The Common Edition: New Testament

by Unknown

1 1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after he had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 To these he also presented himself alive after his suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 4 And while staying with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," he said, "you heard of from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but before many days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth." 9 And after he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while he was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched him go into heaven." 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying; Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one mind devoted themselves to prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 "Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry." 18 (Now this man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his homestead be made desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it'; and, 'let another man take his office.' 21 Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from usóone of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection." 23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place." 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles. 2 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the crowd came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were amazed and wondered, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear them, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabsówe hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God." 12 And they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others were mocking and said, "They are full of sweet wine." 14 But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: "Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. 15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 'And in the last days it shall be, God says, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come. 21 And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' 22 "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves knowó23 this man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put him to death. 24 But God raised him up, having loosed the agony of death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. 25 For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always before me; for he is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh also will live in hope, 27 because you will not abandon my soul to hades, nor let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.' 29 "Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 And so, because he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to hades, nor did his flesh see decay. 32 This Jesus God raised up again, and of that we are all witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he says himself: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."' 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" 38 And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call to himself." 40 And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this perverse generation." 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as anyone had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. 3 1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to beg alms of those who entered the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. 4 And Peter, along with John, directed his gaze at him, and said, "Look at us." 5 And he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, "I do not have silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 And taking him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and they recognized him as the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch called Solomon's, astounded. 12 And when Peter saw this he addressed the people, "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 but killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name, by faith in his name, has made this man strong whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Jesus has given him perfect health in the presence of you all. 17 And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn again, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago. 22 Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; you shall listen to everything he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed from among the people.' 24 And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also announced these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' 26 For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways." 4 1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 2 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they seized them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to about five thousand. 5 On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem; 6 and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they began to inquire, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today for a good deed done to a cripple, as to how this man has been healed, 10 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man stands before you healed. 11 He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the chief cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. 15 But when they had ordered them to leave the Council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, "What shall we do with these men? For that a noteworthy miracle has been performed through them is apparent to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any one in this name." 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard." 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old. 23 When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God together and said, "Sovereign Lord, it is you who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them, 25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David your servant, said, 'Why did the gentiles rage, and the peoples plot futile things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ.' 27 For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. 32 Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 For there was not a needy person among them, For all who were owners of land or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the sales 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph who was called by the apostles Barnabas (which means, Son of Encouragement) , a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field which he owned, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. 5 1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's full knowledge he kept back some of the money for himself, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price." And she said, "Yes, that was the price." 9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all who heard of these things. 12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Porch. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor. 14 And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, so that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. 17 But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and they were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, and brought them out, and said, 20 "Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life." 21 And when they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, and they returned and reported back, 23 "We found the prison securely locked, and the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside." 24 Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed about them, wondering what would come of this. 25 And someone came and told them, "Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people." 26 Then the captain went along with the officers and brought them back without violence, for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned. 27 When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us." 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesusówhom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." 33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, held in honor by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a while. 35 And he said to them, "Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God." 40 So they took his advice, and they called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. 6 1 Now in those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the native Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." 5 And the statement pleased the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 The word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God." 12 They stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came on him and seized him, and brought him before the council. 13 They put forward false witnesses who said, "This man never stops speaking against this holy place, and the law; 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses handed down to us." 15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. 7 1 The high priest said, "Are these things so?" 2 And he said: "Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, 'Leave your country and your relatives, and go into the land that I will show you.' 4 Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living. 5 But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even though he had no child, he promised that he would give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him. 6 But God spoke to this effect, that his descendants would be aliens in a foreign land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years. 7 'But I will judge the nation which they serve,' said God, 'and after that they will come out and worship me in this place.' 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. 9 "And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt. But God was with him, 10 and rescued him from all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time. 13 At the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family was made known to Pharaoh. 14 Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down to Egypt, and there he and our fathers died. 16 They were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. 17 "But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose another king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph. 19 He dealt craftily with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not survive. 20 At this time Moses was born, and was beautiful before God. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house; 21 and when he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. 23 "When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. 24 And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and avenged the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. 25 And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand. 26 On the following day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong each other?' 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor pushed him aside, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' 29 At this remark Moses fled, and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. 30 "After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.' Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. 33 And the Lord said to him, 'Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, and I will send you to Egypt.' 35 This Moses whom they rejected, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' is the one God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren.' 38 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to us. 39 But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, 'Make for us gods who will go before us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egyptówe do not know what has happened to him.' 41 At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'Did you offer to me slain beasts and sacrifices, forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 You took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of the god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship. And I will remove you beyond Babylon.' 44 "Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen. 45 And having received it in their turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua when they took the land from the nations whom God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the time of David, 46 who found favor in God's sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says: 49 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? 50 Has not my hand made all these things?' 51 "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. You are doing just as your fathers did. 52 Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels, and yet did not keep it." 54 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." 57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed together upon him with. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 1 Saul was consenting to his death. 8 And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul began ravaging the church, and, entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. 4 Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to a city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ to them. 6 The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city. 9 Now there was a man named Simon, who had formerly practiced magic in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and they all, from the least to the greatest, gave attention to him, saying, "This man is what is called the Great Power of God." 11 And they gave heed to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. 14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For he had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give me also this power, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." 24 And Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me." 25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. 26 But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert road. 27 So he got up and went. And there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." 30 So Philip ran up to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken up from the earth." 34 And the eunuch said to Philip, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus. 36 And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. 9 1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do." 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." 11 And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." 13 But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name." 15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight. And he got up and was baptized, 19 and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus. 20 And immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." 21 All those who heard him were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?" 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ. 23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night, to kill him; 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were seeking to kill him. 30 But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace and was built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. 32 Now as Peter went through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed." Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. 36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 And at that time she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her body in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, "Please come to us without delay." 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing the tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed for many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon. 10 1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave alms generously to the people and prayed to God continually. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, "Cornelius!" 4 And he stared at him in terror, and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and bring a man named Simon who is called Peter; 6 he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea." 7 When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8 and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. 9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and was desiring something to eat; but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and he saw heaven opened, and something descending, like a great sheet, let down by four corners to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13 A voice came to him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat!" 14 But Peter said, "No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call common." 16 This happened three times, and immediately the thing was taken up to heaven. 17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, appeared at the gate. 18 They called out, asking whether Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. 19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them myself." 21 Peter went down to the men and said, "Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason you have come?" 22 They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to hear what you have to say." 23 So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went off with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am just a man." 27 As he talked with him, he went in and found many people assembled. 28 And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. I ask then why you sent for me." 30 Cornelius said, "Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, 31 and he said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.' 33 So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord." 34 And opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is welcome to him. 36 You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all). 37 You know what has happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; 40 but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, 41 not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, 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 be judge of the living and the dead. 43 Of him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 "Can anyone refuse the water for these people to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. 11 1 Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, 3 saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them." 4 But Peter began and explained to them in order: 5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, something descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came down to me. 6 And when I looked into it I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 Then I heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat!' 8 But I said, 'No, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.' 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11 And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them with no hesitation. These six brethren also went with me, and we entered the man's house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is also called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.' 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could oppose God?" 18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "So then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance unto life." 19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts; 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year they met with the church and taught great numbers of people; and the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. 27 Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. 29 And the disciples determined, each according to his ability, to send relief for the brethren living in Judea. 30 And this they did, sending it to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. 12 1 Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to persecute them. 2 He had James the brother of John put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. 6 The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, "Dress yourself and put on your sandals." And he did so. And he said to him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me." 9 So he went out and followed him; and he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting." 12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter's voice, in her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. 15 They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They said, "It is his angel." 16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, "Tell this to James and to the brethren." Then he left and went to another place. 18 Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there a while. 20 Now he was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and they came to him in a body, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and made an address to them. 22 And the people shouted, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the word of God continued to grow and to be multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark. 13 1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshipping 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 Then after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John as their helper. 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, "You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop making crooked the straight ways of the Lord? 11 Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had happened, for he was amazed at the teaching of the Lord. 13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But they passed on from Perga and came to Pisidian Antioch. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it." 16 Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17 the God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18 For about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years. 20 After these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And after he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; concerning whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.' 23 From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. 24 Before his coming John had preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was completing his course, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.' 26 "Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. 27 For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning him. 28 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. 30 But God raised him from the dead; 31 and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we preach to you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you.' 34 As for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to decay, he spoke in this way: 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.' 35 Therefore he also says in another Psalm, 'You will not let your Holy One see decay.' 36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers and saw decay; 37 but he whom God raised did not see decay. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and through him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. 40 Therefore take care, so that what is said in the prophets may not come upon you: 41 'Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I am going to do a deed in your days, a deed you will never believe, if someone declares it to you.'" 42 As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people begged that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. 43 When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted what was spoken by Paul, and blasphemed. 46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord; and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 So they shook off the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. 14 1 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue, and so spoke that a great number believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. 3 So they spent a long time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and to the surrounding country; 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel. 8 At Lystra there was a man sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from birth, who had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking; and Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." And he leaped up and began to walk. 11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!" 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, because he was the chief speaker, they called Hermes. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out 15 "Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways; 17 yet he did not leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness." 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. 19 But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium; and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and entered the city. And the next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." 23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed. 24 They passed through Pisidia, and came into Pamphylia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. 27 When they arrived, they gathered the church together and declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent a long time with the disciples. 15 1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, reporting the conversion of the Gentiles, and they gave great joy to all the brethren. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up, and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the Law of Moses." 6 The apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us; 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you test God by putting upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are." 12 All the assembly kept silent; and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brethren, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for his name. 15 With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, 17 so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,' 18 says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago. 19 Therefore it is my judgment that we should not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath." 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, 23 and they sent the following letter with them: "The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some persons from us have disturbed you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves free from these, you will do well. Farewell." 30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they read it, they rejoiced at its encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged the brethren with many words and strengthened them. 33 And after they had spent some time there, they were sent off in peace by the brethren to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. 36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are." 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them. 38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take along one who had deserted them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 There arose such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and left, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. 16 1 And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek, 2 and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted this man to accompany him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions which had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in numbers daily. 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; 8 so passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and begging him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11 So putting out to sea from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and on the day following to Neapolis; 12 and from there to Philippi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We stayed in this city some days; 13 and on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had come together. 14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, who was a worshiper of God, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 When she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us. 16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination. She brought her owners much profit by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way of salvation." 18 She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out at that very moment. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities, 20 and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews and they are throwing our city into an uproar. 21 They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice." 22 The crowd joined against them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to guard them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!" 29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 He brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 He took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house, and set food before them; and he rejoiced with his whole household that he had believed in God. 35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent their police, saying, "Release those men." 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go in peace." 37 But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, without trial, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now cast us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out." 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them, and they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. 17 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and for three weeks he reasoned with them from the scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." 4 And some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas; as did a large number of the God- fearing Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men from the market place, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; they attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus." 8 The crowd and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard this. 9 And when they had taken a pledge from Jason and the others, they let them go. 10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul out to go as far as the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. 16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be there. 18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some said, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities,"óbecause he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you present? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean." 21 (Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.) 22 So Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription,

'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.'

What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by hands; 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 'For in him we live and move and have our being,' as even some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' 29 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given proof to all men by raising him from the dead." 32 Now when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." 33 So Paul went out from among them. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them. 18 1 After this he left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them, and they worked, for by trade they were tentmakers. 4 And every Sabbath he was reasoning in the synagogue, and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." 7 Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, "Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no man will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city." 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 12 But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack upon Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, 13 saying, "This man is persuading men to worship God contrary to the law." 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; 15 but since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I refuse to be a judge of these things." 16 And he drove them from the judgment seat. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio paid no attention to this. 18 After this Paul stayed many days longer, and then took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and with him were Priscilla and Aquila. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut, for he had taken a vow. 19 They came to Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he declined; 21 but on taking leave of them he said, "I will return to you if God wills," and he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. 24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, proving by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. 19 1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." 4 Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. 8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and persuading about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were stubborn and disbelieved, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them, and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. 11 God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. 13 But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered all of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 18 Many also of those who believed now came, confessing and disclosing their practices. 19 And a number of those who practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all; and they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. 21 Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." 22 And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. 23 About that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way. 24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. 25 These he gathered together, with the workmen of similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. 26 And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. 27 Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence." 28 When they heard this, they were enraged and began crying out, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29 The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia. 30 Paul wanted to go in among the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31 Some of the Asiarchs also, who were friends of his, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater. 32 Now some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of the people did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, since the Jews had put him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, wishing to make a defense to the people. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all with one voice shouted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 35 And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven? 36 Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 If then Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you want anything further, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly. 40 As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it." 41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. 20 1 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he set out for Macedonia. 2 When he had gone through those parts and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. 3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days came to them at Troas, where we stayed seven days. 7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. 9 And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting in the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep. And as Paul talked on and on, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down and fell on him, and after embracing him, he said, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him." 11 When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. 12 They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted. 13 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there; for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 Sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos; and the day after that we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. 17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, bound in the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not consider my life of any account nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that all of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will see my face no more. 26 Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with the blood of his Own. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night and day to admonish each one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" 36 When he had said this, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And they all wept and embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 grieving most of all over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship. 21 1 When we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload its cargo. 4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. Through the Spirit they told Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 And when our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey, while they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. After kneeling down on the beach and praying, we said farewell to one another. 6 Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home. 7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais; and we greeted the brethren and stayed with them for a day. 8 On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10 As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" 12 When we heard this, we and the people there begged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "The will of the Lord be done." 15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to lodge. 17 When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18 And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After he had greeted them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed; they are all zealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to walk according to the customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in observance of the law. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote to them our decision that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication." 26 The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each one of them. 27 When the seven days were almost over, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place; and besides he also brought Greeks into the temple, and he has defiled this holy place." 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was aroused, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. 31 While they were trying to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. 32 At once he took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33 Then the commander came up and arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, and some another; and as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 35 When he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob; 36 for the mob of the people followed, shouting, "Away with him!" 37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek? 38 Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?" 39 Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; I beg you, let me speak to the people." 40 When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, 22 1 "Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you." 2 And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew language, they became more quiet. And he said: 3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prison both men and women, 5 as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished. 6 "As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 8 And I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' 9 And those who were with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.' 11 But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus. 12 "A certain Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing near said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very time I looked up at him. 14 Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.' 17 "When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, 'Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.' 19 And I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in you. 20 When the blood of Stephen your witness was shed, I also was standing by and approving, and keeping the garments of those who were killing him.' 21 And he said to me, 'Go; for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'" 22 Up to this word they listened to him, and then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he ought not to live." 23 And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and commanded him to be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way. 25 But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?" 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen." 27 So the commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes." 28 The commander answered, "I bought this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen." 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately; and the commander also was afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had put him in chains. 30 But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them. 23 1 And Paul, looking intently at the council, said, "Brethren, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day." 2 The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, "God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?" 4 Those who stood by said, "Would you revile God's high priest?" 5 And Paul said, "I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'" 6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead I am on trial." 7 When he said this, a dissension broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9 There occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisees' party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, "We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?" 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks. 11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome." 12 When it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. 13 There were more than forty who formed this plot. 14 They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. 15 You therefore, along with the council, give notice now to the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near." 16 But the son of Paul's sister heard of their ambush, and he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and said, "Take this young man to the commander; for he has something to tell him." 18 So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, "Paul the prisoner called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, since he has something to tell you." 19 The commander took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?" 20 And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him. 21 But do not yield to them; for more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him, having bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you." 22 So the commander dismissed the young man, instructing him, "Tell no one that you have informed me of this." 23 Then he called two of the centurions and said, "At the third hour of the night get ready two hundred soldiers with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea. 24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and bring him safely to Felix the governor." 25 And he wrote a letter having this form: 26 "Claudius Lysias, to His Excellency, Governor Felix: greetings. 27 This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with the troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen. 28 And desiring to know the charge for which they were accusing him, I brought him down to their council. 29 I found that he was accused over questions about their Law, but there was no accusation against him deserving death or imprisonment. 30 And when I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, also instructing his accusers to bring charges against him before you." 31 So the soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. 32 But the next day, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, they returned to the barracks. 33 When these had come to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him. 34 When he had read the letter, he asked from what province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he said, "I will hear you when your accusers arrive also." And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's Praetorium. 24 1 After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor. 2 And when Paul was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to Felix: "Since through you we have enjoyed much peace, and since by your provision, reforms are introduced on behalf of this nation, 3 we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all gratitude. 4 But, that I may not weary you further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. 5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. 6 He even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges of which we accuse him." 9 The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so. 10 When the governor had motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "Realizing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. 11 Since you can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 They did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues, or in the city. 13 Neither can they prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14 But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do worship the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there will certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 And so I do my best always to have a clear conscience before God and men. 17 Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. 18 As I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asiaó19 who ought to be here before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me. 20 Or else let these men themselves tell what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the Council, 21 except this one thing which I shouted out while standing among them, 'With respect to the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.'" 22 But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, "When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case." 23 Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody but have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to his needs. 24 But some days later Felix came with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you." 26 At the same time, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. 27 But when two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. 25 1 Festus then, three days after arriving in the province, went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews brought charges against Paul; and they urged him, 3 as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. 4 Festus answered that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5 "Therefore," he said, "let the men of authority among you go there with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them prosecute him." 6 After he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 And when Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove. 8 Paul said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended at all." 9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?" 10 But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know. 11 If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of the charges brought against me is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar." 12 Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, "You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go." 13 Now when a few days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus. 14 While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix; 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him, asking for sentence against him. 16 I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused meets his accusers face to face and has an opportunity to make his defense against the charges. 17 When therefore they came together here, I did not delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in. 18 When the accusers stood up, they did not charge him of such crimes as I had expected, 19 but they simply had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Being at a loss how to investigate such matters, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these matters. 21 But when Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him to be kept in custody until I could send him to Caesar. 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you shall hear him." 23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high ranking officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving of death; and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to send him. 26 But I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him." 26 1 Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense: 2 "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 because you are especially familiar with all customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. 4 So then, all the Jews know my manner of life from my youth up, which from the beginning was spent among my own nation and at Jerusalem. 5 They have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. 6 And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers; 7 the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews. 8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? 9 I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem; I not only shut up many of the saints in prison, by authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. 12 "On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' 15 And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness to the things which you have seen of me, and also to the things in which I will appear to you; 17 rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' 19 "So, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and perform deeds worthy of their repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen: 23 that the Christ must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles." 24 And as he was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad." 25 But Paul said, "I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. 26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do." 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, "In a short time you think to persuade me to become a Christian!" 29 And Paul said, "Whether in a short or a long time, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I amóexcept for these chains." 30 The king rose and the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them, 31 and when they had gone aside, they began talking to one another, saying, "This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment." 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar." 27 1 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius. 2 And embarking in a ship from Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends and be cared for. 4 We put out to sea from there and sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. 5 When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 7 When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete, off Salmone. 8 We sailed along it with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. 9 As much time had been lost, and the voyage was now dangerous because the fast had already gone by, Paul advised them, 10 and said to them, "Men, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives." 11 But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the owner of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. 12 Because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. 13 When a gentle south wind came up, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore. 14 But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called the northeaster; 15 and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 And running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were scarcely able to secure the boat. 17 After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables to undergird the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. 18 The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, they began to throw the cargo overboard; 19 and on the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was raging on us, all hope of our being saved was finally abandoned. 21 When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. 22 Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage; for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24 and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.' 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must run aground on some island." 27 But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to sense that they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and prayed for daybreak. 30 But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down the lifeboat into the sea, on the pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved." 32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes of the lifeboat and let it fall away. 33 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food; it will give you strength, since not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you." 35 Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 All of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six persons. 38 When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea. 39 When day came, they could not recognize the land, but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could. 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders; then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. 41 But striking a sandbar they ran the vessel aground; the bow stuck fast and remained immovable, and the stern was broken up by the pounding of the surf. 42 The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest on planks or on various pieces of the ship. And so it happened that they were all brought safely to land. 28 1 When we had been brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The natives showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. 3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live." 5 However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They waited, expecting him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead; but after they had waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. 7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 It happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed sick with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed. 11 After three months we set sail in a ship which had wintered in the island, an Alexandrian ship, with the Twin Brothers as figurehead. 12 After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found some brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brethren, when they heard of us, came from there as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage. 16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him. 17 After three days Paul called together the local leaders of the Jews; and when they had gathered, he said to them, "Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesarónot that I had any charge to bring against my own nation. 20 For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain." 21 They said to him, "We have not received letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brethren who have come here has reported or spoken anything bad about you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against." 23 When they had appointed a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers. And he explained the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 When they disagreed among themselves, they began to leave, after Paul had made one final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: 26 saying, 'Go to this people and say, "you will be ever hearing, but will never understand; and you will be ever seeing, but will never perceive. 27 For this people's heart has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and their eyes they have closed; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them."' 28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen." 30 And he stayed there two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unhindered.

Acts, page 1

The Letter of Paul to the Romans

1 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 among whom you also are called to belong to Jesus Christ; 7 To all in Rome who are beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, 10 asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last find the way to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen youó12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have some harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish: 15 so I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth, 19 for what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world his invisible nature, even his eternal power and deity, has been clearly seen, being understood by the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; 21 for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural. 27 And the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to retain the knowledge of God, God gave them over to a base mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, depravity. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. 2 1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge another; for in whatever point you pass judgment on him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who do such things. 3 Do you think, O man, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do the same yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume upon the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But by your hardness and your impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 For he "will render to each one according to his works": 7 to those who by patience in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality. 12 All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 When Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing or else excusing them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. 17 But if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God 18 and know his will and approve of what is excellent, because you are instructed in the law, 19 and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truthó21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." 25 Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a breaker of the law. 28 For he is not a real Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something outward and in the flesh. 29 He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, and not by the written code. His praise is not from men but from God. 3 1 Then what advantage has the Jew, or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! To begin with, they are entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some did not have faith? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 Certainly not! Let God be true, though every man a liar. As it is written: "That you may be justified in your words and prevail when you are judged." 5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 Certainly not! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 Why not say ñ as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we sayó"Let us do evil that good may come"? Their condemnation is just. 9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? Certainly not; for we have already charged that all men, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin. 10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." 13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to practice deceit." "The poison of asps is under their lips." 14 "Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." 15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their ways are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they do not know." 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no flesh will be justified in his sight by works of the law, for through the law comes knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God has been revealed apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For there is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as an atoning sacrifice by his blood, to be received through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over sins committed beforehand; 26 and it was to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where then is our boasting? It is excluded. On what law? On the law of works? No, but on the law of faith. 28 For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through their faith. 31 Do we then nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we uphold the law. 4 1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 4 Now to him who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. 5 And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness. 6 So also David describes the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin." 9 Is this blessedness only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be reckoned to them. 12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. 13 The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that he would be heir of the world, was not through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are to be the heirs, faith has no value and the promise is void, 15 because the law brings wrath, for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all his descendantsónot only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations") in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls things that do not exist as though they did. 18 In hope, he believed against hope, so that he became the father of many nations; as he had been told, "So shall your descendants be." 19 And he did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why it was "reckoned to him as righteousness." 23 But the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, 24 but for us also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered to death for our sins and was raised for our justification. 5 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 When we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Why, one will hardly die for a righteous manóthough perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received our reconciliation. 12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all men, because all men sinned. (13 For sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man's trespass many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the free gift is not like the effect of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17 For if, by the one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.) 18 So then, as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. 20 Law came in, that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 6 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So you also, consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you obey its passions. 13 Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one to obey as slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for holiness. 20 When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is holiness and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 7 1 Do you not know, brethrenófor I am speaking to those who know the lawóthat the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and though she marries another man, she is not an adulteress. 4 Likewise, my brethren, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit to God. 5 While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once held us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. 7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." 8 But sin, finding opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetous desire. For apart from the law sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 The very commandment which was to bring life I found to be death to me. 11 For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Certainly not! But it was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, so that through the commandment sin might become sinful beyond measure. 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For I do not do what I want to do, but I do what I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 So then, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will to do what is good, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do; but the evil I do not want to do is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law, at war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to Godóthrough Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. 8 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weakened through the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin: he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so; 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although your body is dead because of sin, your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit who dwells in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtorsónot to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirsóheirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, in order that we may also be glorified with him. 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits with eager expectation for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in birth pangs together until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 And those whom he predestined, he also called; those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom he justified, he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also give us all things with him? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 9 1 I am speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 Of them are the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, forever blessed. Amen. 6 But it is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel, 7 nor are they all children of Abraham because they are his descendants; but, "Through Isaac shall your descendants be named." 8 In other words, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are reckoned as descendants. 9 For this is what the promise said: "About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son." 10 And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our father Isaac, 11 though the twins were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad, in order that God's purpose of election might stand, not because of works but because of his call, 12 she was told, "The older will serve the younger." 13 As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Certainly not! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 So it depends not upon man's will or exertion, but upon God's mercy. 17 For the scripture says to Pharaoh, "I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I may show my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth." 18 Therefore he has mercy on whom he wills, and he hardens the heart of whom he wills. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Does not the potter have right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, choosing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for the vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea: "I will call them who were not my people 'my people,' and her who was not beloved I will call 'my beloved.'" 26 "And it will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'" 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved. 28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence on the earth with speed and finality." 29 And as Isaiah said: "Unless the Lord of hosts had left us children, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made like Gomorrah." 30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued the law of righteousness, has not attained that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone that will make men stumble, and a rock that will make them fall; and he who believes in him will not be put to shame." 10 1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law, that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them." 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches on all who call upon him. 13 For, "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 14 How then can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!" 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." 19 Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, "I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; by a foolish nation I will make you angry." 20 But Isaiah is very bold and says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me." 21 But of Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." 11 1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Certainly not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?ó 3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life." 4 But what is God's reply to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 And if it is by grace, then it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. 7 What then? Israel did not obtain what it sought. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, down to this very day." 9 And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever." 11 So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? Certainly not! But through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness mean! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse to jealousy the kinsmen of my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole lump is holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the rest to share the root of the olive tree, 18 do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast only by faith. So do not be proud, but stand in awe. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not persist in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and were grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree! 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins." 28 As regards the gospel they are enemies of God, for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. 30 Just as you were once disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may receive mercy. 32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out! 34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. 12 1 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For by the grace given to me I say to every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, let us use it in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be genuine. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be faithful in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but have regard for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 20 No, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 13 1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore he who resists the authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will have praise from him. 4 For he is God's servant to you for good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is God's servant, an avenger to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's ministers, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay all of them their dues: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. 8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and any other commandment there may be, are summed up in this sentence, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11 And do this, knowing the hour, that now it is full time for you to wake from sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. 14 1 As for the man who is weak in faith, accept him, but not for disputes over opinions. 2 One believes he may eat anything, but the man whose faith is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not, and let not him who does not eat pass judgment on him who eats; for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will be made to stand, for the Master is able to make him stand. 5 One man esteems one day as better than another; another man esteems every day alike. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10 Why do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another anymore, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in our brother's way. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15 If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not by your eating destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; 18 he who serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 Let us therefore pursue what makes for peace and for mutual edification. 20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is right not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself for what he approves. 23 But he who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not act from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. 15 1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of patience and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore, welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed you, to the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised to show God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name"; 10 and again it says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people!" 11 and again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and praise him, all you peoples"; 12 And again, Isaiah says: "There shall be a root of Jesse; and he who shall rise to rule over the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope." 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. 14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points, so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deedó19 by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit, so that from Jerusalem and as far round as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And so I have made it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on another man's foundation, 21 but as it is written: "They shall see who have not been told of him, and those who have not heard shall understand." 22 This is the reason why I have often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any place for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through, and to be helped by you on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am going to Jerusalem with aid for the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they are in debt to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this, and have delivered to them this fruit, I shall go on by way of you to Spain. 29 And I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. 30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God's will I may come to you with joy, and together with you be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen. 16 1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she has need from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself also. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I but also all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks; 5 greet also the church that meets in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert of Asia for Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners; they are men of note among the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those workers in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. 17 I urge you, brethren, to take note of those who cause divisions and difficulties, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For your obedience has become known to all, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. 20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. 23 Gaius, who is my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, our brother. 25 Now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages 26 but is now revealed and made known to all nations through the prophetic writings, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faithó27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Romans, page 1

The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians

1 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledgeó6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you eagerly wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ; 8 who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For I have been informed by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you, my brethren. 12 What I mean is this, that each one of you says, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. 16 (Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospelónot with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will frustrate." 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to fleshly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong, 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no flesh may boast before God. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord." 2 1 When I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. 6 Yet we do speak a wisdom among the mature, a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away. 7 But we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and which God destined for our glory before the ages. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, "No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived what God has prepared for those who love him," 10 God has revealed them to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit which is in him? Even so no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand the things freely given to us by God. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But the spiritual man judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. 3 1 But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as carnal men, as infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food; for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, even now you are not ready, 3 for you are still carnal. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not carnal, and are you not walking like mere men? 4 For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not mere men? 5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord assigned to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can any one lay than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If any man's work which he has built on it survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are. 18 Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become a fool so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness"; 20 and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." 21 So then let no one boast of men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future; all belong to you, 23 and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God. 4 1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by any human court; I do not even judge myself. 4 I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted by this. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts. Then every man will receive his praise from God. 6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that in us you may learn not to go beyond what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in favor of one against the other. 7 For who regards you as different? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? 8 You are already filled! You have already become rich! You have become kings without us! And indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. 9 For, I think that God has exhibited us apostles last of all, like men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. 11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and we are poorly clothed, and roughly treated, and homeless; 12 and we toil, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; 13 when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. 14 I do not write this to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, be imitators of me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out, not the words of these arrogant people, but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness? 5 1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: a man has his father's wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to have mourned? Let the one who has done this be removed from your midst. 3 For though I am absent in body, I am present in spirit, and have already passed judgment on the one who has committed this, as if I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 not at all meaning the immoral people of this world, or with the greedy and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is an immoral person, or greedy, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindlerónot even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." 6 1 When any one of you has a grievance against a brother, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life! 4 So if you have disputes about such matters, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no man among you wise enough to decide between his brethren, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 Instead, you yourselves defraud and do wrong, and you even do this to your brethren. 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 12 "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 "Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food"óbut God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord, and he will also raise us up. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." 17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one spirit with him. 18 Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body. 7 1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 But because of immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this by way of concession, not of command. 7 I wish that all men were as I myself am. But each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. 8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 10 To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife. 12 But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner leaves, let him do so; in such a case the brother or sister is not bound. For God has called us to peace. 16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? 17 Only, let each one lead the life which the Lord has assigned to him, and in which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18 Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what counts. 20 Each one should remain in the state in which he was called. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it trouble youóbut if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was free when called is Christ's slave. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, let each one remain with God in that condition in which he was called. 25 Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have troubles in this flesh, and I am trying to spare you. 29 I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; so that from now on, those who have wives should live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn, as though they were not mourning; and those who rejoice, as though they were not rejoicing; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; 31 and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it. For the form of this world is passing away. 32 But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33 but a married man is concerned about the affairs of the world, how he may please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman, and the virgin, is concerned about the affairs of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but the married woman is concerned about the affairs of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 This I say for your own benefit, not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is good and to secure undivided devotion to the Lord. 36 But if any man thinks that he is not acting properly toward his betrothed, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let them marry. 37 But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has control over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who does not marry her will do better. 39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 But in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God. 8 1 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by him. 4 Therefore concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we exist. 7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, being accustomed to idols, eat food as really sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food will not commend us to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if a man sees you, who have knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to fall. 9 1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to food and drink? 5 Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8 Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Does not the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Or is he speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others share this right of support from you, do not we all the more? Nevertheless, we did not make use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living from the gospel. 15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion. For woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if it is not of my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may offer the gospel free of charge, and so not make full use of my right in the gospel. 19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the lawóthough not being myself under the lawóso that I might win those under the law. 21 To those who are without law, I became as one without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, so that I might by all means save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I do not run aimlessly. I do not box as a man beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. 10 1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things are examples for us, not to desire evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play." 8 We must not indulge in immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9 We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man. And God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider Israel after the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19 What do I mean then? That a thing offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I say that the things pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 23 "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience; 26 for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it." 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you want to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who informed you and for conscience' sakeó29 the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 23 just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. 11 1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 2 I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her headóit is the same as if her head were shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman was made from man, so also man is born of woman. And all things are from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone wants to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God. 17 But in the following instructions, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 Therefore when you meet together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat, 21 for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? No, I will not. 23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way he took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. 33 So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come. 12 1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to mute idols, however you may have been moved. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of working, but the same God who works all of them in all men. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the working of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another distinguishing between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as he wills. 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one bodyówhether Jews or Greeks, slaves or freeóand we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not made up of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason be any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason be any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But now God has arranged the members in the body, each one of them, just as he desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we treat with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 while our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then those having gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and those speaking in various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. 13 And I will show you a still more excellent way. 1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I have to the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous or boastful, it is not arrogant 5 or rude, it does not seek its own, it is not provoked, it keeps no record of wrongs, 6 it does not rejoice in evil, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails; but where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know fullyóeven as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 14 1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands him, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their edification and encouragement and comfort. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless some one interprets, so that the church may be edified. 6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 If even lifeless things, such as the flute or the harp, do not give a distinction in the notes, how will any one know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is intelligible, how will anyone know what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are many languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the one who is speaking, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you; since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in building up the church. 13 Therefore, he who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how can any one in the position of an outsider say the "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all; 19 but in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; be infants in evil, but in thinking be mature. 21 In the law it is written, "By men of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord." 22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; but prophecy is for believers, not for unbelievers. 23 Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so, he will fall on his face, and worship God, declaring that God is really among you. 26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you come together, each one has a hymn, or a teaching, or a revelation, or a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn; and one must interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is sitting, the first one must keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be submissive, as even the law says. 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. 36 Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38 But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But all things should be done decently and in an orderly way. 15 1 Now I would remind you, brethren, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 And last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of themóyet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; 14 if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then, at his coming, those who belong to him. 24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 "For God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "All things are put in subjection under him," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are people baptized for them? 30 Why are we also in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brethren, by my pride in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." 33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. 35 But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" 36 You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50 Now I tell you this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then will come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 16 1 Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you must also do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you approve with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me. 5 But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia; 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 10 Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you with nothing to fear, for he is doing the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 So let no one despise him. Send him on his way in peace, that he may return to me; for I am expecting him with the brethren. 12 As for our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the other brethren, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity. 13 Be on the your guard, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love. 15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. Now I urge you, brethren, 16 to be subject to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Give recognition to such men. 19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the lord, with the church that is in their house. 20 All the brethren send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 21 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. 22 If anyone does not love the Lordólet him be accursed. Come, O Lord! 23 The grace of The Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.