaries of their habitation,

Therefore [although] God has overlooked the times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent,

Now [when they] heard about the resurrection of the dead, [some] scoffed, but [others] said, "We will hear you about this again also."

And he found a certain Jew {named} Aquila, {a native} of Pontus who had arrived recently from Italy {along with} Priscilla his wife, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome, [and] he went to them.

And [when] they resisted and reviled [him], he shook out [his] clothes [and] said to them, "Your blood [be] on your [own] heads! I [am] guiltless! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!"

And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his whole household. And many of the Corinthians, [when they] heard about [it], believed and were baptized.

because I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you, because many people are mine in this city."

So they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, [and] began beating [him] in front of the judgment seat. And none of these [things] was a concern to Gallio.

but saying farewell and telling [them], "I will return to you again [if] God wills," he set sail from Ephesus.

And [after] spending some time [there], he departed, traveling through one [place] after another [in] the Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Now a certain Jew {named} Apollos, {a native} Alexandrian, arrived in Ephesus--an eloquent man who was well-versed in the scriptures.

And it happened that [while] Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the inland regions [and] came to Ephesus and found some disciples.

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

And the man {who had the evil spirit} leaped on them, subdued all of them, [and] prevailed against them, so that they ran away from that house naked and wounded.

And this became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was exalted.

and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this man Paul has persuaded [and] turned away a large crowd [by] saying that the [gods] made by hands are not gods.

So not only is there a danger this line of business of ours [will] come into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis [will] be regarded as nothing--and [she] is about to be brought down even from her grandeur, [she] whom the whole [of] Asia and the [entire] world worship!"

But [when they] recognized that he was a Jew, they were shouting with one voice from all [of them] for about two hours, "Great [is] Artemis of the Ephesians!"

But if you desire anything further, it will be settled in the lawful assembly.

For indeed we are in danger of being accused of rioting concerning today, [since there] is no cause in relation to which we will be able to give an account concerning this disorderly gathering!" And [when he] had said these [things], he dismissed the assembly.

And a certain young man {named} Eutychus who was sitting in the window was sinking into a deep sleep [while] Paul was conversing at length. Being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.

And when they came to him, he said to them, "You know from the first day on which I set foot in Asia how I was the whole time with you--

serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, and with the trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews--

"And now behold, bound by the Spirit I am traveling to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me {there},

"And now behold, I know that all [of] you, among whom I went about proclaiming the kingdom, will see my face no more.

Therefore I testify to you on this very day that I am guiltless of the blood of all [of you],

for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the whole purpose of God.

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you [as] overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own [Son].

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking {perversions of the truth} in order to draw away the disciples after them.

"And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build [you] up and to give [you] the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

I have shown you [with respect to] all [things] that [by] working hard in this way it is necessary to help those who are in need, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

And [when he] had said these [things], he fell to his knees [and] prayed with them all.

And there was considerable weeping by all, and {hugging} Paul, they kissed him,

And it happened that when our days were over, we departed [and] went on our way, [while] all [of them] accompanied us, together with [their] wives and children, as far as outside the city. And [after] falling to our knees on the beach [and] praying,

And [while we] were staying [there] many days, a certain prophet {named} Agabus came down from Judea.

And he came to us and took Paul's belt. Tying up his own feet and hands, he said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man whose belt this is, and will deliver [him] into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

And [because] he would not be persuaded, we remained silent, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

And on the next [day] Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.

And [when] they heard [this], they began to glorify God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many ten thousands there are among the Jews who have believed, and they are all zealous adherents of the law.

And they have been informed about you that you are teaching all the Jews [who are] among the Gentiles [the] abandonment of Moses, telling them not to circumcise [their] children or to live according to [our] customs.

What then {is to be done}? Doubtless they will all hear that you have come!

Take these [men] [and] purify yourself along with them and {pay their expenses} so that they can shave [their] heads, and everyone will know that [the things] which they had been informed about you are nothing, but you yourself also agree with observing the law.

But when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia who had seen him in the temple [courts] stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him,

And the whole city was stirred up, and the people came running together, and they seized Paul [and] dragged him outside of the temple [courts], and immediately the doors were shut.

And [as they] were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the military tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion.

But Paul said, "I am a Jewish man from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no unimportant city. Now I ask you, allow me to speak to the people."

"I am a Jewish man born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to the exactness of the law received from our fathers, being zealous for God, just as all [of] you are today.

as indeed the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me, from whom also I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, [and] was traveling [there] to lead away those who were there also tied up to Jerusalem so that they could be punished.

So I said, 'What should I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up [and] proceed to Damascus, and there it will be told to you about all [the things] that have been appointed for you to do.'

And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who live [there],

And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth,

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

and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and depart {quickly} from Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'

And he said to me, 'Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles!'"

And [while] they were screaming and throwing off [their] cloaks and throwing dust into the air,

But on the next day, [because he] wanted to know the true [reason] why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble, and he brought down Paul [and] had [him] stand before them.