Acts Cross References - MSB

¹ In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach, ² until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. ³ After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. ⁴ And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss. ⁵ For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” ⁶ So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ⁹ After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. ¹⁰ They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” ¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and James, John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. ¹⁴ With one accord they all continued in prayer and petition, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. ¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the disciples (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said, ¹⁶ “Brothers, this Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” ¹⁸ (Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out. ¹⁹ This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’ ²¹ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” ²³ So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. ²⁴ And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen ²⁵ to receive a portion in this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned to go to his rightful place.” ²⁶ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

²³ Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. ²⁴ News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed—and He healed them.

⁵ The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

³ Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

²⁴ After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,

²³ Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,

²¹ Now at that very hour Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind. ²² So Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. ²³ Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”

¹⁹ “What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people.

³² But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from My Father. For which of these do you stone Me?” ³³ “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.” ³⁴ Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’? ³⁵ If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— ³⁶ then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God? ³⁷ If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me. ³⁸ But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I am in Him.”

¹⁹ Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching. ²⁰ “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered. “I always taught in the synagogues and at the temple, where the Jews always come together. I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.”

²² Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.

²¹ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: ²² “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” ²³ When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

² The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD. ³ And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear,

¹ “Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.

¹⁶ Come near to Me and listen to this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time it happened, I was there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, accompanied by His Spirit.

²⁰ “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the LORD. ²¹ “As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit will not depart from you, and My words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth or from the mouths of your children and grandchildren, from now on and forevermore,” says the LORD.

¹ The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,

¹⁶ As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him.

¹ And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness. ² These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus called Thaddaeus. ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

²⁸ But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”

¹⁴ He appointed twelve of them to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach, ¹⁵ and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to drive out demons: ¹⁶ Simon (whom He named Peter), ¹⁷ James son of Zebedee and his brother John (whom He named Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”), ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

³⁰ Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught.

¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.” ¹⁹ After the Lord had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

¹³ When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles: ¹⁴ Simon, whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; ¹⁵ Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus and Simon called the Zealot; ¹⁶ Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

⁵¹ As the day of His ascension approached, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ And He told them, “This is what is written: And thus it is necessary that the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city of Jerusalem until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

⁵¹ While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.

¹⁶ From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

³⁴ For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

⁶² Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?

⁷⁰ Jesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”

¹ It was now just before the Passover Feast, and Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the very end.

³ Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God.

¹⁸ I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’

²⁸ I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”

¹³ But now I am coming to You; and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them.

¹⁷ “Do not cling to Me,” Jesus said, “for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go and tell My brothers, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”

²¹ Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”

⁹ After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.

¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

¹³ When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and James, John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.

⁴⁰ God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen— ⁴¹ not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. ⁴² And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.

¹ Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—

²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ Himself as the cornerstone.

⁸ This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.” ⁹ What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descended first to the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.

¹⁶ By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: God appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.

¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, ²⁰ where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

²⁴ For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.

²² who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.

² by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

¹ This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John,

⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.

¹¹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.

¹⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it.

²⁹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

¹³ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

¹⁶ So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!

²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

⁹ When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I ate no bread and drank no water.

¹⁸ Then I fell down before the LORD for forty days and forty nights, as I had done the first time. I did not eat bread or drink water because of all the sin you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD and provoking Him to anger.

⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

⁴⁴ In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever. ⁴⁵ And just as you saw a stone being cut out of the mountain without human hands, and it shattered the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold, so the great God has told the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

² After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.

⁴³ Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

⁹ And as they were going to tell His disciples, suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.

¹⁶ Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated. ¹⁷ When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted.

¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with Him, who were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ And when they heard that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they did not believe it. ¹² After this, Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them as they walked along in the country. ¹³ And they went back and reported it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. ¹⁴ Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

²⁰ When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. ²¹ Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

¹ On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were puzzling over this, suddenly two men in radiant apparel stood beside them. ⁵ As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’” ⁸ Then they remembered His words. ⁹ And when they returned from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹ But their words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. ¹² Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. And after bending down and seeing only the linen cloths lying there, he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. ¹³ That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ And as they talked and deliberated, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. ¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along with sadness on your faces?” ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in recent days?” ¹⁹ “What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people. ²⁰ Our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and they crucified Him. ²¹ But we were hoping He was the One who would redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is the third day since these things took place. ²² Furthermore, some of our women astounded us. They were at the tomb early, ²³ but they did not find His body. They came and told us they had seen a vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had described. But Him they did not see.” ²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, how slow are your hearts to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself. ²⁸ As they approached the village where they were headed, He seemed to be going farther. ²⁹ But they pleaded with Him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them. ³⁰ While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus—and He disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” ³³ And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, gathered together ³⁴ and saying, “The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the road, and how they had recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread. ³⁶ While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ³⁷ But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit. ³⁸ “Why are you troubled,” Jesus asked, “and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹ Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see—for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” ⁴⁰ And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet. ⁴¹ While they were still in disbelief because of their joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² So they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb, ⁴³ and He took it and ate it in front of them. ⁴⁴ Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” ⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ And He told them, “This is what is written: And thus it is necessary that the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city of Jerusalem until you have been clothed with power from on high.” ⁵⁰ When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵² And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³ praising and blessing God continually in the temple.

¹ Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she said, “and we do not know where they have put Him!” ³ Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. ⁷ The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. And he saw and believed. ⁹ For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. ¹⁰ Then the disciples returned to their homes. ¹¹ But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb, ¹² and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet. ¹³ “Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I do not know where they have put Him.” ¹⁴ When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not recognize that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ “Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). ¹⁷ “Do not cling to Me,” Jesus said, “for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go and tell My brothers, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples that she had seen the Lord. And she told them what He had said to her. ¹⁹ It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them. ²⁰ After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”

²⁶ Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

¹ Later, by the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus again revealed Himself to the disciples. He made Himself known in this way:

¹⁴ This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

³¹ and for many days He was seen by those who had accompanied Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are His witnesses to our people.

³¹ Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

⁵ and that He appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve. ⁶ After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

¹³ He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,

¹² encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

¹ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life.

²⁰ For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

¹³ So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

¹² For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”

⁴¹ While they were still in disbelief because of their joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² So they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb, ⁴³ and He took it and ate it in front of them.

⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city of Jerusalem until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

³⁹ He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Holy Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to abide with you forever—

²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid. ²⁸ You heard Me say, ‘I am going away, and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because My Father is greater than I.

²⁶ When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me.

⁷ But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ in regard to righteousness, because I am going to My Father and you will no longer see Me; ¹¹ and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world has been condemned. ¹² I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it. ¹³ However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you. ¹⁵ Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you.

²² When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

³³ Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

⁴¹ not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.

²⁸ And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. ²⁹ Even on My menservants and maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days. ³⁰ I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. ³¹ The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD. ³² And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has promised, among the remnant called by the LORD.

¹⁸ And in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the streams of Judah will run with water, and a spring will flow from the house of the LORD to water the Valley of Acacias.

¹¹ I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

⁸ I indeed baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

¹⁶ John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

³¹ I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”

¹ When the day of Pentecost came, they were all with one accord in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ¹⁷ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. ¹⁸ Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. ¹⁹ I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. ²⁰ The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. ²¹ And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

⁴⁵ All the circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

¹⁵ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶ Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

⁴ Paul explained: “John’s baptism was indeed a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Christ” Jesus.

¹³ For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given into one Spirit to drink.

⁵ He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁰ The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.

²⁶ I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning. After that you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”

⁶ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.

⁵ Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶ In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.

¹⁵ In those days and at that time I will cause to sprout for David a righteous Branch, and He will administer justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶ In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness. ¹⁷ For this is what the LORD says: David will never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel,

²⁶ then I would also reject the descendants of Jacob and of My servant David, so as not to take from his descendants rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore them from captivity and will have compassion on them.”

²⁴ My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances and keep and observe My statutes. ²⁵ They will live in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They will live there forever with their children and grandchildren, and My servant David will be their prince forever. ²⁶ And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary among them forever. ²⁷ My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people.

²⁷ Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’

⁴ For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol.

¹⁶ The LORD will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. ¹⁷ Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, never again to be overrun by foreigners. ¹⁸ And in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk. All the streams of Judah will run with water, and a spring will flow from the house of the LORD to water the Valley of Acacias. ¹⁹ Egypt will become desolate, and Edom a desert wasteland, because of the violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood. ²⁰ But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. ²¹ For I will avenge their blood, which I have not yet avenged.” For the LORD dwells in Zion.

¹¹ “In that day I will restore the fallen tent of David. I will repair its gaps, restore its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old,

¹⁷ But on Mount Zion there will be deliverance, and it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will reclaim their possession. ¹⁸ Then the house of Jacob will be a blazing fire, and the house of Joseph a burning flame; but the house of Esau will be stubble—Jacob will set it ablaze and consume it. Therefore no survivor will remain from the house of Esau.” For the LORD has spoken. ¹⁹ Those from the Negev will possess the mountains of Esau; those from the foothills will possess the land of the Philistines. They will occupy the fields of Ephraim and Samaria, and Benjamin will possess Gilead. ²⁰ And the exiles of this host of the Israelites will possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath; and the exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the cities of the Negev. ²¹ The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to rule over the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will belong to the LORD.

² But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

¹⁵ The LORD has taken away your punishment; He has turned back your enemy. Israel’s King, the LORD, is among you; no longer will you fear any harm. ¹⁶ On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp. ¹⁷ The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

¹¹ Jesus replied, “Elijah does indeed come first, and he will restore all things.

²¹ “What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”

³ While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

¹² He replied, “Elijah does indeed come first, and he restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected?

²⁰ When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs.

¹¹ While the people were listening to this, Jesus proceeded to tell them a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and they thought the kingdom of God would appear imminently.

²⁹ And I bestow on you a kingdom, just as My Father has bestowed one on Me,

²¹ When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

²⁹ The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.

²¹ He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

²³ “You will indeed drink My cup and be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.”

³⁶ No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, but only My Father.

⁴⁰ But to sit at My right and left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

³² No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

²⁶ From one blood He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

¹⁰ as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.

¹ Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you. ² For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

¹⁵ which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time.

¹ But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.

²⁷ All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him.

³ He has remembered His love and faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

¹⁰ Sing to the LORD a new song—His praise from the ends of the earth—you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who dwell in them.

⁶ He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”

¹⁰ The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

¹⁹ I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.

¹⁹ O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of distress, the nations will come to You from the ends of the earth, and they will say, “Our fathers inherited nothing but lies, worthless idols of no benefit at all.

⁸ As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.

⁶ So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.

¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

³⁵ The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.

¹⁹ Behold, I am giving you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.

²⁹ But they pleaded with Him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So He went in to stay with them.

²⁷ And you also must testify, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

⁵ For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

²² beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

³² God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.

¹⁵ You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of the fact.

³³ With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.

³² We are His witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

⁸ Now Stephen, who was full of faith and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

¹ And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

⁵ Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. ⁶ The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform. ⁷ With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city. ⁹ Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great, ¹⁰ and from the least to the greatest they heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.” ¹¹ They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³ Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the miracles and signs he observed. ¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵ On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of Jesus Christ. ¹⁷ Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. ¹⁹ “Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰ But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! ²¹ You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God. ²² Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to God. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart. ²³ For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.” ²⁴ Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” ²⁵ And after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages.

³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him. ³⁹ We are witnesses of all that He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree, ⁴⁰ God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be seen— ⁴¹ not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had chosen beforehand, by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.

¹⁵ You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.

¹⁸ But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

²³ if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

³ And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” ⁴ These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. ⁵ If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone who wants to harm them must be killed. ⁶ These witnesses have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophecy, and power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.

⁹ The LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you, and they will always put their trust in you.” And Moses relayed to the LORD what the people had said.

⁵ And the LORD descended in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed His name, the LORD.

¹⁸ You have ascended on high; You have led captives away. You have received gifts from men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there.

¹ This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them.

¹³ In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.

¹⁹ After the Lord had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

²⁷ At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

⁵⁰ When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.

² until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.

⁸ This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.” ⁹ What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descended first to the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things. ¹¹ And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,

⁷ Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.

¹² And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.

⁴ These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed by Jesus from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

¹¹ As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind. ¹² As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two.

⁹ As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.

² There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

⁵ When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

⁴ While they were puzzling over this, suddenly two men in radiant apparel stood beside them.

¹² and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.

³ One day at about the ninth hour, he had a clear vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

³⁰ Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house fasting and praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me

⁴ But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white.

¹⁴ “Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

¹³ In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. ¹⁴ And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.

³⁰ At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.

³¹ When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.

²⁶ At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

⁷⁰ But he denied it again. After a little while, those standing nearby said once more to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you too are a Galilean and your speech is similar.”

⁵ As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?

³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.

⁷ Astounded and amazed, they asked one another, “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?

¹² And when Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why are you surprised by this? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

¹⁰ and to await His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.

¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise.

⁷ and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels ⁸ in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might, ¹⁰ on the day He comes to be glorified in His saints and regarded with wonder by all who have believed, including you who have believed our testimony.

⁴ On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half the mountain moving to the north and half to the south.

¹ As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,

³⁰ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

³⁷ Every day Jesus taught at the temple, but every evening He went out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.

⁵⁰ When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

⁵² And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

¹⁸ Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away,

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰ And at once they left their nets and followed Him. ²¹ Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them, ²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.

¹⁴ As He was walking along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Levi got up and followed Him.

³⁷ And He did not allow anyone to accompany Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.

² After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them.

¹⁵ And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

³³ He took with Him Peter, James, and John, and began to be deeply troubled and distressed.

²⁷ After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, ²⁸ and Levi got up, left everything, and followed Him. ²⁹ Then Levi hosted a great banquet for Jesus at his house. A large crowd of tax collectors was there, along with others who were eating with them.

¹² And he will show you a large upper room, already furnished. Make preparations there.”

⁴⁰ Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus. ⁴¹ He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ). ⁴² Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of Jonah. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter). ⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.” ⁴⁴ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ⁴⁶ “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do. ⁷ Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”

¹⁶ Then Thomas called Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

²¹ They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” ²² Philip relayed this appeal to Andrew, and both of them went and told Jesus.

²³ One of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at His side. ²⁴ So Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus which one He was talking about. ²⁵ Leaning back against Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”

⁸ Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

¹⁷ At this, the servant girl watching the door said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples?” “I am not,” he answered.

²⁵ Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they asked him, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” ²⁶ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?” ²⁷ Peter denied it once more, and immediately a rooster crowed.

²⁶ Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” ²⁸ Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

² Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.

¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” ¹⁶ Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.” ¹⁷ Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. ¹⁸ Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.” ²⁰ Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?” ²¹ When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” ²² Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!” ²³ Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?” ²⁴ This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true.

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words.

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

¹ One afternoon Peter and John were going up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ² And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked directly at him, as did John. “Look at us!” said Peter. ⁵ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸ He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹ When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they recognized him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

¹³ When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.

¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.

³² As Peter traveled throughout the area, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. ³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. ³⁴ “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up, ³⁵ and all who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. ³⁶ In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity. ³⁷ At that time, however, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upper room. ³⁸ Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent to him, urging, “Come to them without delay.” ³⁹ So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. ⁴⁰ Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive. ⁴² This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. ⁴³ And Peter stayed for several days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

⁹ The next day at about the sixth hour, as the men were approaching the city on their journey, Peter went up on the roof to pray. ¹⁰ He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. ¹¹ He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth to him, bound at its four corners. ¹² It contained all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. ¹³ Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” ¹⁴ “No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” ¹⁵ The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” ¹⁶ This happened three times, and again the sheet was taken back up into heaven. ¹⁷ While Peter was puzzling over the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and approached the gate. ¹⁸ They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there. ¹⁹ As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, men are looking for you. ²⁰ So get up! Go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them.” ²¹ So Peter went down to the men and said, “Here am I, the one you are looking for. Why have you come?” ²² “Cornelius the centurion has sent us,” they said. “He is a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation among the whole Jewish nation. A holy angel instructed him to request your presence in his home so he could hear a message from you.” ²³ So Peter invited them in as his guests. And the next day he got ready and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa. ²⁴ The following day they arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him. ²⁶ But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.” ²⁷ As Peter talked with him, he went inside and found many people gathered together. ²⁸ He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. ²⁹ So when I was invited, I came without objection. I ask, then, why have you sent for me?” ³⁰ Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house fasting and praying at this, the ninth hour. Suddenly a man in radiant clothing stood before me ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God. ³² Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea. He will speak to you when he arrives.’ ³³ So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything God has instructed you to tell us.”

² He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. ³ And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

¹⁷ Peter motioned with his hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Send word to James and to the brothers,” he said, and he left for another place.

⁷ After much debate, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among us that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us. ⁹ He made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? ¹¹ On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

¹³ When they had finished speaking, James declared, “Brothers, listen to me!

⁸ Now there were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.

⁷ Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

¹⁹ But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

⁹ And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.

¹ James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.

¹ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life. ² And this is the life that was revealed; we have seen it and testified to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. ⁴ We write these things to you so that our joy may be complete. ⁵ And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

¹ The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I alone, but also all who know the truth— ² because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: ³ Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, will be with us in truth and love. ⁴ I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father has commanded us. ⁵ And now I urge you, dear lady—not as a new commandment to you, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. ⁶ And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love. ⁷ For many deceivers have entered into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸ Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded. ⁹ Anyone who transgresses without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in the teaching of Christ has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him. ¹¹ Whoever greets such a person shares in his evil deeds. ¹² I have many things to write to you, but I would prefer not to do so with paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come and speak with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. ¹³ The children of your elect sister send you greetings. Amen.

¹ The elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth: ² Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers. ³ For I was overjoyed when the brothers came and testified about your devotion to the truth, in which you continue to walk. ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth. ⁵ Beloved, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, and especially since they are strangers to you. ⁶ They have testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. ⁷ For they went out on behalf of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸ Therefore we ought to receive such men, so that we may be fellow workers for the truth. ⁹ I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction. ¹⁰ So if I come, I will call attention to his malicious slander against us. And unsatisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers and forbids those who want to do so, even putting them out of the church. ¹¹ Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. ¹² Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true. ¹³ I have many things to write, but I would prefer not to do so with pen and ink. ¹⁴ Instead, I hope to see you soon and speak with you face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send you greetings. Greet each of our friends there by name.

¹ Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept in Jesus Christ:

¹ This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, ² who testifies to everything he saw. This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. ³ Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near.

⁴⁶ While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him.

⁵⁵ “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶ Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things?”

¹⁹ Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”

²² If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

⁵⁵ And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.

³¹ Then Jesus’ brothers and mother came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him, ³² and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside, asking for You.” ³³ But Jesus replied, “Who is My mother, or who are My brothers?” ³⁴ Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! ³⁵ For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”

⁴⁰ And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.

¹ When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint the body of Jesus.

² as well as some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, ³ Joanna the wife of Herod’s household manager Chuza, Susanna, and many others. These women were ministering to them out of their own means.

¹ Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:

⁴⁹ But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.

⁵⁵ The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was placed.

¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.

⁵³ praising and blessing God continually in the temple.

²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.”

¹ When the day of Pentecost came, they were all with one accord in one place.

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

⁴⁶ With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,

²⁴ When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You are God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. ²⁵ You spoke through the mouth of Your servant, David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? ²⁶ The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’ ²⁷ In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. ²⁸ They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen. ²⁹ And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, ³⁰ as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” ³¹ After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

⁴ and will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

² Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,

⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah ⁶ Therefore let all the godly pray to You while You may be found. Surely when great waters rise, they will not come near.

⁹ Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. ¹¹ Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit. ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.

³¹ He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field.

³² But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

¹² Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to My Father.

¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” ¹⁶ Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.” ¹⁷ Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

²³ Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”

²⁰ When they heard this, they glorified the Lord. Then they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.

⁶ After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

¹³ And in that day there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

² The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.

⁹ Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

¹² For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide. ¹³ But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend. ¹⁴ We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God. ¹⁵ Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes.

⁴⁷ While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.

⁵⁴ But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”

⁵⁶ But this has all happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.

³⁶ Speaking by the Holy Spirit, David himself declared: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’

⁴³ While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, scribes, and elders.

⁴⁷ While He was still speaking, a crowd arrived, led by the man called Judas, one of the Twelve. He approached Jesus to kiss Him.

³⁵ If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken—

³⁸ This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” ³⁹ For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says: ⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they cannot see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”

² Now Judas His betrayer also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples. ³ So Judas brought a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons. ⁴ Jesus, knowing all that was coming upon Him, stepped forward and asked them, “Whom are you seeking?” ⁵ “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus said, “I am He.” And Judas His betrayer was standing there with them. ⁶ When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. ⁷ So He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. ⁸ “I told you that I am He,” Jesus replied. “So if you are looking for Me, let these men go.”

²⁸ After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put it on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted it to His mouth. ³⁰ When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.

³⁶ Now these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of His bones will be broken.”

²⁰ “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’

²³ He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, took and put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.

²⁹ Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that from his descendants according to the flesh He would raise up the Christ to seat Him on his throne. ³¹ Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay.

³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

²⁵ You spoke through the mouth of Your servant, David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? ²⁶ The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’ ²⁷ In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. ²⁸ They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen.

² And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

¹⁵ After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of encouragement for the people, please speak.”

²⁶ Brothers, children of Abraham, and you Gentiles who fear God, it is to you that this message of salvation has been sent. ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. ²⁸ And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. ²⁹ When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.

³⁸ Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

⁷ After much debate, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among us that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.

¹ “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”

¹ Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”

⁶ Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”

¹⁷ After three days, Paul called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.

²⁵ They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to our fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

⁷ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, ⁸ do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness,

¹¹ trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

²¹ It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.

⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

¹⁶ Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

⁷⁰ Jesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” ⁷¹ He was speaking about Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. For although Judas was one of the Twelve, he was later to betray Jesus.

¹² While I was with them in the world, I protected and preserved by Your name those You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

²⁵ to receive a portion in this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned to go to his rightful place.”

²⁵ When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.

²⁴ But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course with joy and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

¹⁹ Paul greeted them and recounted one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

¹ Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.

¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

⁷ The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.

¹⁷ for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”

²¹ When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” ²² So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there it all was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. ²³ They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out before the LORD. ²⁴ Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his oxen and donkeys and sheep, his tent, and everything else he owned, and brought them to the Valley of Achor. ²⁵ “Why have you brought this trouble upon us?” said Joshua. “Today the LORD will bring trouble upon you!” And all Israel stoned him to death. Then they stoned the others and burned their bodies. ²⁶ And they heaped over Achan a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. So the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.

²⁰ Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman, while not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” ²¹ So Gehazi pursued Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?” ²² “Everything is all right,” Gehazi replied. “My master has sent me to say, ‘I have just now discovered that two young men from the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’” ²³ But Naaman insisted, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged Gehazi to accept them. Then he tied up two talents of silver in two bags along with two sets of clothing and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of Gehazi. ²⁴ When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the gifts from the servants and stored them in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they departed. ²⁵ When Gehazi went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Gehazi, where have you been?” “Your servant did not go anywhere,” he replied. ²⁶ But Elisha questioned him, “Did not my spirit go with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants? ²⁷ Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and your descendants forever!” And as Gehazi left his presence, he was leprous—as white as snow.

¹² Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue, ¹³ though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth, ¹⁴ yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him. ¹⁵ He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.

¹⁵ Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes.

²³ But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.

¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.

¹⁴ Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.

³ When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. ⁴ “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.” ⁵ So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. ⁶ The chief priests picked up the pieces of silver and said, “It is unlawful to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” ⁷ After conferring together, they used the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. ⁸ That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. ⁹ Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on Him by the people of Israel, ¹⁰ and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord had commanded me.”

¹⁵ They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of wickedness. ¹⁶ But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

¹⁶ Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.

¹⁵ So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.

⁴⁰ Having received permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. A great hush came over the crowd, and he addressed them in Hebrew:

²⁵ May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

⁸ May his days be few; may another take his position. ⁹ May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. ¹⁰ May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes. ¹¹ May the creditor seize all he owns, and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. ¹² May there be no one to extend kindness to him, and no one to favor his fatherless children. ¹³ May his descendants be cut off; may their name be blotted out from the next generation. ¹⁴ May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and the sin of his mother never be blotted out. ¹⁵ May their sins always remain before the LORD, that He may cut off their memory from the earth.

³ Then he told me, “This is the curse that is going out over the face of all the land, for according to one side of the scroll, every thief will be removed; and according to the other side, every perjurer will be removed. ⁴ I will send it out, declares the LORD of Hosts, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of him who swears falsely by My name. It will remain inside his house and destroy it, down to its timbers and stones.”

⁴² For David himself says in the book of Psalms: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand

⁴⁴ Jesus said to them, “These are the words I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”

³³ He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.’

¹⁷ who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

² he said to them, “I am now a hundred and twenty years old; I am no longer able to come and go, and the LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’

² Even in times past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And to you the LORD said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’”

⁷ And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David’s place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in.

¹ After this, the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit. ² Therefore He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.

¹ “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out his own sheep, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.” ⁶ Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them. ⁷ So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who came were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture.

¹ In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” ³ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” ⁴ John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region around the Jordan. ⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan. ⁷ But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. ¹¹ I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. ¹² His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” ¹³ At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. ¹⁴ But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” ¹⁵ “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him. ¹⁶ As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”

¹ This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ² As it is written in the prophets: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.” ³ “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” ⁴ John came baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were all baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And he began to proclaim: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I indeed baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

¹ In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, ² during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. ⁵ Every valley shall be filled in, and every mountain and hill made low. The crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth. ⁶ And all humanity will see God’s salvation.’” ⁷ Then John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” ¹⁰ The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹ John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” ¹³ “Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered. ¹⁴ Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” “Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said. “Be content with your wages.” ¹⁵ The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John could be the Christ. ¹⁶ John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” ¹⁸ With these and many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news to the people.

²⁸ All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. ²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.” ³² Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him. ³³ I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” ³⁵ The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. ³⁶ When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” ³⁷ And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. ³⁸ Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked. They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?” ³⁹ “Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with Him. It was about the tenth hour. ⁴⁰ Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus. ⁴¹ He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ). ⁴² Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of Jonah. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter). ⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.” ⁴⁴ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ⁴⁶ “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. ⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.” ⁴⁸ “How do You know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” ⁴⁹ “Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” ⁵¹ Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, from now on you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ⁹ After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.

²⁴ Before the arrival of Jesus, John preached a baptism of repentance to Israel. ²⁵ As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But He is coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

³ how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

²⁶ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

²² Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,

¹⁶ “May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation

⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

³⁹ be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and act, and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of all men—

⁹ As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

¹⁷ I know, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness. All these things I have given willingly and with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to You.

⁹ Put an end to the evil of the wicked, but establish the righteous, O righteous God who searches hearts and minds.

²¹ would not God have discovered, since He knows the secrets of the heart?

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

¹¹ Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD—how much more the hearts of men!

²⁰ O LORD of Hosts, who judges righteously, who examines the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause.

¹⁰ I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.

¹² O LORD of Hosts, who examines the righteous, who sees the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause.

¹² In those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God. ¹³ When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles:

²⁴ But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew them all. ²⁵ He did not need any testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.

¹⁷ Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

⁶ They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

²³ Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.

⁸ And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.

²⁷ And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

²³ Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

¹³ So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, ¹⁴ and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

⁷ When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayer be regarded as sin.

⁴¹ Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

⁴⁶ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

²⁴ The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed. It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

³ When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. ⁴ “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.” ⁵ So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

²⁷ And when Judas had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

¹⁶ “Brothers, this Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷ He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” ¹⁸ (Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out. ¹⁹ This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰ “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’ ²¹ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

⁵ Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

² Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

⁸ For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles.

³ In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction will not sleep. ⁴ For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; ⁵ if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight; ⁶ if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly;

⁶ And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day. ⁷ In like manner, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, who indulged in sexual immorality and pursued strange flesh, are on display as an example of those who sustain the punishment of eternal fire.

⁸ After Aaron casts lots for the two goats, one for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat,

¹⁰ And Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh, where he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their divisions.

⁴¹ So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim; but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge. ⁴² Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.

⁵ Thus they were divided by lot, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.

²² Understanding is a fountain of life to its possessor, but the discipline of fools is folly.

⁷ “Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

¹⁹ And having vanquished seven nations in Canaan, He gave their land to His people as their inheritance.