7 13:42And when they had gone out, [the people] requested that these words might be spoken to them on the next sabbath. 13:43And the congregation being dismissed, many of the Jews and pious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who gave them additional instructions, and persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 13:44And on the following sabbath almost all the city came together to hear the word of the Lord. 13:45And the Jews seeing the multitudes were filled with envy, and contradicted the things said by Paul, disputing and blaspheming. 13:46And both Paul and Barnabas speaking boldly said, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you; but since you cast it away, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the gentiles. 13:47For thus has the Lord commanded us; I have set you for a light of nations, that you should be a salvation even to the end of the earth. 13:48And the gentiles hearing this rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed; 13:49and the word of the Lord was spread through all the country. 13:50But the Jews excited the pious and honorable women, and the first men of the city, and raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out from their limits. 13:51And shaking off the dust of their feet against them, they went to Iconium; 13:52and the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
8 14:1And at Iconium they went together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude of the Jews and Greeks believed. 14:2But the unbelieving Jews excited the minds of the gentiles against the brothers, and made them ill-disposed. 14:3Then they spent a long time in speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace by granting miracles and prodigies to be performed by their hands. 14:4And the multitude of the city were divided; some were with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 14:5And when a design was formed by the gentiles and Jews with their rulers to treat them injuriously, and stone them, 14:6knowing it, they fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding country, 14:7and preached the good news there.
9 14:8And there sat a certain man at Lystra, infirm in his feet, lame from his birth, who had never walked. 14:9This man heard Paul speaking, who, looking steadily at him and seeing that he had faith to be cured, 14:10said with a loud voice, Stand up erect on your feet. And he leaped, and walked. 14:11And the multitude seeing what Paul did, lifted up their voice in the language of Lycaonia, saying, The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men; 14:12and they called Barnabas, Jupiter, and Paul, Mercury, because he was a master of eloquence. 14:13And the priest of the Jupiter which was before the city brought bulls and garlands to the gates, and wished to offer sacrifices with the multitudes. 14:14But the apostles Barnabas and Paul hearing of it, rending their clothes ran among the multitude, crying 14:15and saying, Men, why do you do these things? We are also men subject to like sufferings with you, preaching that you should turn from these vain [services] to the living God, who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things in them, 14:16who in past generations permitted all nations to walk in their own ways; 14:17although indeed he left not himself without a witness, doing good, giving rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 14:18And saying these things they with difficulty restrained the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
10 14:19But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the multitudes, and having stoned Paul, they dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 14:20But while the disciples stood around him, he arose and entered into the city. And on the next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. 14:21And having preached the good news to that city, and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and Iconium, and Antioch, 14:22confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of God. 14:23And having appointed them elders in every church, and having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
11 14:24And passing through Pisidia they came to Pamphylia, 14:25and having spoken the word in Perga they went down to Attalia, 14:26and thence sailed to Antioch, whence they had been commended to the favor of God for the work which they performed. 14:27And having arrived, and assembled the church, they reported what God had done with them, and that he had opened the door of faith to the gentiles. 14:28And they remained there not a little time with the disciples.
CHAPTER XII.
THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM ON CIRCUMCISION.—A.D. 50.
1 15:1AND certain persons having come down from Judea taught the brothers, If you are not circumcised according to the custom of Moses you cannot be saved. 15:2There being therefore no little dissension and disputation of Paul and Barnabas with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, concerning this question. 15:3They, therefore, being sent forward by the church, went to Phenicia and Samaria, relating the conversion of the gentiles, and caused great joy to all the brothers. 15:4And when they came to Jerusalem they were received by the church, and the apostles, and the elders, and related what things God had done with them. 15:5But some of those of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, rose and said, that it is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
2 15:6And the apostles and elders were assembled together to see about this matter. 15:7And after there had been much debate, Peter rose and said to them, Men and brothers, you know that in former days God chose among you that the gentiles should hear by my mouth the word of the gospel and believe. 15:8And the heart-searching God testified to them, giving to them the Holy Spirit even as to us, 15:9and made no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by the faith. 15:10Now, therefore, why do you try God, to put on the necks of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we could bear? 15:11But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same manner as they.
3 15:12And all the multitude was silent, and heard Barnabas and Paul relate what miracles and prodigies God performed among the gentiles through them. 15:13And after they were silent, James answered, saying, Men and brothers, hear me. 15:14Simeon has related how God first visited the gentiles to take a people for his name. 15:15And with this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written, 15:16After this will I return and build up the tabernacle of David which had fallen down, and rebuild its ruins, and set it up, 15:17that the rest of men may seek the Lord, even all the nations on whom my name has been called, says the Lord who does these things, 15:18known from eternity. 15:19Wherefore I judge that we ought not to trouble those who turned to God from the gentiles, 15:20but to send to them to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and fornication, and things strangled, and blood. 15:21For Moses from ancient times has those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.