Acts 8 Cross References - WNT

¹ And Saul fully approved of his murder. At this time a great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria. ² A party of devout men, however, buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. ³ But Saul cruelly harassed the Church. He went into house after house, and, dragging off both men and women, threw them into prison. ⁴ Those, however, who were scattered abroad went from place to place spreading the Good News of God's Message; ⁵ while Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ there. ⁶ Crowds of people, with one accord, gave attention to what they heard from him, listening, and witnessing the signs which he did. ⁷ For, with a loud cry, foul spirits came out of many possessed by them, and many paralytics and lame persons were restored to health. ⁸ And there was great joy in that city. ⁹ Now for some time past there had been a man named Simon living there, who had been practising magic and astonishing the Samaritans, pretending that he was more than human. ¹⁰ To him people of all classes paid attention, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the great Power." ¹¹ His influence over them arose from their having been, for a long time, bewildered by his sorceries. ¹² But when Philip began to tell the Good News about the Kingdom of God and about the Name of Jesus Christ, and they embraced the faith, they were baptized, men and women alike. ¹³ Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized remained in close attendance on Philip, and was full of amazement at seeing such signs and such great miracles performed. ¹⁴ When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John to visit them. ¹⁵ They, when they came down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit: ¹⁶ for He had not as yet fallen upon any of them. They had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then the Apostles placed their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ When, however, Simon saw that it was through the laying on of the Apostles' hands that the Spirit was bestowed, he offered them money. ¹⁹ "Give me too," he said, "that power, so that every one on whom I place my hands will receive the Holy Spirit." ²⁰ "Perish your money and yourself," replied Peter, "because you have imagined that you can obtain God's free gift with money! ²¹ No part or lot have you in this matter, for your heart is not right in God's sight. ²² Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, in the hope that the purpose which is in your heart may perhaps be forgiven you. ²³ For I perceive that you have fallen into the bitterest bondage of unrighteousness." ²⁴ "Pray, both of you, to the Lord for me," answered Simon, "that nothing of what you have said may come upon me." ²⁵ So the Apostles, after giving a solemn charge and delivering the Lord's Message, travelled back to Jerusalem, making known the Good News also in many of the Samaritan villages. ²⁶ And an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and proceed south to the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza, crossing the Desert." ²⁷ Upon this he rose and went. Now, as it happened, an Ethiopian eunuch who was in a position of high authority with Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, as her treasurer, had visited Jerusalem to worship there, ²⁸ and was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the Prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go and enter that chariot." ³⁰ So Philip ran up and heard the eunuch reading the Prophet Isaiah. "Do you understand what you are reading?" he asked. ³¹ "Why, how can I," replied the eunuch, "unless some one explains it to me?" And he earnestly invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "LIKE A SHEEP HE WAS LED TO SLAUGHTER, AND JUST AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS DUMB SO HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH. ³³ IN HIS HUMILIATION JUSTICE WAS DENIED HIM. WHO WILL MAKE KNOWN HIS POSTERITY? FOR HE IS DESTROYED FROM AMONG MEN." ³⁴ "Pray, of whom is the Prophet speaking?" inquired the eunuch; "of himself or of some one else?" ³⁵ Then Philip began to speak, and, commencing with that same portion of Scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus. ³⁶ So they proceeded on their way till they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, "See, here is water; what is there to prevent my being baptized?" ³⁷ OMITTED TEXT ³⁸ So he stopped the chariot; and both of them--Philip and the eunuch--went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. ³⁹ But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again. With a glad heart he resumed his journey; ⁴⁰ but Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town he everywhere made known the Good News until he reached Caesarea.

¹³ "*You* are the salt of the earth; but if salt has become tasteless, in what way can it regain its saltness? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown away and trodden on by the passers by.

²⁵ Enough for the learner to be on a level with his teacher, and for the servant to be on a level with his master. If they have called the master of the house Baal-zebul, how much more will they slander his servants? ²⁶ Fear them not, however; there is nothing veiled which will not be uncovered, nor secret which will not become known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what is whispered into your ear, proclaim upon the roofs of the houses. ²⁸ "And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

⁶ and the rest seized the king's servants, maltreated them, and murdered them.

³⁴ "For this reason I am sending to you Prophets and wise men and Scribes. Some of them you will put to death--nay, crucify; some of them you will flog in your synagogues and chase from town to town;

⁴⁹ "For this reason also the Wisdom of God has said, 'I will send Prophets and Apostles to them, of whom they will kill some and persecute others,' ⁵⁰ so that the blood of all the Prophets, that is being shed from the creation of the world onwards, may be required from the present generation.

³⁹ Of the Samaritan population of that town a good many believed in Him because of the woman's statement when she declared, "He has told me all that I have ever done." ⁴⁰ When however the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him on all sides to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. ⁴¹ Then a far larger number of people believed because of His own words, ⁴² and they said to the woman, "We no longer believe in Him simply because of your statements; for we have now heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world."

²⁰ Bear in mind what I said to you, 'A servant is not superior to his master.' If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

² You will be excluded from the synagogues; nay more, the time is coming when any one who has murdered one of you will suppose he is offering service to God.

⁸ and yet you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and Samaria and to the remotest parts of the earth."

⁴⁷ praising God and being regarded with favour by all the people. Also, day by day, the Lord added to their number those whom He was saving.

¹⁸ and laid hands upon the Apostles, and put them into the public jail.

²⁰ "Go and stand in the Temple, and go on proclaiming to the people all this Message of Life."

³³ Infuriated at getting this answer, they were disposed to kill the Apostles.

⁴⁰ His advice carried conviction. So they called the Apostles in, and--after flogging them--ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then let them go.

³⁸ 'This is he who was among the Congregation in the Desert, together with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and with our forefathers, who received ever-living utterances to hand on to us.

⁵⁴ As they listened to these words, they became infuriated and gnashed their teeth at him.

⁵⁸ dragged him out of the city, and stoned him, the witnesses throwing off their outer garments and giving them into the care of a young man called Saul.

⁴ Those, however, who were scattered abroad went from place to place spreading the Good News of God's Message;

¹⁴ When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John to visit them.

³¹ The Church, however, throughout the whole of Judaea, Galilee and Samaria, had peace and was spiritually built up; and grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord and receiving encouragement from the Holy Spirit.

¹⁹ Those, however, who had been driven in various directions by the persecution which broke out on account of Stephen made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, delivering the Message to none but Jews. ²⁰ But some of them were Cyprians and Cyrenaeans, who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks also and told them the Good News concerning the Lord Jesus. ²¹ The power of the Lord was with them, and there were a vast number who believed and turned to the Lord. ²² When tidings of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

¹ Now there were in Antioch, in the Church there--as Prophets and teachers--barnabas, Symeon surnamed 'the black,' Lucius the Cyrenaean, Manaen (who was Herod the Tetrarch's foster-brother), and Saul.

²⁰ and when they were shedding the blood of Stephen, Thy witness, I was standing by, fully approving of it, and I held the clothes of those who were killing him.'

¹² Now I would have you know, brethren, that what I have gone through has turned out to the furtherance of the Good News rather than otherwise.

²⁷ Through faith he left Egypt, not being frightened by the king's anger; for he held on his course as seeing the unseen One.

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem of the name of Symeon, an upright and God-fearing man, who was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

³¹ So the Jews who were with Mary in the house sympathizing with her, when they saw that she had risen hastily and had gone out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep aloud there. ³² Mary then, when she came to Jesus and saw Him, fell at His feet and exclaimed, "Master, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." ³³ Seeing her weeping aloud, and the Jews in like manner weeping who had come with her, Jesus, curbing the strong emotion of His spirit, ³⁴ though deeply troubled, asked them, "Where have you laid him?" "Master, come and see," was their reply. ³⁵ Jesus wept.

⁵ Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every part of the world.

² He was religious and God-fearing--and so was every member of his household. He was also liberal in his charities to the people, and continually offered prayer to God.

¹ Now Saul, whose every breath was a threat of destruction for the disciples of the Lord, ² went to the High Priest and begged from him letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, in order that if he found any believers there, either men or women, he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem. ³ But on the journey, as he was getting near Damascus, suddenly there flashed round him a light from Heaven; ⁴ and falling to the ground he heard a voice which said to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" ⁵ "Who art thou, Lord?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," was the reply. ⁶ "But rise and go to the city, and you will be told what you are to do. ⁷ Meanwhile the men who travelled with Saul were standing dumb with amazement, hearing a sound, but seeing no one. ⁸ Then he rose from the ground, but when he had opened his eyes, he could not see, and they led him by the arm and brought him to Damascus. ⁹ And for two days he remained without sight, and did not eat or drink anything. ¹⁰ Now in Damascus there was a disciple of the name of Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, saying, "Ananias!" "I am here, Lord," he answered. ¹¹ "Rise," said the Lord, "and go to Straight Street, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man called Saul, from Tarsus, for he is actually praying. ¹² He has seen a man called Ananias come and lay his hands upon him so that he may recover his sight." ¹³ "Lord," answered Ananias, "I have heard about that man from many, and I have heard of the great mischief he has done to Thy people in Jerusalem;

²¹ and his hearers were all amazed, and began to ask one another, "Is not this the man who in Jerusalem tried to exterminate those who called upon that Name, and came here on purpose to carry them off in chains to the High Priests?"

³ "I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I was carefully trained at the feet of Gamaliel in the Law of our forefathers, and, like all of you to-day, was zealous for God. ⁴ I persecuted to death this new faith, continually binding both men and women and throwing them into prison;

¹⁹ "'Lord,' I replied, 'they themselves well know how active I was in imprisoning, and in flogging in synagogue after synagogue those who believe in Thee;

⁹ "I myself, however, thought it a duty to do many things in hostility to the name of Jesus, the Nazarene. ¹⁰ And that was how I acted in Jerusalem. Armed with authority received from the High Priests I shut up many of God's people in various prisons, and when they were about to be put to death I gave my vote against them. ¹¹ In all the synagogues also I punished them many a time, and tried to make them blaspheme; and in my wild fury I chased them even to foreign towns.

⁹ For I am the least of the Apostles, and am not fit to be called an Apostle--because I persecuted the Church of God.

¹³ For you have heard of my early career in Judaism--how I furiously persecuted the Church of God, and made havoc of it;

⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the Church; as to the righteousness which comes through Law, blameless.

¹³ though I was previously a blasphemer and a persecutor and had been insolent in outrage. Yet mercy was shown me, because I had acted ignorantly, not having as yet believed;

⁶ But *you* have put dishonour upon the poor man. Yet is it not the rich who grind you down? Are not they the very people who drag you into the Law courts? --

²³ Whenever they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for I solemnly tell you that you will not have gone the round of all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

¹ And Saul fully approved of his murder. At this time a great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria.

¹⁹ Those, however, who had been driven in various directions by the persecution which broke out on account of Stephen made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, delivering the Message to none but Jews.

² But the Jews who had refused obedience stirred up the Gentiles and embittered their minds against the brethren. ³ Yet Paul and Barnabas remained there for a considerable time, speaking freely and relying on the Lord, while He bore witness to the Message of His grace by permitting signs and marvels to be done by them. ⁴ At length the people of the city split into parties, some siding with the Jews and some with the Apostles. ⁵ And when a hostile movement was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with the sanction of their magistrates, to maltreat and stone them, ⁶ the Apostles, having become aware of it, made their escape into the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe, and the neighbouring country. ⁷ And there they continued to tell the Good News.

³⁵ But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and, in company with many others, telling the Good News of the Lord's Message.

² But, as you will remember, after we had already met with suffering and outrage at Philippi, we summoned up boldness, by the help of our God, to tell you God's Good News amid much opposition.

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent on a mission, after giving them their instructions: "Go not," He said, "among the Gentiles, and enter no Samaritan town; ⁶ but, instead of that, go to the lost sheep of Israel's race.

²⁵ "I know," replied the woman, "that Messiah is coming-- 'the Christ,' as He is called. When He has come, He will tell us everything." ²⁶ "I am He," said Jesus-- "I who am now talking to you."

⁴² But they did not desist from teaching every day, in the Temple or in private houses, and telling the Good News about Jesus, the Christ.

⁵ The suggestion met with general approval, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch.

¹⁴ When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John to visit them. ¹⁵ They, when they came down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit:

³⁵ Then Philip began to speak, and, commencing with that same portion of Scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus. ³⁶ So they proceeded on their way till they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, "See, here is water; what is there to prevent my being baptized?"

⁴⁰ but Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town he everywhere made known the Good News until he reached Caesarea.

²⁰ And in the synagogues he began at once to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God;

² Paul--following his usual custom--betook himself to it, and for three successive Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ³ which he clearly explained, pointing out that it had been necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise again from the dead, and insisting, "The Jesus whom I am announcing to you is the Christ."

⁸ On the morrow we left Ptolemais and went on to Caesarea, where we came to the house of Philip the Evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

²³ while we proclaim a Christ who has been crucified--to the Jews a stumbling-block, to Gentiles foolishness,

² For I determined to be utterly ignorant, when among you, of everything except of Jesus Christ, and of Him as having been crucified.

¹¹ For no one can lay any other foundation in addition to that which is already laid, namely Jesus Christ.

¹⁵ Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own property? Or are you envious because I am generous?' ¹⁶ "So the last shall be first, and the first last."

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole population of the city came together to hear the Lord's Message.

²⁴ Thus His fame spread through all Syria; and they brought all the sick to Him, the people who were suffering from various diseases and pains--demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He cured them.

¹ Then He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over foul spirits, to drive them out; and to cure every kind of disease and infirmity.

⁵ "blind eyes receive sight, and cripples walk; lepers are cleansed, and deaf ears hear; the dead are raised to life, and the poor have the Good News proclaimed to them;

³⁰ Soon great crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were crippled in feet or hands, blind or dumb, and many besides, and they hastened to lay them at His feet. And He cured them, ³¹ so that the people were amazed to see the dumb speaking, the maimed with their hands perfect, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they gave the glory to the God of Israel.

³ when there came a party of people bringing a paralytic--four men carrying him. ⁴ Finding themselves unable, however, to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they untiled the roof just over His head, and after clearing an opening they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying. ⁵ Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are pardoned." ⁶ Now there were some of the Scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts. ⁷ "Why does this man use such words?" they said; "he is blaspheming. Who can pardon sins but One--that is, God?" ⁸ At once perceiving by His spirit that they were reasoning within themselves, Jesus asked them, "Why do you thus argue in your minds? ⁹ Which is easier? --to say to this paralytic, 'Your sins are pardoned,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your mat, and walk?' ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to pardon sins" --He turned to the paralytic, and said, ¹¹ "To you I say, 'Rise, take up your mat and go home.'"

²⁶ So with a loud cry he threw the boy into fit after fit, and came out. The boy looked as if he were dead, so that most of them said he was dead;

¹⁷ And signs shall attend those who believe, even such as these. By making use of my name they shall expel demons. They shall speak new languages. ¹⁸ They shall take up venomous snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison it shall do them no harm whatever. They shall lay their hands on the sick, and the sick shall recover."

¹⁷ When the Seventy returned, they exclaimed joyfully, "Master, even the demons submit to us when we utter your name."

¹² In most solemn truth I tell you that he who trusts in me--the things which I do he shall do also; and greater things than these he shall do, because I am going to the Father.

⁶ "I have no silver or gold," Peter said, "but what I have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene-- walk!" ⁷ Then taking his hand Peter lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened.

¹⁶ The inhabitants, too, of the towns in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem came in crowds, bringing sick persons and some who were harassed by foul spirits, and they were cured, one and all.

³³ There he found a man of the name of Aeneas, who for eight years had kept his bed, through being paralysed. ³⁴ Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you. Rise and make your own bed." He at once rose to his feet.

⁸ Now a man who had no power in his feet used to sit in the streets of Lystra. He had been lame from his birth and had never walked. ⁹ After this man had listened to one of Paul's sermons, the Apostle, looking steadily at him and perceiving that he had faith to be cured, ¹⁰ said in a loud voice, "Stand upright upon your feet!"

⁴ while God corroborated their testimony by signs and marvels and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed in accordance with His own will.

¹⁰ But the angel said to them, "Put away all fear; for I am bringing you good news of great joy--joy for all the People. ¹¹ For a Saviour who is the Anointed Lord is born to you to-day, in the town of David.

³⁹ But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again. With a glad heart he resumed his journey;

⁴⁸ The Gentiles listened with delight and extolled the Lord's Message; and all who were pre-destined to the Life of the Ages believed.

⁵² and as for the disciples, they were more and more filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

⁹ and that the Gentiles also have glorified God in acknowledgment of His mercy. So it is written, "FOR THIS REASON I WILL PRAISE THEE AMONG THE GENTILES, AND SING PSALMS IN HONOUR OF THY NAME." ¹⁰ And again the Psalmist says, "BE GLAD, YE GENTILES, IN COMPANY WITH HIS PEOPLE." ¹¹ And again, "PRAISE THE LORD, ALL YE GENTILES, AND LET ALL THE PEOPLE EXTOL HIM." ¹² And again Isaiah says, "THERE SHALL BE THE ROOT OF JESSE AND ONE WHO RISES UP TO RULE THE GENTILES. ON HIM SHALL THE GENTILES BUILD THEIR HOPES."

¹⁸ The man whose teaching originates with himself aims at his own glory. He who aims at the glory of Him who sent him teaches the truth, and there is no deception in him.

³⁶ Years ago Theudas appeared, professing to be a person of importance, and a body of men, some four hundred in number, joined him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and annihilated.

¹¹ His influence over them arose from their having been, for a long time, bewildered by his sorceries.

⁶ When they had gone through the whole length of the island as far as Paphos, they there met with a Jewish magician and false prophet, Bar-Jesus by name,

¹⁶ One day, as we were on our way to the place of prayer, a slave girl met us who claimed to be inspired and was accustomed to bring her owners large profits by telling fortunes. ¹⁷ She kept following close behind Paul and the rest of us, crying aloud, "These men are the bondservants of the Most High God, and are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." ¹⁸ This she persisted in for a considerable time, until Paul, wearied out, turned round and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out immediately.

¹⁸ Many also of those who believed came confessing without reserve what their conduct had been, ¹⁹ and not a few of those who had practised magical arts brought their books together and burnt them in the presence of all. The total value was reckoned and found to be 50,000 silver coins. ²⁰ Thus mightily did the Lord's Message spread and triumph!

⁴ and exalts himself above, every so-called 'god' or object of worship, and goes the length of taking his seat in the very temple of God, giving it out that he himself is God.

² For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, profane. They will be disobedient to parents, thankless, irreligious,

⁵ and will keep up a make-believe of piety and yet live in defiance of its power. Turn away from people of this sort.

⁸ And just as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so also these false teachers withstand the truth--being, as they are, men of debased intellects, and of no real worth so far as faith is concerned. ⁹ But they will have no further success; for their folly will be as clearly manifest to all men, as that of the opponents of Moses came to be.

¹⁸ For, while they pour out their frivolous and arrogant talk, they use earthly cravings--every kind of immorality--as a bait to entrap men who are just escaping from the influence of those who live in error.

¹³ He also works great miracles, so as even to make fire come down from Heaven to earth in the presence of human beings. ¹⁴ And his power of leading astray the inhabitants of the earth is due to the marvels which he has been permitted to work in the presence of the Wild Beast. And he told the inhabitants of the earth to erect a statue to the Wild Beast who had received the sword-stroke and yet had recovered.

¹⁵ The unclean are shut out, and so are all who practise magic, all fornicators, all murderers, and those who worship idols, and every one who loves falsehood and tells lies.

¹¹ So he sprang up and began to walk about. Then the crowds, seeing what Paul had done, rent the air with their shouts in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods have assumed human form and have come down to us."

⁶ They expected him soon to swell with inflammation or suddenly fall down dead; but, after waiting a long time and seeing no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

²⁴ but to those who have received the Call, whether Jews or Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

¹⁹ Wise as you yourselves are, you find pleasure in tolerating fools.

¹⁴ So we shall no longer be babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous cunning, making use of every shifting device to mislead.

² And in their immoral ways they will have many eager disciples, through whom religion will be brought into disrepute.

³ I saw that one of his heads seemed to have been mortally wounded; but his mortal wound was healed, and the whole world was amazed and followed him.

⁹ Now for some time past there had been a man named Simon living there, who had been practising magic and astonishing the Samaritans, pretending that he was more than human.

¹ You foolish Galatians! Whose sophistry has bewitched you--you to whom Jesus Christ has been vividly portrayed as on the Cross?

¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations; baptize them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit;

¹⁵ Then He said to them, "Go the whole world over, and proclaim the Good News to all mankind. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who disbelieves will be condemned.

² and sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to cure the sick.

⁶⁰ "Leave the dead," Jesus rejoined, "to bury their own dead; but you must go and announce far and wide the coming of the Kingdom of God."

³ He had also, after He suffered, shown Himself alive to them with many sure proofs, appearing to them at intervals during forty days, and speaking of the Kingdom of God.

³⁸ "Repent," replied Peter, "and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, with a view to the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

⁴¹ Those, therefore, who joyfully welcomed his Message were baptized; and on that one day about three thousand persons were added to them;

¹⁴ and more and more believers in the Lord joined them, including great numbers both of men and women--

³⁵ Then Philip began to speak, and, commencing with that same portion of Scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus. ³⁶ So they proceeded on their way till they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, "See, here is water; what is there to prevent my being baptized?" ³⁷ OMITTED TEXT ³⁸ So he stopped the chariot; and both of them--Philip and the eunuch--went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

²⁰ But some of them were Cyprians and Cyrenaeans, who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks also and told them the Good News concerning the Lord Jesus.

¹⁴ Among our hearers was one named Lydia, a dealer in purple goods. She belonged to the city of Thyateira, and was a worshipper of the true God. The Lord opened her heart, so that she gave attention to what Paul was saying. ¹⁵ When she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If in your judgement I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she made us go there.

³¹ "Believe on the Lord Jesus," they replied, "and both you and your household will be saved." ³² And they told the Lord's Message to him as well as to all who were in his house. ³³ Then he took them, even at that time of night, washed their wounds, and he and all his household were immediately baptized; ³⁴ and bringing the Apostles up into his house, he spread a meal for them, and was filled with gladness, with his whole household, his faith resting on God.

⁸ And Crispus, the Warden of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, and so did all his household; and from time to time many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and received baptism.

²¹ and urging upon both Jews and Greeks the necessity of turning to God and of believing in Jesus our Lord.

²⁵ "And now, I know that none of you among whom I have gone in and out proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom will any longer see my face.

³¹ He announced the coming of the Kingdom of God, and taught concerning the Lord Jesus Christ without let or hindrance.

¹⁰ For with the heart men believe and obtain righteousness, and with the mouth they make confession and obtain salvation.

¹¹ Yet, in the Lord, woman is not independent of man nor man independent of woman.

²⁸ In Him the distinctions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free man, male and female, disappear; you are all one in Christ Jesus.

²¹ And, corresponding to that figure, the water of baptism now saves you--not the washing off of material defilement, but the craving of a good conscience after God--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

¹⁷ And signs shall attend those who believe, even such as these. By making use of my name they shall expel demons. They shall speak new languages.

¹³ Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe, but when trial comes they fall away.

²³ Now when He was in Jerusalem, at the Festival of the Passover, many became believers in Him through watching the miracles He performed. ²⁴ But for His part, Jesus did not trust Himself to them, because He knew them all, ²⁵ and did not need any one's testimony concerning a man, for He of Himself knew what was in the man.

²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and reveals to Him all that He Himself is doing. And greater deeds than these will He reveal to Him, in order that you may wonder.

²¹ "One deed I have done," replied Jesus, "and you are all full of wonder.

³⁰ As He thus spoke, many became believers in Him. ³¹ Jesus therefore said to those of the Jews who had now believed in Him, "As for you, if you hold fast to my teaching, then you are truly my disciples;

¹⁰ and recognizing him as the man who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple asking for alms, they were filled with awe and amazement at what had happened to him.

⁶ Crowds of people, with one accord, gave attention to what they heard from him, listening, and witnessing the signs which he did. ⁷ For, with a loud cry, foul spirits came out of many possessed by them, and many paralytics and lame persons were restored to health.

²¹ No part or lot have you in this matter, for your heart is not right in God's sight.

¹¹ God also brought about extraordinary miracles through Paul's instrumentality.

¹⁹ You believe that God is one, and you are quite right: evil spirits also believe this, and shudder." ²⁰ But, idle boaster, are you willing to be taught how it is that faith apart from obedience is worthless? Take the case of Abraham our forefather. ²¹ Was it, or was it not, because of his actions that he was declared to be righteous as the result of his having offered up his son Isaac upon the altar? ²² You notice that his faith was co-operating with his actions, and that by his actions his faith was perfected; ²³ and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND HIS FAITH WAS PLACED TO HIS CREDIT AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he received the name of 'God's friend.' ²⁴ You all see that it is because of actions that a man is pronounced righteous, and not simply because of faith. ²⁵ In the same way also was not the notorious sinner Rahab declared to be righteous because of her actions when she welcomed the spies and hurriedly helped them to escape another way? ²⁶ For just as a human body without a spirit is lifeless, so also faith is lifeless if it is unaccompanied by obedience.

²³ But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

⁸ Jesus sent Peter and John with instructions. "Go," He said, "and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it."

⁴⁸ He who sets me at naught and does not receive my teachings is not left without a judge: the Message which I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

¹ One day Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the hour of prayer--the ninth hour--and, just then, ² some men were carrying there one who had been lame from birth, whom they were wont to place every day close to the Beautiful Gate (as it was called) of the Temple, for him to beg from the people as they went in. ³ Seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple, he asked them for alms.

¹ Now the Apostles, and the brethren in various parts of Judaea, heard that the Gentiles also had received God's Message;

⁴ Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they were cordially received by the Church, the Apostles, and the Elders; and they reported in detail all that God, working with them, had done.

¹¹ The Jews at Beroea were of a nobler disposition than those in Thessalonica, for they very readily received the Message, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether it was as Paul stated.

⁹ and when they perceived the mission which was graciously entrusted to me, they (that is to say, James, Peter, and John, who were considered to be the pillars of the Church) welcomed Barnabas and me to their fellowship on the understanding that we were to go to the Gentiles and they to the Jews.

¹³ And for this further reason we render unceasing thanks to God, that when you received God's Message from our lips, it was as no mere message from men that you embraced it, but as--what it really is--God's Message, which also does its work in the hearts of you who believe.

² and sent Timothy our brother and God's minister in the service of Christ's Good News, that he might help you spiritually and encourage you in your faith;

¹⁰ and by every kind of wicked deception for those who are on the way to perdition because they did not welcome into their hearts the love of the truth, so that they might be saved.

¹⁹ I also solemnly tell you that if two of you here on earth agree together concerning anything whatever that they shall ask, the boon will come to them from my Father who is in Heaven.

¹³ And whatever any of you ask in my name, I will do, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you make any request of me in my name, I will do it.

²³ You will put no questions to me then. "In most solemn truth I tell you that whatever you ask the Father for in my name He will give you. ²⁴ As yet you have not asked for anything in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your hearts may be filled with gladness.

¹⁹ For I know that it will result in my salvation through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

⁴⁴ While Peter was speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the Message. ⁴⁵ And all the Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that on the Gentiles also the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling the majesty of God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ "Can any one forbid the use of water, and object to these persons being baptized--men who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?" ⁴⁸ And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain with them for a time.

¹⁵ "And," said Peter, "no sooner had I begun to speak than the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He fell upon us at the first. ¹⁶ Then I remembered the Lord's words, how He used to say, "'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.' ¹⁷ "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, why, who was I to be able to thwart God?"

² "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you first believed?" he asked them. "No," they replied, "we did not even hear that there is a Holy Spirit."

⁵ On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus; ⁶ and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.

¹³ Is the Christ in fragments? Is it Paul who was crucified on your behalf? Or were you baptized to be Paul's adherents? ¹⁴ I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius-- ¹⁵ for fear people should say that you were baptized to be my adherents.

²⁷ for all of you who have been baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ.

⁴ They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages according as the Spirit gave them words to utter.

⁶ These men they brought to the Apostles, and, after prayer, they laid their hands upon them.

¹⁸ When, however, Simon saw that it was through the laying on of the Apostles' hands that the Spirit was bestowed, he offered them money.

¹⁷ So Ananias went and entered the house; and, laying his two hands upon Saul, said, "Saul, brother, the Lord--even Jesus who appeared to you on your journey--has sent me, that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

³ So, after fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands, they let them go.

⁶ and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.

¹¹ For I am longing to see you, in order to convey to you some spiritual help, so that you may be strengthened;

² Answer me this one question, "Is it on the ground of your obedience to the Law that you received the Spirit, or is it because, when you heard, you believed?" ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now going to reach perfection through what is external? ⁴ Have you endured such sufferings to no purpose--if indeed it has been to no purpose? ⁵ He who gives you His Spirit and works miracles among you--does He do so on the ground of your obedience to the Law, or is it the result of your having heard and believed:

¹⁴ Do not be careless about the gifts with which you are endowed, which were conferred on you through a divine revelation when the hands of the elders were placed upon you.

²² Do not ordain any one hastily; and do not be a partaker in the sins of others; keep *yourself* pure.

⁶ For this reason let me remind you to rekindle God's gift which is yours through the laying on of my hands.

² or of teaching about ceremonial washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and the last judgement.

⁸ Cure the sick, raise the dead to life, cleanse lepers, drive out demons: you have received without payment, give without payment.

⁵ and persistent wranglings on the part of people whose intellects are disordered and they themselves blinded to all knowledge of the truth; who imagine that godliness means gain.

¹ Just then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who ranks higher than others in the Kingdom of the Heavens?" ² So He called a young child to Him, and, bidding him stand in the midst of them, ³ said, "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will in no case be admitted into the Kingdom of the Heavens.

⁷ Then, when He noticed that the invited guests chose the best seats, He used this as an illustration and said to them, ⁸ "When any one invites you to a wedding banquet, do not take the best seat, lest perhaps some more honoured guest than you may have been asked, ⁹ and the man who invited you both will come and will say to you, 'Make room for this guest,' and then you, ashamed, will move to the lowest place. ¹⁰ On the contrary, when you are invited go and take the lowest place, that when your host comes round he may say to you, 'My friend, come up higher.' This will be doing you honour in the presence of all the other guests. ¹¹ For whoever uplifts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be uplifted.

⁴⁴ How is it possible for you to believe, while you receive glory from one another and have no desire for the glory that comes from the only God?

⁹ Now for some time past there had been a man named Simon living there, who had been practising magic and astonishing the Samaritans, pretending that he was more than human. ¹⁰ To him people of all classes paid attention, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the great Power." ¹¹ His influence over them arose from their having been, for a long time, bewildered by his sorceries.

¹⁷ Then the Apostles placed their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

⁸ And last of all, as to one of untimely birth, He appeared to me also. ⁹ For I am the least of the Apostles, and am not fit to be called an Apostle--because I persecuted the Church of God.

⁹ I wrote to the Church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the first place among them, refuses to listen to us.

¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed wicked thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, perjury, impiety of speech.

³ Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He was condemned, smitten with remorse he brought back the thirty shekels to the High Priests and Elders ⁴ and said, "I have sinned, in betraying to death one who is innocent." "What does that matter to us?" they replied; it is your business." ⁵ Flinging the shekels into the Sanctuary he left the place, and went and hanged himself.

¹⁸ (Now having bought a piece of ground with the money paid for his wickedness he fell there with his face downwards, and, his body bursting open, he became disembowelled.

²² Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, in the hope that the purpose which is in your heart may perhaps be forgiven you.

⁴⁵ And all the Jewish believers who had come with Peter were astonished that on the Gentiles also the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out.

¹⁷ "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, why, who was I to be able to thwart God?"

⁹ But people who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many unwise and pernicious ways which sink mankind in destruction and ruin.

³ your gold and your silver have become covered with rust, and the rust on them will give evidence against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded up wealth in these last days.

¹⁴ Their very eyes are full of adultery--being eyes which never cease from sin. These men set traps to catch unstedfast souls, their own hearts being well trained in greed. They are fore-doomed to God's curse! ¹⁵ Forsaking the straight road, they have gone astray, having eagerly followed in the steps of Balaam, the son of Beor, who was bent on securing the wages of unrighteousness. ¹⁶ But he was rebuked for his transgression: a dumb ass spoke with a human voice and checked the madness of the Prophet. ¹⁷ These people are wells without water, mists driven along by a storm, men for whom the dense darkness has been reserved.

¹⁵ Those who traded in these things, who grew wealthy through her, will stand afar off, struck with terror at her punishment,

²² "The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eyesight is good, your whole body will be well lighted; ²³ but if your eyesight is bad, your whole body will be dark. If however the very light within you is darkness, how dense must the darkness be! ²⁴ "No man can be the bondservant of two masters; for either he will dislike one and like the other, or he will attach himself to one and think slightingly of the other. You cannot be the bondservants both of God and of gold.

¹⁷ A third time Jesus put the question: "Simon, son of John, am I dear to you?" It grieved Peter that Jesus asked him the third time, "Am I dear to you?" "Master," he replied, "you know everything, you can see that you are dear to me." "Then feed my much-loved sheep," said Jesus.

¹³ And no created thing is able to escape its scrutiny; but everything lies bare and completely exposed before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

²³ Her children too shall surely die; and all the Churches shall come to know that I am He who searches into men's inmost thoughts; and to each of you I will give a requital which shall be in accordance with what your conduct has been.

⁶ Blessed and holy are those who share in the First Resurrection. The Second Death has no power over them, but they shall be priests to God and to Christ, and shall be kings with Christ for the thousand years.

¹⁹ and that if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take from him his share in the Tree of Life and in the holy city--the things described in this book.

⁷ "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For it is always he who asks that receives, he who seeks that finds, and he who knocks that has the door opened to him.

⁹ "So I say to you, 'Ask, and what you ask for shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.' ¹⁰ For every one who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, the door shall be opened. ¹¹ And what father is there among you, who, if his son asks for a slice of bread, will offer him a stone? or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish offer him a snake? ¹² or if he asks for an egg, will offer him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, with all your human frailty, know how to give your children gifts that are good for them, how much more certainly will your Father who is in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

¹⁹ Repent, therefore, and reform your lives, so that the record of your sins may be cancelled, and that there may come seasons of revival from the Lord,

²⁰ "Perish your money and yourself," replied Peter, "because you have imagined that you can obtain God's free gift with money!

¹¹ "Rise," said the Lord, "and go to Straight Street, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man called Saul, from Tarsus, for he is actually praying.

³⁰ Those times of ignorance God viewed with indulgence. But now He commands all men everywhere to repent,

⁴ Or is it that you think slightingly of His infinite goodness, forbearance and patience, unaware that the goodness of God is gently drawing you to repentance?

²⁵ He must speak in a gentle tone when correcting the errors of opponents, in the hope that God will at last give them repentance, for them to come to a full knowledge of the truth ²⁶ and recover sober-mindedness and freedom from the Devil's snare, though they are now entrapped by him to do his will.

¹² For God's Message is full of life and power, and is keener than the sharpest two-edged sword. It pierces even to the severance of soul from spirit, and penetrates between the joints and the marrow, and it can discern the secret thoughts and purposes of the heart.

²¹ I have given her time to repent, but she is determined not to repent of her fornication.

¹⁷ You say, I am rich, and have wealth stored up, and I stand in need of nothing; and you do not know that if there is a wretched creature it is *you* --pitiable, poor, blind, naked. ¹⁸ Therefore I counsel you to buy of Me gold refined in the fire that you may become rich, and white robes to put on, so as to hide your shameful nakedness, and eye-salve to anoint your eyes with, so that you may be able to see.

³⁴ "In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that every one who commits sin is the slave of sin.

¹⁷ But thanks be to God that though you were once in thraldom to Sin, you have now yielded a hearty obedience to that system of truth in which you have been instructed. ¹⁸ You were set free from the tyranny of Sin, and became the bondservants of Righteousness-- ¹⁹ your human infirmity leads me to employ these familiar figures--and just as you once surrendered your faculties into bondage to Impurity and ever-increasing disregard of Law, so you must now surrender them into bondage to Righteousness ever advancing towards perfect holiness. ²⁰ For when you were the bondservants of sin, you were under no sort of subjection to Righteousness. ²¹ At that time, then, what benefit did you get from conduct which you now regard with shame? Why, such things finally result in death. ²² But now that you have been set free from the tyranny of Sin, and have become the bondservants of God, you have your reward in being made holy, and you have the Life of the Ages as the final result.

³ For there was a time when we also were deficient in understanding, obstinate, deluded, the slaves of various cravings and pleasures, spending our lives in malice and envy, hateful ourselves and hating one another.

¹⁵ Be carefully on your guard lest there be any one who falls back from the grace of God; lest any root bearing bitter fruit spring up and cause trouble among you, and through it the whole brotherhood be defiled;

⁴ For God did not spare angels when they had sinned, but hurling them down to Tartarus consigned them to caves of darkness, keeping them in readiness for judgement.

¹⁹ And they promise them freedom, although they are themselves the slaves of what is corrupt. For a man is the slave of any one by whom he has been worsted in fight.

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be cured. The heartfelt supplication of a righteous man exerts a mighty influence.

⁵² They went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for Him. ⁵³ But the people there would not receive Him, because He was evidently going to Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Master, do you wish us to order fire to come down from Heaven and consume them?" ⁵⁵ But He turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ And they went to another village.

²⁷ And you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the first.

⁵ Now at the time when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was preaching fervently and was solemnly telling the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

²² Having, however, obtained the help which is from God, I have stood firm until now, and have solemnly exhorted rich and poor alike, saying nothing except what the Prophets and Moses predicted as soon to happen, ²³ since the Christ was to be a suffering Christ, and by coming back from the dead was then to be the first to proclaim a message of light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

²³ So they arranged a day with him and came to him in considerable numbers at the house of the friends who were entertaining him. And then, with solemn earnestness, he explained to them the subject of the Kingdom of God, endeavouring from morning till evening to convince them about Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

²⁸ "Be fully assured, therefore, that this salvation--God's salvation--has now been sent to the Gentiles, and that they, at any rate, will give heed."

¹² I send this short letter by Silas, our faithful brother--for such I regard him--in order to encourage you, and to bear witness that what I have told you is the true grace of God. In it stand fast.

¹ About this time John the Baptist made his appearance, preaching in the Desert of Judaea. ² "Repent," he said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand." ³ He it is who was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah when he said, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING ALOUD, 'IN THE DESERT PREPARE YE A ROAD FOR THE LORD: MAKE HIS HIGHWAY STRAIGHT.'"

² during the High-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, a message from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the Desert. ³ John went into all the district about the Jordan proclaiming a baptism of the penitent for the forgiveness of sins; ⁴ as it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING ALOUD! 'IN THE DESERT PREPARE YE A ROAD FOR THE LORD: MAKE HIS HIGHWAY STRAIGHT.

¹⁹ But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,

⁷ So when the angel who had been speaking to him was gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a God-fearing soldier who was in constant attendance on him,

²² Their reply was, "Cornelius, a Captain, an upright and God-fearing man, of whom the whole Jewish nation speaks well, has been divinely instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and listen to what you have to say."

⁸ "Fasten your girdle," said the angel, "and tie on your sandals." He did so. Then the angel said, "Throw your cloak round you, and follow me." ⁹ So Peter went out, following him, yet could not believe that what the angel was doing was real, but supposed that he saw a vision. ¹⁰ And passing through the first ward and the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. This opened to them of itself; and, going out, they passed on through one of the streets, and then suddenly the angel left him. ¹¹ Peter coming to himself said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were anticipating."

²³ Instantly an angel of the Lord struck him, because he had not given the glory to God, and being eaten up by worms, he died.

²³ For there stood by my side, last night, an angel of the God to whom I belong, and whom also I worship,

¹⁴ Are not all angels spirits that serve Him--whom He sends out to render service for the benefit of those who, before long, will inherit salvation?

⁴² The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and mark! there is One greater than Solomon here.

² saying to them, "Go to the village you see facing you, and as you enter it you will find a she-ass tied up and a foal with her. Untie her and bring them to me. ³ And if any one says anything to you, say, 'The Master needs them,' and he will at once send them." ⁴ This took place in order that the Prophet's prediction might be fulfilled: ⁵ "TELL THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, 'SEE, THY KING IS COMING TO THEE, GENTLE, AND YET MOUNTED ON AN ASS, EVEN ON A COLT THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.'" ⁶ So the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them:

¹³ So He sent two of His disciples with instructions, saying, "Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water: follow him, ¹⁴ and whatever house he enters, tell the master of the house, 'The Rabbi asks, Where is my room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?' ¹⁵ Then he will himself show you a large room upstairs, ready furnished: there make preparation for us." ¹⁶ So the disciples went out and came to the city, and found everything just as He had told them; and they got the Passover ready.

⁵ His mother said to the attendants, "Whatever he tells you to do, do it." ⁶ Now there were six stone jars standing there (in accordance with the Jewish regulations for purification), each large enough to hold twenty gallons or more. ⁷ Jesus said to the attendants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them to the brim. ⁸ Then He said, "Now, take some out, and carry it to the President of the feast."

²⁰ Now some of those who used to come up to worship at the Festival were Greeks.

⁸ Through faith Abraham, upon being called to leave home and go into a land which he was soon to receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he was going to.

⁴ as it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah, "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING ALOUD! 'IN THE DESERT PREPARE YE A ROAD FOR THE LORD: MAKE HIS HIGHWAY STRAIGHT.

¹⁷ And there was handed to Him the book of the Prophet Isaiah, and, opening the book, He found the place where it was written,

³⁹ "You search the Scriptures, because you suppose that in them you will find the Life of the Ages; and it is those Scriptures that yield testimony concerning me; ⁴⁰ and yet you are unwilling to come to me that you may have Life.

¹¹ The Jews at Beroea were of a nobler disposition than those in Thessalonica, for they very readily received the Message, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether it was as Paul stated. ¹² As the result many of them became believers, and so did not a few of the Greeks--gentlewomen of good position, and men.

²⁵ Unable to agree among themselves, they at last left him, but not before Paul had spoken a parting word to them, saying, "Right well did the Holy Spirit say to your forefathers through the Prophet Isaiah:

¹⁶ Let the teaching concerning Christ remain as a rich treasure in your hearts. In all wisdom teach and admonish one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and sing with grace in your hearts to God.

¹⁵ and that from infancy you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise to obtain salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ Every Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for convincing, for correction of error, and for instruction in right doing; ¹⁷ so that the man of God may himself be complete and may be perfectly equipped for every good work.

¹⁹ And Peter was still earnestly thinking over the vision, when the Spirit said to him, "Three men are now inquiring for you.

¹² And the Spirit told me to accompany them without any misgivings. There also went with me these six brethren who are now present, and we reached the Centurion's house.

² While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me, now at once, Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them." ³ So, after fasting and prayer and the laying on of hands, they let them go. ⁴ They therefore, being thus sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleuceia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.

⁶ Then Paul and his companions passed through Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Message in the province of Asia. ⁷ When they reached the frontier of Mysia, they were about to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit this.

²² "And now, impelled by a sense of duty, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³ except that the Holy Spirit, at town after town, testifies to me that imprisonment and suffering are awaiting me.

¹¹ When he arrived he took Paul's loincloth, and bound his own feet and arms with it, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the owner of this loincloth, and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'"

¹¹ But these results are all brought about by one and the same Spirit, who bestows His gifts upon each of us in accordance with His own will.

¹ Now the Spirit expressly declares that in later times some will fall away from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons;

¹⁹ When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side.

⁵¹ "Have you understood all this?" He asked. "Yes," they said.

¹⁰ Then, when He had called the people to Him, Jesus said, "Hear and understand.

¹⁵ "When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel) the 'ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION', standing in the Holy Place" --let the reader observe those words--

¹⁴ "As soon, however, as you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where he ought not" --let the reader observe these words-- "then let those in Judaea escape to the hills;

⁴⁴ And He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you--that everything must be fulfilled that is written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me." ⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

³⁴ "My food," said Jesus, "is to be obedient to Him who sent me, and fully to accomplish His work.

³⁹ "You search the Scriptures, because you suppose that in them you will find the Life of the Ages; and it is those Scriptures that yield testimony concerning me;

²⁷ Upon this he rose and went. Now, as it happened, an Ethiopian eunuch who was in a position of high authority with Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, as her treasurer, had visited Jerusalem to worship there,

¹⁹ but in the Church I would rather speak five words with my understanding--so as to instruct others also--than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

¹⁷ On this account do not prove yourselves wanting in sense, but try to understand what the Lord's will is.

¹⁸ Here is scope for ingenuity. Let people of shrewd intelligence calculate the number of the Wild Beast; for it indicates a certain man, and his number is 666.

³ said, "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will in no case be admitted into the Kingdom of the Heavens. ⁴ Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this young child, he it is who is superior to others in the Kingdom of the Heavens.

¹⁵ In solemn truth I tell you that no one who does not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will by any possibility enter it."

¹⁴ But how are they to call on One in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in One whose voice they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?

¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself. If any man imagines that he is wise, compared with the rest of you, with the wisdom of the present age, let him become "foolish" so that he may be wise.

² If any one imagines that he already possesses any true knowledge, he has as yet attained to no knowledge of the kind to which he ought to have attained;

³⁶ Was it from you that God's Message first went forth, or is it to you only that it has come? ³⁷ If any one deems himself to be a Prophet or a man with spiritual gifts, let him recognize as the Lord's command all that I am now writing to you.

¹⁰ but a rich man should rejoice in being brought low, for like flowers among the herbage rich men will pass away.

²¹ Ridding yourselves, therefore, of all that is vile and of the evil influences which prevail around you, welcome in a humble spirit the Message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.

¹ Rid yourselves therefore of all ill-will and all deceitfulness, of insincerity and envy, and of all evil speaking. ² Thirst, like newly-born infants, for pure milk for the soul, that by it you may grow up to salvation;

⁶² Then the High Priest stood up and asked Him, "Have you no answer to make? What is it these men are saying in evidence against you?" ⁶³ Jesus however remained silent. Again the High Priest addressed Him. "In the name of the ever-living God," he said, "I now put you on your oath. Tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."

³⁴ Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing." And they divided His garments among them, drawing lots for them;

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and exclaimed, "Look, that is the Lamb of God who is to take away the sin of the world!

⁹ He made this request in order that the words He had spoken might be fulfilled, "As for those whom Thou hast given me, I have not lost one." ¹⁰ Simon Peter, however, having a sword, drew it, and, aiming at the High Priest's servant, cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. ¹¹ Jesus therefore said to Peter, "Put back your sword. Shall I refuse to drink the cup of sorrow which the Father has given me to drink?"

³⁶ As it stands written in the Scripture, "FOR THY SAKE THEY ARE, ALL DAY LONG, TRYING TO KILL US. WE HAVE BEEN LOOKED UPON AS SHEEP DESTINED FOR SLAUGHTER."

¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ--as of an unblemished and spotless lamb.

²¹ And it is to this you were called; because Christ also suffered on your behalf, leaving you an example so that you should follow in His steps. ²² He never sinned, and no deceitful language was ever heard from His mouth. ²³ When He was reviled, He did not answer with reviling; when He suffered He uttered no threats, but left His wrongs in the hands of the righteous Judge. ²⁴ The burden of our sins He Himself carried in His own body to the Cross and bore it there, so that we, having died so far as our sins are concerned, may live righteous lives. By His wounds yours have been healed.

¹² When however the High Priests and the Elders kept bringing their charges against Him, He said not a word in reply. ¹³ "Do you not hear," asked Pilate, "what a mass of evidence they are bringing against you?" ¹⁴ But He made no reply to a single accusation, so that the Governor was greatly astonished. ¹⁵ "Now it was the Governor's custom at the Festival to release some one prisoner, whomsoever the populace desired; ¹⁶ and at this time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when they were now assembled Pilate appealed to them. "Whom shall I release to you," he said, "Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?" ¹⁸ For he knew that it was from envious hatred that Jesus had been brought before him. ¹⁹ While he was sitting on the tribunal a message came to him from his wife. "Have nothing to do with that innocent man," she said, "for during the night I have suffered terribly in a dream through him." ²⁰ The High Priests, however, and the Elders urged the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to demand the death of Jesus. ²¹ So when the Governor a second time asked them, "Which of the two shall I release to you?" --they cried, "Barabbas!" ²² "What then," said Pilate, "shall I do with Jesus, the so-called Christ?" With one voice they shouted, "Let him be crucified!" ²³ "Why, what crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they kept on furiously shouting, "Let him be crucified!" ²⁴ So when he saw that he could gain nothing, but that on the contrary there was a riot threatening, he called for water and washed his hands in sight of them all, saying, "I am not responsible for this murder: you must answer for it." ²⁵ "His blood," replied all the people, "be on us and on our children!" ²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them, but Jesus he ordered to be scourged, and gave Him up to be crucified.

¹² Upon receiving this answer, Pilate was for releasing Him. But the Jews kept shouting, "If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar's. Every one who sets himself up as king declares himself a rebel against Caesar." ¹³ On hearing this, Pilate brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judge's seat in a place called the Pavement--or in Hebrew, Gabbatha. ¹⁴ It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about six o'clock in the morning. Then he said to the Jews, "There is your king!" ¹⁵ This caused a storm of outcries, "Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!" "Am I to crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king, except Caesar," answered the High Priests. ¹⁶ Then Pilate gave Him up to them to be crucified. Accordingly they took Jesus;

⁸ And being recognized as truly human, He humbled Himself and even stooped to die; yes, to die on a cross. ⁹ It is in consequence of this that God has also so highly exalted Him, and has conferred on Him the Name which is supreme above every other,

² inquiring, "Where is the newly born king of the Jews? For we have seen his Star in the east, and have come here to do him homage." ³ Reports of this soon reached the king, and greatly agitated not only him but all the people of Jerusalem. ⁴ So he assembled all the High Priests and Scribes of the people, and anxiously asked them where the Christ was to be born.

³⁶ When He had dismissed the people and had returned to the house, His disciples came to Him with the request, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel sown in the field."

¹⁵ "Explain to us this figurative language," said Peter.

² He proceeded to teach them, and said:

²⁷ And, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them the passages in Scripture which refer to Himself.

⁴⁴ And He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you--that everything must be fulfilled that is written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me." ⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and He said, "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise again from among the dead; ⁴⁷ and that proclamation would be made, in His name, of repentance and forgiveness of sins to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem.

²⁰ and that He may send the Christ appointed beforehand for you--even Jesus.

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak. "I clearly see," he said, "that God makes no distinctions between one man and another;

¹⁸ A few of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also encountered him. Some of them asked, "What has this beggarly babbler to say?" "His business," said others, "seems to be to cry up some foreign gods." This was because he had been telling the Good News of Jesus and the Resurrection.

²⁸ for he powerfully and in public overcame the Jews in argument, proving to them from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

¹³ But there were also some wandering Jewish exorcists who undertook to invoke the name of Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, "I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches."

¹¹ O Corinthians, our lips are unsealed to you: our heart is expanded.

²¹ if at least you have heard His voice and in Him have been taught--and this is true Christian teaching--

¹¹ They were eager to know the time which the Spirit of Christ within them kept indicating, or the characteristics of that time, when they solemnly made known beforehand the sufferings that were to come upon Christ and the glories which would follow. ¹² To them it was revealed that they were serving not themselves but you, when they foretold the very things which have now been openly declared to you by those who, having been taught by the Holy Spirit which had been sent from Heaven, brought you the Good News. Angels long to stoop and look into these things.

⁵ "In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.

²³ And John too was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there were many pools of water there; and people came and received baptism.

⁴⁷ "Can any one forbid the use of water, and object to these persons being baptized--men who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?"

⁵ as righteous men, had done, but as the result of His own mercy He saved us by means of the bath of regeneration and the renewal of our natures by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ which He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

⁶ Jesus Christ is He who came with water and blood; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. And it is the Spirit who gives testimony-- because the Spirit is the Truth.

¹⁶ "You," replied Simon Peter, "are the Christ, the Son of the ever-living God."

¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who disbelieves will be condemned.

⁶⁸ "Master," replied Simon Peter, "to whom shall we go? Your teachings tell us of the Life of the Ages. ⁶⁹ And we have come to believe and know that *you* are indeed the Holy One of God."

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had done this. So having found him, He asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" ³⁶ "Who is He, Sir?" replied the man. "Tell me, so that I may believe in Him." ³⁷ "You have seen Him," said Jesus; "and not only so: He is now speaking to you." ³⁸ "I believe, Sir," he said. And he threw himself at His feet.

²⁷ "Yes, Master," she replied; "I thoroughly believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

³¹ But these have been recorded in order that you may believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, and that, through believing, you may have Life through His name.

³⁸ "Repent," replied Peter, "and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, with a view to the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For to you belongs the promise, and to your children, and to all who are far off, whoever the Lord our God may call."

¹² But when Philip began to tell the Good News about the Kingdom of God and about the Name of Jesus Christ, and they embraced the faith, they were baptized, men and women alike. ¹³ Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized remained in close attendance on Philip, and was full of amazement at seeing such signs and such great miracles performed.

³ For this reason I would have you understand that no one speaking under the influence of The Spirit of God ever says, "Jesus is accursed," and that no one is able to say, "Jesus is Lord," except under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

¹⁵ Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God--God continues in union with him, and he continues in union with God.

¹ Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God; and every one who loves the Father loves also Him who is the Father's Child.

⁵ Who but the man that believes that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world?

¹⁰ He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in his own heart: he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, in that he has refused to accept the testimony which God has given about His Son. ¹¹ And that testimony is to the effect that God has given us the Life of the Ages, and that this Life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has the Life: he who has not the Son of God has not the Life. ¹³ I write all this to you in order that you who believe in the Son of God may know for certain that you already have the Life of the Ages.

²² After this Jesus and His disciples went into Judaea; and there He made a stay in company with them and baptized. ²³ And John too was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there were many pools of water there; and people came and received baptism.

¹ Now as soon as the Master was aware that the Pharisees had heard it said, "Jesus is gaining and baptizing more disciples than John"--

¹⁶ and Jesus was baptized, and immediately went up from the water. At that moment the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him,

⁴⁴ "The Kingdom of the Heavens is like treasure buried in the open country, which a man finds, but buries again, and, in his joy about it, goes and sells all he has and buys that piece of ground.

¹⁰ and immediately on His coming up out of the water He saw an opening in the sky, and the Spirit like a dove coming down to Him;

⁸ And there was great joy in that city.

³⁴ and bringing the Apostles up into his house, he spread a meal for them, and was filled with gladness, with his whole household, his faith resting on God.

² through whom also, as the result of faith, we have obtained an introduction into that state of favour with God in which we stand, and we exult in hope of some day sharing in God's glory.

¹⁰ And again the Psalmist says, "BE GLAD, YE GENTILES, IN COMPANY WITH HIS PEOPLE." ¹¹ And again, "PRAISE THE LORD, ALL YE GENTILES, AND LET ALL THE PEOPLE EXTOL HIM." ¹² And again Isaiah says, "THERE SHALL BE THE ROOT OF JESSE AND ONE WHO RISES UP TO RULE THE GENTILES. ON HIM SHALL THE GENTILES BUILD THEIR HOPES." ¹³ May God, the giver of hope, fill you with continual joy and peace because you trust in Him--so that you may have abundant hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

² I know a Christian man who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know; God knows--was caught up (this man of whom I am speaking) even to the highest Heaven. ³ And I know that this man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know; ⁴ God knows--was caught up into Paradise and heard unspeakable things which no human being is permitted to repeat.

³ For we are the true circumcision--we who render to God a spiritual worship and make our boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in outward ceremonies:

⁴ Always be glad in the Lord: I will repeat it, be glad.

⁹ Let a brother in humble life rejoice when raised to a higher position; ¹⁰ but a rich man should rejoice in being brought low, for like flowers among the herbage rich men will pass away.

¹⁶ But, as the case stands, it is in mere self-confidence that you boast: all such boasting is evil.

¹ After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them before Him, by twos, to go to every town or place which He Himself intended to visit. ² And He addressed them thus: "The harvest is abundant, but the reapers are few: therefore entreat the Owner of the harvest to send out more reapers into His fields. And now go.

²⁵ So the Apostles, after giving a solemn charge and delivering the Lord's Message, travelled back to Jerusalem, making known the Good News also in many of the Samaritan villages.

¹ Now a Captain of the Italian Regiment, named Cornelius, was quartered at Caesarea.

²⁴ and the day after that they reached Caesarea. There Cornelius was awaiting their arrival, and had invited all his relatives and intimate friends to be present.

¹⁹ And when Herod had had him searched for and could not find him, after sharply questioning the guards he ordered them away to execution. He then went down from Judaea to Caesarea and remained there.

¹⁶ Some of the disciples from Caesarea also joined our party, and brought with them Mnason, a Cyprian, one of the early disciples, at whose house we were to lodge.

²³ Then, calling to him two of the Captains, he gave his orders. "Get ready two hundred men," he said, "to march to Caesarea, with seventy cavalry and two hundred light infantry, starting at nine o'clock to-night."

³³ and, the cavalry having reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the Governor, they brought Paul also to him.

¹ Festus, having entered on his duties as governor of the province, two days later went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

⁴ Festus, however, replied that Paul was in custody in Caesarea, and that he was himself going there very soon.

⁶ After a stay of eight or ten days in Jerusalem--not more--he went down to Caesarea; and the next day, taking his seat on the tribunal, he ordered Paul to be brought in.

¹³ A short time after this, Agrippa the king and Bernice came to Caesarea to pay a complimentary visit to Festus;

¹⁹ with power manifested in signs and marvels, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. But--to speak simply of my own labours--beginning in Jerusalem and the outlying districts, I have proclaimed without reserve, even as far as Illyricum, the Good News of the Christ;