DASV: Digital American Standard Version


                                                 DASV: Acts 1

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about everything Jesus began to do and teach,

2 until the day he was taken up to heaven; after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

3 To them he also showed himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them over the space of forty days, and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 Being assembled together with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, "which," he said, "you have heard from me.

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

6 So when they were gathered together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"

7 He replied, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has set by His own authority.

8 But you will receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

9 After he had said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud concealed him from their sight.

10 While they were still gazing up into heaven while he was leaving, two men stood by them in white clothes.

11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing gazing up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."


12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near to Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.

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

14 With one mind all these continued in prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with Jesus' brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up in the middle of the believers (there was a group of about 120 people gathered there), and said,

16 "Brothers, it was necessary to fulfill the Scripture, that the Holy Spirit spoke before through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was a guide to those who took Jesus.

17 For he was numbered as one of us, and had his part in this ministry."

18 Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his unjust act; and falling headfirst, he burst open in the middle, and all his insides gushed out.

19 It became known to all the residents of Jerusalem; so that in their language that field was called Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.

20 Peter continued, "For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his house become deserted, and let no one live there,' and, 'His position let another take.'

21 Now then we must choose one of the men who has accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us,

22 beginning from the baptism of John, to the day that he was taken up from us, one of these who must also have been a witness with us of his resurrection."


23 They proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was known as Justus, and Matthias.

24 They prayed, and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show us which of these two you have chosen

25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned away, that he might go to his own place."

26 They cast lots between them; and the lot fell on Matthias.  So he was counted with the eleven apostles.

                                             DASV: Acts 2

1 When the day of Pentecost had now come, they were all together in one place.

2 Suddenly there was a sound like the rushing of a violent wind from heaven, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

3 Then tongues spreading out like flames of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave ability.


5 Now there were living in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

6 When this sound was heard, the crowd came together, and were mystified, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.

7 They were all amazed and astonished, saying, "Aren't all these who are speaking Galilaeans?

8 How is it that we each hear in our own native language?

9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

11 Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our own languages the mighty works of God."

12 They were all astonished and perplexed, saying to each other, "What does this mean?"

13 But others, mocking, said, "They are filled with new wine."

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice, and spoke to them, "Men of Judea, and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words.

15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose.  It's only nine o'clock in the morning.

16 Rather this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

17   'In the last days, God says,

            I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. 

     Your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

            and your young men will see visions,

                        and your old men will dream dreams.

18   Even on my male and female servants

            in those days I will I pour out of my Spirit;

                        and they will prophesy.

19    I will display wonders in the heaven above,

            and miraculous signs on the earth below,

                        blood, fire and clouds of smoke.

20  The sun will be turned to darkness,

            and the moon into blood,

      before the day of the Lord comes,

            that great and awesome day.

21     Whoever calls on the name of the Lord
            will be saved."


22 You men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested by God to you by mighty works, wonders and miraculous signs which God did through him among you, as you yourselves are aware,

23 this one, being delivered up by the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you, by the hand of lawless men, executed him nailing him to the cross.

24 God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death because it was impossible that he could be held in its grip.

25 For David said concerning him,
            'I saw the Lord always before my face;

                        for he was at my right hand,

                                    so that I will not be shaken.

26        therefore my heart was glad,

                        and my tongue rejoiced;

                               yet my body also will live in hope,

27       because you will not leave my soul in Hades,
                        neither will you allow your Holy One to see corruption.

28       You made known to me the ways of life;

                        you will make me full of gladness in your presence.'

29 Brothers, I tell you confidently concerning the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30 Therefore since 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 David foreseeing this spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not left in Hades, nor did his body see corruption.

32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of this.

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, that you now see and hear.

34 For David did not ascend into heaven; but he said,
            'The Lord said to my Lord,
                        "Sit on 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 this Jesus whom you have crucified both Lord and Messiah."

37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced in their hearts, and asked Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"

38 Peter replied, "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 this promise is for you and your children, and to all who are afar off, everyone who the Lord our God will call to himself."

40 With many other words he testified and urged them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."

41 They who accepted his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand people were added.


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

43 Awe came upon everyone and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

44 All who believed were together and shared everything in common.

45 They sold their possessions and goods, and shared the proceeds with everyone, as anyone had need.

46 Each day they met together in the temple, broke bread at home and ate their food with gladness and generosity of heart,

47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those who were being saved.

                                              DASV: Acts 3

1 Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o'clock in the afternoon.

2 A man lame from birth was carried, who they laid daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate, to beg for money from those who entered into the temple.

3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for a donation.

4 Peter stared directly at him, as did John, and said, "Look at us."

5 So he paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.

6 But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold; but what I have, I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk."

7 Then Peter took him by the right hand, and pulled him up.  Immediately his feet and his ankles became strong.

8 Leaping up, he stood and began to walk.  He entered into the temple with them, walking, leaping and praising God.

9 All the people saw him walking and praising God.

10 They recognized him, that he was the one who sat begging for donations at the Beautiful Gate of the temple.  They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.


11 As he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's Portico, absolutely astonished.

12 When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, "Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us, as though we, by our own power or godliness, made him walk?

13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our forefathers, has glorified his servant Jesus; whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, when he had decided to release him.

14 But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One, and asked instead for a murderer to be released to you.

15 You killed the author of life; whom God raised from the dead.  We are witnesses of it.

16 By faith in his name, just as his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through Jesus has given him this total healing in the presence of all of you.

17 Now, brothers, I know that you did it in ignorance, as your rulers did also.

18 But the things which God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer, he has fulfilled.

19 Therefore repent and turn back to God so that your sins may be blotted out.  Then times of refreshment may come from the presence of the Lord,

20 and so that he may send the Messiah who has been appointed for you, even Jesus.

21 He must remain in heaven until the time of the restoration of all things, which God announced through the mouth of His holy prophets long ago.

22 Moses indeed said, 'A prophet will the Lord God raise up for you from among your brothers, like me. You must listen to everything he tells you.

23 Anyone who does not listen to that prophet, will be totally destroyed from among the people.'

24 All the prophets from Samuel and those who spoke after him, predicted these days.

25 You are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant God made with your forefathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your descendants all the families of the earth will be blessed.'

26 God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you first, by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."

                                              DASV: Acts 4

1 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,

2 greatly disturbed because they taught the people, and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3 They arrested them, and took them into custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

4 But many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to about five thousand.


5 On the next day, their rulers, elders and religious scholars were gathered together in Jerusalem.

6 Annas the high priest was there with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were relatives of the high priest.

7 When they had set them in the middle of them, they inquired, "By what power, or in 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 on trial this day concerning a good deed done to a sick man, by what means this man is healed,

10 let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man stands here before you cured.

11 Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, he has become the chief cornerstone.

12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven, given among humans, by which we must be saved."

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they were amazed and realized that they had been with Jesus.

14 Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

15 So they ordered them to leave the council.  Then they conferred with each other,

16 saying, "What should we do to these men? For truly they have performed a notable miracle as is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem.  We cannot deny it.

17 But so that it spread no further among the people, let us threaten them not to speak any more to anyone in this name."

18 So they called them, and ordered them not to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John replied, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you judge;

20 for it is impossible for us not to speak the things which we have seen and heard."

21 After they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for all of them were praising God for what was done.

22 The man was more than forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

23 Being released, they went back to their friends and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

24 When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God together, and said, "O Lord, you who made the heaven, the earth and the sea, and all that is in them,                .

25 you said by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our forefather David your servant,    'Why do the Gentiles rage,

                        and the peoples make foolish plots?

26         The kings of the earth took their stand,

                        and the rulers gathered together,

                                    against the Lord,

                                    and against his Anointed.'

27 For in fact in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,

28 to do whatever your hand and your council determined beforehand to come to pass.

29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to your servants the ability to speak your word with all boldness,

30 while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

31 After they had prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.


32 The community of believers were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed that anything which he possessed was his own; but they shared all things in common.

33 With great power the apostles testified about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was on them all.

34 For no one among them lacked anything; for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds from the things that were sold,

35 and laid them at the apostles' feet.  The proceeds were then distributed to each, according to their need.

36 Joseph, a Levite, from Cyprus, who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles (which means, "son of encouragement"),

37 having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

                                            DASV: Acts 5

1 Now a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold some property,

2 but kept back some of the proceeds. His wife had full knowledge of it, and they brought only a portion of it, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

3 Now Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the proceeds from the sale of the land?

4 While it remained unsold, did it not belong to you? Even after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How did you ever devise this scam in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God."

5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died.  Great fear came on all who heard about it.

6 The young men came, wrapped him up, then carried him out and buried him.

7 After about three hours, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.

8 Peter asked her, "Tell me, did you and your husband sell the land for this much?" She replied, "Yes, for that much."

9 Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you both 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 too."

10 Immediately she fell down at his feet, and died.  Then the young men came in and found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

11 Great fear came on the whole church, and on all who heard these things.


12 Now through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were performed among the people.  They were all together in Solomon's Portico.

13 But none of the rest dared join them, although the people held them in high regard.
14 Yet more and more believers were added to the Lord, crowds of both men and women.

15 So much so that they even carried the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and mats, so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.

16 Crowds also came together from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick, and those who were tormented by unclean spirits; and every one of them was healed.


17 But the high priest rose up, and all they who were with him (that is, the sect 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 prison doors, and brought them out, and said,

20 "Go, stand and proclaim in the temple to the people all the words of this life."

21 After hearing this they entered the temple at daybreak and began teaching. Now the high priest came, and those who were with him convened the Sanhedrin, and the full assembly of the people of Israel, and sent to the jail to have them brought out.

22 But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; so they returned, and reported,

23 "We found the jail locked shut, and the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside."

24 Now when the commander of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed concerning them wondering what was going on.

25 Then someone came and told them, "Look, the men you put in the jail are standing in the temple and teaching the people."

26 Then the commander went with the officers, and brought them in, but without violence; for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.


27 When they had brought them in, they set them before the council. The high priest asked them,

28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to hold us responsible for this man's blood."

29 But Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than men.

30 The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.

31 God exalted him at his right hand to be a Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

32 We are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

33 But when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.


34 But one in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, who was respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the apostles to be put outside for a little while.

35 Then he addressed the council, "You men of Israel, be careful what you propose to do to these men.

36 For a while ago Theudas rose up claiming to be somebody important.  About 400 men joined him, and he was killed and all who followed him were dispersed and nothing came of it.

37 After him, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away some people to follow him. He also perished, and everyone who followed him was scattered.

38 Now I tell to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, for if their plotting or this undertaking is from men, then it will be overthrown;

39 but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or you may even be found to be fighting against God."

40 So he convinced them.  Then they called the apostles back to them, they beat them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.


41 So they left the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

42 Every day, in the temple and at home, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah.

                                            DASV: Acts 6

1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was increasing, there arose a complaint from the Grecian Jews against the Hebrew oriented Jews, because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.

2 The twelve called the crowd of the disciples to them, and said, "It is not right that we should neglect the word of God, to serve tables.

3 Therefore, brothers, select seven men of good reputation from among you, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this business.

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

5 The suggestion pleased the whole community and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

6 They stood them in front of the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.


7 The word of God continued spreading and the number of the disciples greatly increased in Jerusalem, including a great group of priests who became obedient to the faith.

8 Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

9 But there arose some from the synagogue which was called the Freedmen, both Cyrenians and Alexandrians along with some from Cilicia and Asia, who argued with Stephen.

10 But they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

11 Then they secretly incited some men, who claimed, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God."

12 So they stirred up the people, along with the elders and scribes. Then they accosted Stephen, arrested him, and brought him to the Sanhedrin.

13 They set up false witnesses, who claimed, "This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law.

14 For we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs that Moses handed down to us."

15 Everyone sitting in the Sanhedrin stared at Stephen.  They saw his face was like the face of an angel.

                                             DASV: Acts 7

1 Then the high priest asked, "Are these things true?"

2 Stephen replied, "Brothers and fathers, listen, the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.

3 He told him, 'Leave your country and your relatives, and go to the land that I will show you.'

4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans and lived in Haran.  From there, after his father died, God had him move into this land where you are now living.

5 He did not give him any of it for an inheritance, not even enough to set his foot down on.  God promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him, even when he was childless.

6 God spoke concerning this, that his descendants would sojourn in a foreign land, and that residents there would enslave and oppress them for four hundred years.

7 'The nation that they will be in bondage to I will judge,' God said, 'and after that they will come out and serve me in this place.'

8 Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision.  So he became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Then Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.


9 The patriarchs, being jealous of Joseph, sold him to Egypt, but God was with him.

10 He rescued him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt including his whole household.

11 Now there was a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, causing great misery, and our forefathers could find no food.

12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers the first time.

13 On their second trip Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and Joseph's family background became known to Pharaoh.

14 Then Joseph sent and called for Jacob his father, and all his relatives, totaling seventy-five people.

15 So Jacob went down to Egypt, and he died there as did our forefathers.

16 Later they were carried back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham had purchased for some silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

17 But as the time for the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt.

18 Then there arose another king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph.

19 He dealt shrewdly with our people, and mistreated our forefathers, forcing them to expose their babies so that they would not live.

20 At that time Moses was born, and was beautiful to God.  He was taken care of for three months in his father's house.

21 When he was left outside, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him, and cared for him as her own son.

22 So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and deeds.

23 But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his relatives, the children of Israel.

24 After seeing one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him, and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian.

25 Now he assumed that his brothers would have understood that God was rescuing them by his hand, but they did not understand.

26 The next day he came across two of them fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting each other?'

27 But he who was harming his neighbor pushed Moses away, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

28 Are you going to kill me, like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'


29 Hearing this Moses fled, and became a foreigner in the land of Midian, where he had 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 take a closer look, there came a voice from the Lord,

32 'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' Moses trembled, and did not dare to look.

33 Then the Lord said to him, 'Take the sandals off your feet, for the place you are standing is holy ground.

34 I have surely seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I am come down to rescue them.  Now come for I will send you into Egypt.'

35 God sent this Moses whom they refused, objecting, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' to be both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

36 This one led them forth, having performed wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.

37 This is that Moses, who said to the people of Israel, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.'

38 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, along with our forefathers.  He received living oracles to give to us.


39 Our forefathers refused to obey, but pushed him aside, and in their hearts, turned back to Egypt.

40 They told Aaron, 'Make us gods that will go before us.  As for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.'

41 In those days they made a calf, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in this, the work of their hands.

42 But God turned away and gave them up to serve the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'Did you offer me slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

43 No, you took along the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of the god Rephan, and the idols you made to worship them.  So I will deport you beyond Babylon.'


44 Our forefathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, just as God, who spoke to Moses, directed him to make it, according to the pattern he had seen.

45 Our forefathers in turn, brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before the face of our forefathers.  It was there until the days of David.

46 He found favor in the sight of God, and asked to build a dwelling for the God of Jacob.

47 But Solomon built him a house.

48 Yet the Most High does not live in houses made with hands.  As the prophet says,

49 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is the footstool for my feet.  What kind of house will you build for me?' says the Lord, 'Or what is the place of my rest?

50 Didn't my hand make all these things?'

51 You are stubborn and uncircumcised in heart and ears.  You always resist the Holy Spirit, just like your forefathers did.

52 Which of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One; of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.

53 You received the law as it was given by angels, but you have not kept it."


54 Now when they heard these things, they were furious, and they gnashed their teeth at him.

55 But Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadily into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.

56 He exclaimed, "Look, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God."

57 But they, covering their ears and screaming, they rushed at him with one intent.

58 They dragged him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 As they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

60 Then he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, don't hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

                                              DASV: Acts 8

1 Now Saul consented to his execution. That day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made great lament over him.

3 But Saul wasted the church, entering into every house, and dragging off both men and women, incarcerating them in prison.


4 Those who were scattered went around proclaiming the word.

5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed the Messiah to them.

6 The crowds with one accord paid careful attention to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the miraculous signs he did.

7 For many of those who had unclean spirits, when they came out, shrieked loudly and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

8 So there was great joy in that city.


9 But there was a certain man named Simon, who previously used sorcery in that city.  He amazed the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great.

10 Everyone from the least to the greatest paid him respect, saying, "This man is the power of God, rightly called, the Great One."

11 They paid him respect, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.

12 But when they believed Philip who was proclaiming the good news concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

13 Simon himself believed too, and after being baptized, he stayed by Philip; and as he watched the signs and great miracles being performed, he was amazed.


14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

15 They went down and prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

16 For it had not come on any of them because they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

17 Then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 Now when Simon observed that the Holy Spirit came through the laying on of apostles' hands, he offered them money,

19 saying, "Give me this power too, that on whomever I lay my hands, they will receive the Holy Spirit."

20 But Peter said to him, "Your silver perish with you, because you have thought you could purchase the gift of God with money.

21 You have neither part or portion in this for your heart is not right before God.

22 Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

23 For I see that you are bitterly jealous and chained by your sin."

24 Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you said will happen to me."

25 After they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, and proclaimed the good news to many Samaritan villages.


26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert road.

27 So he got up and went. An Ethiopian eunuch, a court official under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury, had come to Jerusalem to worship.

28 He was returning and sitting in his chariot reading the prophet Isaiah.

29 The Spirit said to Philip, "Approach, and join up with this chariot."

30 So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet.  He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

31 He said, "How can I, except someone guides me?" Then he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 Now the passage of the Scripture he was reading was this:

            "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter;

                        and like a lamb before his shearer is silent,

                                    so he did not open his mouth.

33         In his humiliation he was denied justice.

                        His generation who will declare?

                                    For his life was taken from the earth."

34 Then the eunuch asked Philip, "Please tell me, was the prophet speaking about himself or some else?"

35 Philip opened his mouth, and starting with this Scripture, proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him.

36 As they traveled down the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, here's some water; what prevents me from being baptized?"

37 [Some late manuscripts have:  Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart you may. He answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]

38 He ordered to stop the chariot and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch did not see him anymore, and he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and while he was passing through he proclaimed the good news to all the towns, until he came to Caesarea.

                                             DASV: Acts 9

1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest.

2 He asked him for letters addressed to the Damascus synagogues, that if he found anyone who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3 Now as he traveled, he approached Damascus when suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

4 He fell to the ground, and heard a voice asking him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"

5 He said, "Who are you, Lord?" The voice replied, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you must do."

7 Now the men traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but not seeing anyone.

8 Saul got up from the ground and when his eyes were opened, he could not see a thing.  So they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.

9 He had no sight for three days and did not eat or drink.


10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias.  The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He replied, "Here I am, Lord."

11 Then the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to Straight Street, and ask in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus.  For he is praying.

12 He has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight."

13 But Ananias objected, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.

14 Even here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name."

15 But the Lord said to him, "Go your way, for he is my chosen instrument to bring my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the people of Israel,

16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake."

17 Then Ananias left, and entered the house, and laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

18 Immediately something like scales fell off his eyes, and he regained his sight.  Then he got up and was baptized,

19 and after receiving some food he was strengthened.  He stayed there a few days with the disciples who were in Damascus.


20 Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, claiming, "He is the Son of God."

21 All who heard him were amazed, and asked, "Is not this the one who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? Didn't he even come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?"

22 But Saul became increasingly more effective and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that Jesus was the Messiah.

23 After many days passed, the Jews plotted together to kill him.

24 But their plot was exposed to Saul. They were even watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him.

25 But his disciples took him by night, and let him down through a hole in the wall, lowering him in a basket.


26 When he arrived at Jerusalem, he tried to join with the disciples but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was actually a disciple.

27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and how he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

28 So he stayed with them going in and out of Jerusalem,

29 speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.  He spoke and argued against the Grecian Jews; but they were trying to kill him.

30 When the brothers found out, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him away to Tarsus.

31 So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace, being built up living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, increased in numbers.


32 Now as Peter went through all regions, he came down to the saints who lived at Lydda.

33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to his mat for eight years, for he was paralyzed.

34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you.  Get up and make your bed." Immediately he got up.

35 All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.


36 Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas; this woman was full of good works and acts of charity.

37 In those days, she fell sick, and died.  After they had washed her, they laid her in an upstairs room.

38 As Lydda was near to Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, "Please come to us without delay."

39 So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upstairs room and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and clothes Dorcas had made, while she was with them.

40 But Peter put them all out, kneeled down and prayed. Then turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

41 He gave her his hand, and helped her up. He then called the saints and widows and presented her alive.

42 It became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

43 He stayed many days in Joppa with Simon who was a leather tanner.

                                             DASV: Acts 10

1 Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion from the Italian Regiment.

2 He was a devout man, and one who feared God with his entire household.  He gave donations generously to the people, and prayed regularly to God.

3 One afternoon about three o'clock he clearly saw in a vision of an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius."

4 He stared at him and was afraid.  He asked, "What is it, Lord?" He said to him, "Your prayers and your donations to the poor have gone up as a memorial before God.

5 Now send men to Joppa, and get a man named Simon, who is called Peter.

6 He is staying with a leather tanner named Simon whose house is by the sea."

7 After the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his servants, and a devout soldier from those who waited on him continually.

8 Having rehearsed everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.


9 Now on the next day about noon, as they were on their journey and approached the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.

10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, he fell into a trance.

11 He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet descending, lowered by its four corners to the ground.

12 On it were all kinds of four-footed animals, reptiles of the earth and birds of the heaven.

13 A voice said to him, "Peter, get up, kill and eat."

14 But Peter said, "No way, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is defiled or unclean."

15 A voice came to him a second time, "What God has cleansed, do not call defiled."

16 This was done three times and immediately the object was taken back up into heaven.

17 Now while Peter was very puzzled over the meaning of the vision which he had seen, the men who were sent by Cornelius had inquired about Simon's house and stood at the gate.

18 They called and asked whether Simon, known as Peter, was staying there.

19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Three men are looking for you.

20 Get up, get down and go with them without hesitation, for I have sent them."

21 Peter went down to the men, and said, "I'm the one you're looking for.  Why have you come here?"

22 They replied, "Cornelius a centurion, a righteous and God fearing man, well spoken of by the whole nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for you to come his house, and to hear what you have to say."

23 So he invited them in and gave them a place to stay. On the next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.


24 On the next day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his close friends.

25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet and worshipped him.

26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up, for I too am a human being."

27 As he talked with him, he went in, and found many gathered together.

28 He said to them, "You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate himself or visit one of another nation; but God has shown me that I should never call anyone defiled or unclean.

29 That is why I came without any objection, when I was sent for. May I ask, why you sent for me?"

30 Cornelius said, "Four days ago at this time, I was praying at three o'clock in my house; when a man stood before me in shining clothes.

31 He said, 'Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your donations to the poor have been remembered in the sight of God.

32 Now send to Joppa, and call to you Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the house of a leather tanner named Simon by the sea.'

33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now we are all present in the sight of God, to hear all things that the Lord has commanded you to tell us."


34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I now understand that God does not show favoritism

35 but in every nation whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

36 You know the message which he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all).

37 It was published throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism that John preached,

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.  He went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.

39 We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they killed, by hanging him on a tree.

40 But God raised him up on the third day, and permitted him to appear,

41 not to all the people, but to us as witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

42 He ordered us to preach to the people, and to testify that it was he who was ordained by God to be the judge of the living and the dead.

43 To him all the prophets bore 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 those who heard the word.

45 Those circumcised who had come with Peter who believed were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles,

46 for they heard them speak with tongues, and praising God. Then Peter asked,

47 "Can anyone forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just like we did?"

48 So he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay there for a few days.

                                             DASV: Acts 11

1 Now the apostles and brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, they who were circumcised criticized him,

3 saying, "You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them."

4 But Peter began to explain to them the way it happened, saying,

5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain object descending, it was like a large sheet let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me.

6 I stared at it carefully observing four-footed animals of the earth and wild animals and reptiles and birds of the heaven.

7 Then I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.'

8 But I said, 'No way, Lord; for nothing defiled or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.'

9 But the voice spoke a second time out of heaven, 'What God has cleansed, you must not call profane.'

10 This happened three times then everything was drawn back up to heaven.


11 At that moment three men stood in front of the house where we were, having been sent to me from Caesarea.

12 The Spirit told me to go with them without any discrimination. These six brothers also accompanied me and we entered into the man's house.

13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, saying, 'Send to Joppa, and get Simon, who is called Peter.

14 He will speak to you words, whereby you will be saved, you and your whole household.'

15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as it had on us at the beginning.

16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John indeed baptized with water; but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

17 If then God gave to them the same gift he gave to us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could hinder God?"


18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, "God has also granted repentance that leads to life to the Gentiles."

19 Now those who were scattered abroad as a result of the trouble that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.

20 But there were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, after coming to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks too, preaching the good news of the Lord Jesus.

21 The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

22 When the report about this came to the ears of the church at Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged all of them to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast hearts.

24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and many people were brought to the Lord.

25 He went to Tarsus to look for Saul.

26 When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For that entire year they gathered with the church and taught many people.  The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.


27 Now in those days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine over all the world.  This actually took place in the days of Claudius.

29 The disciples, everyone according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.

30 They did this sending their support to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

                                              DASV: Acts 12

1 Now about that time King Herod Agrippa laid hands on some of the church to persecute them.

2 He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword.

3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too. This happened during the days of the feast of Unleavened Bread.

4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, and handed him over 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 the prison, but the church prayed earnestly to God for him.

6 On the night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter was sleeping bound with two chains between two soldiers.  The guards kept watch at the door of the prison.

7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison cell and he tapped Peter on the side, and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly," and his chains fell off his wrists.

8 Then the angel told him, "Get dressed, and put on your sandals." So he did it. Then he told him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me."

9 So Peter went out and followed.  He did not know whether what was being done by the angel was actually happening but thought he was seeing a vision.

10 When they were past the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that led into the city.  It opened to them on its own and they went out, and passed down one street, and suddenly the angel left him.

11 When Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent his angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod, and from all that the people of the Jews were expecting to happen."


12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, who was called Mark, where many had gathered and were praying.

13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.

14 When she recognized Peter's voice, she did not even open the gate for joy, but ran in, and announced that Peter was standing at the gate.

15 They said to her, "Are you crazy?" But she confidently insisted that it was so. They continued saying, "It is his angel."

16 But Peter continued knocking.  When they opened the door, they saw him and were astonished.

17 But he, motioning to them with his hand to be quiet, told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, "Tell these things to James, and to the brothers." Then he left and went to another place.

18 Now at daybreak, there was no small commotion among the soldiers, over what had become of Peter.


19 When Herod searched for him and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

20 Now Herod was angry with the  people of Tyre and Sidon.  So they came as a group to him, having won the favor of Blastus the king's personal assistant; they asked for peace, because their country was dependent on the king's country for their food.

21 On a set day Herod dressed himself in royal robes, and sat on the throne, and delivered a public speech to them.

22 The people exclaimed, "It's the voice of a god, and not of a man."

23 Immediately an angel from the Lord smote him down, because he did not give God the glory.  He was eaten of worms and died.

24 But the word of God continued growing and multiplying.

25 Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, after they had completed their mission, taking with them John who was also called Mark.

                                          DASV: Acts 13

1 Now in the church at Antioch, there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon also called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen a close friend of Herod Antipas the tetrarch, and Saul.

2 As they worshipped the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work that I have called them to."

3 Then, after they had fasted, prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them on their way.


4 So Barnabas and Saul being sent out by the Holy Spirit, 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 Jewish synagogues.  They also had John as their assistant.


6 When they had gone across the whole island over to Paphos, they met a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Bar-Jesus.

7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The proconsul summoned Barnabas and Saul, and asked to hear the word of God.

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that was the translation of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at him,

10 and said, "O you who are all full of deceit and an absolute fraud, you are a son of the devil, you are an enemy of all righteousness; will you not stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord?

11 Now, look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a time." Immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.


13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia.

There John left them and returned to Jerusalem.

14 But they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia.  There they went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.

15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it."

16 Paul stood up, motioning with his hand, and he said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.

17 The God of this people Israel chose our forefathers, and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm he led them out of there.

18 For about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.

19 After he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance.

20 After these things he gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet.

21 After that they asked for a king, so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled for forty years.

22 After removing Saul, he raised up David to be their king.  He testified concerning him and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do everything I want him to.'

23 From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, just as he promised.

24 Before his coming, John first proclaimed the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

25 As John was finishing his mission, he said, "Who do you think I am? I am not he. But look, there is one coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.

26 Brothers, descendants of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, this message of salvation has been sent to us.

27 For those who lived in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him, fulfilled the utterances of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning him.

28 Though they found no reason for a death sentence in him, yet they asked Pilate to have him executed.

29 When they had fulfilled all things that were 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 He was seen for many days by those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.  They are now his witnesses to the people.

32 We bring you good news of the promise made to the forefathers,

33 that God has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus; as also it is written in the second Psalm,
                        'You are my Son,

                                    this day I have become your father.'

34 As concerning the fact that he raised him from the dead, now never to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

                        'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'

35 Because he said also in another psalm,

                        'You will not allow your Holy One to experience corruption.'

36 For David, after he had in his own generation served the purpose of God, fell asleep and was buried with his forefathers, and did experience corruption.

37 But he whom God raised up did not experience corruption.

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

39 By him everyone who believes is justified from everything that you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.

40 Beware therefore, so that what was spoken in the prophets does not come on you.

41                     'Look, you scoffers,

                                    be amazed and perish;

                        for I am doing a work in your days,

                                    a work that you will never believe

                                                even if someone tells you."

42 As Paul and Barnabas went out, the people urged them to speak about these matters the next Sabbath.

43 Now when the synagogue meeting had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke with them convincing them to continue in the grace of God.


44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of God.

45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things Paul was saying by berating him.

46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. But seeing you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles.

47 For so has the Lord commanded us, saying,

                        'I have set you for a light of the Gentiles,

                                    so that you might bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.


49 The word of the Lord spread throughout all that region.

50 But the Jews incited the devout upper-class women and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their territory.

51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and went on to Iconium.

52 The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

                                            DASV: Acts 14

1 Now the same thing happened in Iconium where Paul and Barnabas entered into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a manner that a large number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

2 But some of the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

3 So they stayed there for quite some time speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the word of his grace by granting miraculous signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

4 But the people of the city were divided.  Some sided with the Jews, and others sided with the apostles.

5 When there was a plot of both the Gentiles and the Jews along with their rulers, to mistreat and stone them,

6 they learned about it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region.

7 There they continued to preach the good news.


8 At Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet.  He was cripple from his mother's womb and had never walked.

9 This fellow heard Paul speaking.  Paul looked straight at him and seeing that he had faith to be made whole,

10 said loudly, "Stand upright on your feet." He leaped up and began walking.

11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the dialect of the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form."

12 They called Barnabas, Zeus; and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.

13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was located just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and they along with the crowd wanted to sacrifice to them.

14 But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard about it, they tore their clothes, and rushed out among the crowd, crying out

15 "Sirs, why are you doing these things? We also are men the same as you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn away from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, earth and the sea, and all that is in them.

16 In the past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.

17 But yet He did not leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, providing you with food and filling your hearts with gladness."

18 Even saying these things they could scarcely restrain the crowd from sacrificing to them.

19 But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium; and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, assuming that he was dead.

20 But as the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered into the city.  Then on the next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe.


21 After they had proclaimed the good news to that city, and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.

22 They strengthened the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, saying, "We must suffer many hardships to enter into the kingdom of God."

23 After they had appointed elders in every church, with prayer and fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.


24 They passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia.

25 When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

26 There they sailed to Antioch in Syria, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

27 When they arrived and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

28 They stayed there with the disciples a long time.

                                          DASV: Acts 15

1 Now some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, "Except you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

2 When Paul and Barnabas had no small disagreement and debate with them, the brothers decided that Paul and Barnabas, and some of the others, should go up to Jerusalem to consult with the apostles and elders about this issue.

3 So they, being sent on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, reporting about the conversion of the Gentiles which caused great joy to all the brothers.


4 When they had arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church, apostles and elders.  They rehearsed all things that God had done through them.

5 But there rose up some believers who belonged to a sect of the Pharisees, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to observe the law of Moses."

6 The apostles and elders were gathered to consider this issue.

7 After there had been much debate, Peter got up, and said to them, "Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the good news and believe.

8 God, who knows the heart, confirmed it by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.

9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

10 Now why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

11 To the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way that they are."

12 All the crowd kept silent and they listened to Barnabas and Paul narrating what miraculous signs and wonders God had performed among the Gentiles through them.


13 After they had held their peace, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me,

14 Simon has described how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name.

15 The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written,

16         'After these things I will return,

                        and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David,

            and I will build again its ruins,

                        and I will restore it.

17         that the rest of humanity may seek after the Lord,

                        and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,

18         says the Lord, who accomplishes these things,

19                     making them known from long ago.'

     Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those Gentiles who turn to God,

20 but we should write to them, that they abstain from things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality and from eating meat that has been strangled and from consuming blood.

21 For in every city, for many generations, Moses has been proclaimed, being read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath."


22 So it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose delegates from among them, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. So they sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers.

23 They wrote the following: "From your brothers, the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are Gentiles in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia, greetings.

24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us, although they had no orders from us, have troubled and upset your minds with what they said,

25 it seemed good to us, having come to an agreement, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.

26 These men have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 So we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves also will tell you the same things by word of mouth.

28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, not to impose on any a greater burden than these essential things:

29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from consuming blood, from eating meat from that which has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.  If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell."


30 So they, after being sent, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter.

31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement.

32 Judas and Silas, who were also prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.

33 After they had spent some time there, they were sent in peace from the brothers back to those who had originally sent them.

34 [Some manuscripts have:  But Silas decided to stay there.]
35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others also taught and proclaimed the word of the Lord.


36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's return now and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing."

37 Now Barnabas also wanted to take with them John, called Mark.

38 But Paul did not think it good to take him with them because he deserted them in Pamphylia, and had not accompanied them in the work.

39 There arose such a sharp disagreement that they split up.  Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away to Cyprus.

40 Paul choose Silas, and set out, being commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

41 He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

                                            DASV: Acts 16

1 Paul also went to Derbe and Lystra.  A disciple named Timothy was there whose mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek.

2 He was recommended by the brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium.

3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with him; so he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, because they all knew that his father was a Greek.

4 As they went on their way through the towns, they informed them of the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and daily increased in number.


6 They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in the province of Asia.

7 When they came to Mysia, they tried to go to Bithynia; but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them to.

8 So they passed by Mysia, and went down to Troas.

9 During the night Paul had a vision.  There was a man from Macedonia standing, urging him, "Come over to Macedonia, and help us."

10 After Paul had seen the vision, immediately we attempted to go over into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

11 So we sailed from Troas, and set a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis.


12 From there we went to Philippi, which is a leading city in Macedonia, and a Roman colony.  We stayed in this city several days.

13 On the Sabbath we went out through the gate to the river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer.  We sat down, and spoke to the women who had gathered there.

14 Now a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God, heard us, and the Lord had opened her heart to respond to the things which were spoken by Paul.

15 When she and her household were baptized, she invited us, saying, "If you judge me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house, and stay there." She convinced us.


16 One time as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl met us who had a spirit of divination. She brought her masters much gain by her fortune-telling.

17 She followed behind Paul and us crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation."

18 She did this for many days. But Paul got really annoyed and turned and said to the spirit, "I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." So it came out that same hour.

19 But when her masters realized that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities.

20 After bringing them to the magistrates, they complained, “These men are Jews, who are disturbing our city,

21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us to accept or observe, being Romans."
22 The crowd rose up against them, and the magistrates ordered them stripped and beaten with rods.

23 When they had given them many lashes, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailor to keep them secure.

24 Having received such orders, he threw them into the inner prison, and locked their feet down in the stocks.


25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  Immediately, all the doors were opened and everyone's chains came loose.

27 The jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped.

28 But Paul yelled out, "Don’t hurt yourself, for we are all here."

29 He called for lights, rushed in trembling with fear, and fell down before Paul and Silas.

30 He brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

31 They replied, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.

33 He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds; and was immediately baptized, he and all his family.

34 He brought them up to his house, and set food before them; he and his entire family rejoiced greatly because of having believed in God.


35 The next morning, the magistrates sent the police, saying, "Let those men go."

36 The jailor reported the words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent to let you go; so now come out, and go in peace."

37 But Paul objected, "They have publicly beaten us, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now they are attempting to send us away secretly? No way.  Let them come and bring us out themselves."

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.  When they brought them out, they asked them to leave the city.

40 After they left the prison, they entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and then left.

                                           DASV: Acts 17

1 Now when Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

2 Paul, as was his custom, went in to them and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures.

3 He explained and demonstrated that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise again from the dead.  He declared, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Messiah."

4 Some of them were persuaded, and joined with Paul and Silas, along with a great number of devout Greeks, including quite a few leading women.

5 But the Jews became jealous, recruited some troublemakers and formed a mob, and set the city into an uproar.  They attacked Jason's house, seeking to bring Paul and Silas out to the people.

6 When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, yelling, "These people who have turned the world upside down have now come here too.

7 Jason has welcomed them and all of them are acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, claiming that there is another king named Jesus."

8 When they heard these things, the crowd and city authorities were troubled.

9 After they had gotten bail from Jason and the others, they let them go.


10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away at night to Berea.  When they arrived there they went into the Jewish synagogue.

11 Now these people were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they eagerly received the word and examined the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were true.

12 Many of them therefore believed, along with a number of high ranking Greek women and men.

13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God was being proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds.

14 Then immediately the brothers sent Paul away to the seacoast while Silas and Timothy stayed behind in Berea.


15 Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Then they left with instructions for Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as soon as possible.

16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was perturbed within him as he saw the city was full of idols.

17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and devout Gentiles, and daily in the marketplace with whomever happened to be there.

18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods," because he proclaimed the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

19 They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we learn about this new teaching that you are presenting?

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 staying there spend their time doing nothing else but telling or hearing something new.)


22 Paul stood in front of the Areopagus, and said, "You men of Athens, I see that you are very religious.

23 For as I went around and observed your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription, 'To an Unknown God.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this is what I proclaim to you.

24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands,

25 nor is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath, and all things.

26 He made from one person every nation of humanity to dwell on the entire face of the earth.  He determined their set times and the boundaries of where they would live,

27 so that they would seek for God, if perhaps they might grope around for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

28 For 'in him we live, and move, and have our being,' as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.'

29 Since we are God's offspring, we should not think of God like gold, silver or stone fashioned by craftsmen and human imagination.

30 Although God has overlooked the times of ignorance, now he is commanding all people everywhere that they should repent

31 because he has set a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has appointed.  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 mocked, but others said, "We would like to hear you again about this."

33 After that Paul left them.

34 But some men joined him and believed.  Among them were Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, as well as others with them.

                                          DASV: Acts 18

1 After these things Paul left Athens and came to Corinth.

2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus.  He and his wife Priscilla had recently come from Italy, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.  Paul went to visit them

3 and, because he had the same trade, he stayed and worked with them, for they were tentmakers by trade.

4 Every Sabbath Paul would reason in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

5 But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul totally focused on proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.

6 When they opposed and berated him, he shook out his clothes and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads; I am innocent.  From now on I will go to the Gentiles."


7 So he left there, and went into the house of a man named Titus Justus, one who worshipped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with his whole household. Many of the Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized.

9 In a night vision the Lord said to Paul, "Do not be afraid, but speak out and do not be silent;

10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city."

11 So he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.


12 But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a concerted attack against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,

13 saying, "This man persuades people to worship God contrary to the law."

14 But just when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, "If it were a matter of a wrongdoing or serious crime, Jews, I would be justified in hearing your complaint,

15 but since it is just an issue over questions about words and names and your own law, take care of it yourselves.  I am unwilling to be a judge of these types of matters."

16 So he drove them away from the judgment seat.

17 Then they all seized Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him right in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio paid no attention to any of these things.


18 Paul, having stayed for sometime longer, said good-bye and left the brothers, and sailed for Syria, along with Priscilla and Aquila.  He shaved his head in Cenchrea because of the vow he had made.

19 They came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself entered the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

20 When they asked him to stay longer, he declined.

21 But as he was saying farewell, he said, "I will come back to you, if God wills." Then he set sail from Ephesus.


22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the Jerusalem church, then went down to Antioch.

23 Having spent some time there, he left, and traveled 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, and well-versed in the Scriptures.

25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and spoke with enthusiasm and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, but he knew only about the baptism of John.

26 He began to speak 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 When Apollos had decided to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him.  When he arrived there he greatly aided those who had believed by grace,

28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by means of the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

                                               DASV: Acts 19

1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the interior of the country, came to Ephesus and found some disciples.

2 He asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They replied, "No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

3 So he asked, "Into what then were you baptized?" They replied, "Into John's baptism."

4 Paul explained, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling people that they should believe in him who would come after him, that is, in Jesus."

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

7 There were about twelve men total.


8 He entered into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.

9 But when some became obstinate and disobedient, degrading the Way before the congregation, he left them, and took along the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

10 This continued for about two years; so that all who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

11 God performed special miracles by the hands of Paul,

12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were placed on the sick, and they were cured and the evil spirits went out of them.

13 But some itinerant Jewish exorcists attempted to invoke name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I warn you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims."

14 There were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who were doing this.

15 The evil spirit answered and said to them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"

16 The man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered both of them and beat them so badly that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

17 This became known to everyone, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus.  Fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised.

18 Many also of those who had believed came, confessing and exposing their evil deeds.

19 A large number of those who practiced magical arts brought their books and burned them in the sight of everyone.  They counted the price and found they were worth fifty thousand pieces of silver.

20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
21 Now after these things were accomplished, Paul determined in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, after passing through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."

22 Having sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, he stayed in the province of Asia for a while.

23 About that time there arose no small disturbance concerning the Way.

24 A man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines for goddess Artemis, brought a substantial amount of business to the craftsmen.

25 He gathered them together, along with the workers of those in similar trades, and said, "Sirs, you know that we prosper because of this business.

26 You see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout the entire province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that hand-made gods are not gods at all.
27 Not only is there danger that this our trade will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be regarded as worthless, and that she, whom all Asia and the world worship, should even be deprived of her magnificence."

28 When they heard this they were filled with rage, and shouted out, saying, “Great is Artemis of Ephesus!"

29 The city was filled with the confusion and united they rushed into the theatre, dragging along the Macedonians, Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul's fellow travelers.

30 When Paul wanted to enter the assembly, the disciples would not let him.

31 Even some of the provincial governors, who were Paul’s friends, sent to him and urged him not to venture into the theatre.

32 Now some were shouting one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in total confusion, and most of them did not even know why they had come together.

33 The Jews put Alexander out in front of the crowd who assumed it was about him. Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make a defense before the people.

34 But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

35 When the town clerk had finally quieted the crowd, he said, "Men of Ephesus, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, whose image fell out of heaven?

36 Since these things are irrefutable, you ought to quiet down and not do anything rash.

37 For you have brought these men here, who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess.

38 If therefore Demetrius, and the craftsmen who are with him, have an issue against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls.  Let them go there to bring charges against one another.

39 But if you want to bring anything about other matters, it must be settled in the regular assembly.

40 For we are in danger of being accused regarding today's riot, since there is no justification for this commotion."

41 After saying these things, he dismissed the assembly.

                                                  DASV: Acts 20

1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them and said farewell, leaving to go to Macedonia.

2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece,

3 where he spent three months. The Jews made a plot against him as he was about to set sail for Syria, so he decided to return through Macedonia.

4 There he was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, by Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, by Gaius from Derbe, and by Timothy along with Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.

5 But these had gone on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas.

6 We sailed from Philippi after the days of the feast of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.


7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul was reasoning with them, intending to leave the next day, and he continued talking until midnight.

8 There were many lights in the upstairs room where we had gathered.

9 A young man named Eutychus who sat in the window sank into a deep sleep and as Paul kept on talking even longer.  Sound asleep he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.

10 Paul went down and bent over him, and put his arms around him, and said, "Don't get upset; for he is still alive."

11 When he had gone up and had broken the bread and eaten, he continued talking with them for a long time, even until day break, then he left.

12 They took the boy away alive, and were greatly comforted.


13 But we going before by ship set sail for Assos, there intending to take Paul aboard, as he had arranged.  Paul himself intended to go by land.

14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard, and went to Mitylene.

15 Sailing from there, on the next day we arrived off Chios.  The next day we reached Samos; and the day after that we came to Miletus.

16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in the province of Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.


17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to meet with the elders of the church.

18 When they arrived, he said to them, "You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in the province of Asia, how I lived with you that whole time,

19 serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with tears, and with trials that happened to me by the plots of the Jews.

20 I did not shrink back from declaring to you anything beneficial to you, and taught you publicly as well as from house to house.

21 I testified both to Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 And now, I am compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there,

23 except that the Holy Spirit keeps warning me in every city that chains and persecutions await me.

24 But I do not consider my life of any value to me, if only I may accomplish my mission and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify about the good news of the grace of God.

25 Now, I realize that none of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will see my face again.

26 Therefore I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all of you.

27 For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

28 Guard yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of the Lord that he purchased with his own blood.

29 I know that after I'm gone vicious wolves will come among you, not sparing the flock.

30 Even from some of your own group men will arise, speaking perverted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

31 Therefore watch out for yourselves, remembering that for three years I never stopped warning every one of you day and night with tears.

32 Now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, that is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

33 I coveted no one's silver, gold or clothes.

34 You yourselves know that with these hands of mine I provided for my own personal needs and also for those who were with me.

35 In all things I gave you an example, that by working like this you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"


36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.

37 They all cried aloud, hugged Paul and kissed him.

38 They were saddened the most because of what he had said, that they would never see him again. Then they escorted him to the ship.

                                             DASV: Acts 21

1 After parting from them we set sail and sailed a straight course to Cos.  The next day we came to Rhodes, and from there on to Patara.

2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, so we got aboard and set sail.

3 When we came within sight of Cyprus, leaving it on our left, we sailed to Syria, and landed at Tyre; for the ship was to unload her cargo there.

4 After finding the disciples, we stayed there seven days, and these told Paul through the Spirit that he should not set foot in Jerusalem.

5 When we had finished our days there, we left and continued our journey; and all of them with their wives and children escorted us on our way out of the city.  Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.

6 We said farewell to each other and then we boarded the ship, but they returned home.


7 We continued our voyage from Tyre, arriving at Ptolemais; and we greeted the brothers, and stayed with them for one day.

8 On the next day we left and came to Caesarea.  There we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven. We stayed with him.

9 Now this man had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.

10 After staying there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11 He approached us and took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says, 'This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man that owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

12 When we heard these things, both we and the people of that place pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Then Paul replied, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

14 When it was clear he would not be persuaded, we stopped, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."


15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.

16 Now some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us. They brought us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we were to stay.

17 When we had arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly.

18 The next day Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present.

19 When he had greeted them, he rehearsed one by one the things God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 When they heard it, they praised God.  They said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews; and they are all zealous for the law.

21 They have been informed about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to walk according to our customs.

22 What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come.

23 So do what we tell you.  We have four men who have made a vow.

24 Take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay for them to shave their heads.  Then everyone will know that there is no truth in the rumors that they have been told concerning you, but that you yourself walk in conformity with observing the law.

25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, giving judgment that they should keep themselves from food sacrificed to idols, from consuming blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality."

26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purified himself along with them.  He entered the temple, declaring the completion of the days of purification, at which time the offering would be offered for each one of them.

27 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from the province of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, incited all the crowd and they seized him.

28 They yelled out, "Men of Israel, help! This man teaches everyone everywhere against our people, the law, and this place.  Furthermore he even brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place."

29 For they previously had seen him in the city with Trophimus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.

30 All the city was moved, and the people rushed together.  They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut.

31 While they were attempting to kill him, news reached the chief officer of the Roman soldiers, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

32 He quickly called out the soldiers and centurions, and ran down on the crowd.  When they saw the chief officer and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

33 Then the chief officer approached and arrested him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains.  The officer inquired who he was, and what he had done.

34 Some of the crowd shouted one thing, some another.  When he could not determine for certain the cause of the uproar, he commanded Paul to be brought into the barracks.

35 When Paul came to the stairs, because of the violence of the mob, he had to be carried by the soldiers.


36 The mob that followed them kept shouting, "Away with him."

37 As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the chief commander, "May I speak with you?" He asked, "Do you know Greek?

38 Aren't you the Egyptian, who started a revolt and led 4,000 of these 'Assassins' out into the wilderness?"

39 But Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of a significant city.  Please allow me to speak to the people."

40 When he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs, motioning with his hand to the people.  When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,

                                            DASV: Acts 22

1 "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now give you."

2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet.  Paul said,

3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, educated in a strict manner in the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.

4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting them into prisons, both men and women,

5 as the high priest and whole council of the elders can confirm.  I even received letters from them to the Jewish brothers in Damascus.  I was on my way there in order to bring them back to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.

6 As I was on my way, and drew near to Damascus about noon, suddenly a great light shone from heaven around me.

7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'

8 I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' He replied, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'

9 Those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.

10 Then I asked, 'What should I do, Lord?' And the Lord replied, 'Get up, and go into Damascus, there you will be told all the things that are appointed for you to do.'

11 Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand of those who were with me and came to Damascus.


12 Someone named Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,

13 came to me and stood next to me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' At that precise moment I looked up at him.

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

15 for you will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

16 Now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'


17 After returning to Jerusalem and while praying in the temple, I fell into a trance,

18 I saw the Lord saying to me, 'Hurry up and quickly get out of Jerusalem; because they will not accept your testimony concerning me.'

19 I replied, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.

20 When the blood of Stephen your witness was shed, I also was standing by, approving and keeping the clothes of those who killed him.

21 Then he told me, 'Go, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles."


22 The crowd had listened up to this point, then they lifted up their voices shouting, "Remove such a fellow from the earth.  For he is not fit to live."

23 As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks and tossed dust into the air.

24 The chief officer commanded Paul be brought into the barracks, ordering that he should be interrogated by beating him with whips, so that he might find out why they shouted against him this way.

25 When they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?"

26 When the centurion heard that, he went to the chief officer and told him, 'What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen."

27 The chief commander came and asked Paul, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" He replied, "Yes."

28 Then the chief officer answered, "I acquired this citizenship for a large amount of money." Paul replied, "But I was born a Roman citizen."

29 Then those who were about to interrogate him immediately withdrew from him.  The chief officer also was afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had had him bound.

30 But on the next day, desiring to know for certain why Paul was accused by the Jews, the commanding officer released him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to assemble.  He brought Paul down and set him before them.

                                             DASV: Acts 23

1 Paul, looking directly at the council, said, "Brothers, I have lived before God with a clear conscience until this day."

2 Then the high priest Ananias ordered those who stood by Paul to strike him on the mouth.

3 Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall.  Do you sit judging me according to the law, and yet you order me to be struck contrary to the law?"

4 Then those who stood by asked, "How dare you insult God's high priest?"

5 Paul said, "I didn't realize, brothers, that he was 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 shouted out in the council, "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees.  I am being put on trial because of the hope and resurrection of the dead."

7 When he had said this, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees; and the assembly was split.

8 For the Sadducees claim that there is no resurrection, angels, or spirits; but the Pharisees acknowledge all of them.

9 There arose a great uproar with some of the legal scholars on the Pharisees' side standing and arguing, "We find nothing wrong with this man.  What if a spirit or angel actually has spoken to him?"

10 When the dissension grew violent, the chief commander, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, ordered the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.


11 That night the Lord stood by him, and said, "Take courage for as you have testified concerning me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also in Rome."

12 At day break, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves with a curse, saying that they would neither eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

13 There were more than forty who joined in this conspiracy.

14 They came to the chief priests and the elders, and announced, "We have bound ourselves with a great curse, to taste no food until we have killed Paul.

15 Now therefore the council should request the chief commander that he bring Paul down to you, under the pretext that you would like to examine his case more thoroughly. Then before he gets near here, we will kill him."

16 But Paul's sister's son heard of their ambush, and he came, entered the barracks and told Paul.

17 Paul then called to one of the centurions, and requested, "Bring this young man to the chief commander for he has something to tell him."

18 So he took him and brought him to the chief commander, and said, "The prisoner Paul called me, and asked me to bring this young man to you.  He has something to tell you."

19 So the chief commander took him by the hand, and drew him aside and asked him privately, "What is it you have to tell me?"

20 He said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the council, as though they would inquire more thoroughly concerning him.

21 Do not be persuaded by them, for they have set an ambush for him with more than forty men, who have bound themselves by a curse, neither to eat or to drink until they have killed him.  They are ready now, expecting you will grant their request."

22 So the chief commander let the young man go, charging him, "Don't tell anyone that you have informed me of these things."


23 He summoned two centurions, and said, "Get 200 soldiers ready to go as far as Caesarea, along with 70 horsemen, and 200 spearmen, at nine o'clock tonight."

24 Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and bring him safely to Felix the governor."


25 He wrote a letter like this:

26 "Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency Governor Felix, greeting.

27 This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them, when I arrived with my troops and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.

28 Because I wanted to know the charge they were accusing him with, I brought him down to their council.

29 I found out that he was accused regarding questions about their law, but he was charged with nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.

30 When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, directing his accusers also to make their accusations against him before you."


31 So the soldiers, according to their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32 But the next day they let the horsemen go on with him, while they returned to the barracks.

33 After they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul to him.

34 When he had read it, he asked what province he was from.  When he discovered that he was of Cilicia,

35 he said, "I will hear you when your accusers arrive." He ordered him to be kept in Herod's palace.

                                             DASV: Acts 24

1 Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney named Tertullus. They presented their case to the governor against Paul.

2 When Paul was called in, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "Because of your rule we have enjoyed much peace, and reforms have been made for this nation as a result of your foresight.

3 We, in every place and in every way acknowledge this, most excellent Felix, with much gratitude.

4 But, so that I will not weary you further, I beg you give us a brief hearing with your customary graciousness.

5 For we have found this man to be a troublemaker, one who incites insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

6 He even attempted to desecrate the temple, so we arrested him.

7 [Some manuscripts have:  and wanted to judge him according to our law. But the chief commander Lysias came, and with great violence took him out of our hands and ordered his accusers to come before you.]

8 By examining him yourself you will become aware of all these things that we are accusing him of."

9 The Jews also joined in the attack, alleging that these things were so.


10 When the governor had motioned for him to speak, Paul replied, "Realizing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I am happy to make my defense.

11 As you can verify for yourself, it has not been more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem.

12 They did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd in the temple, or in the synagogues, or in the city.

13 Neither can they prove to you the things they are accusing me of.

14 But this I do confess to you: I do serve the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they label a sect, believing everything according to the law and that is written in the prophets.

15 I have hope in God, a hope which they themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and unrighteous.

16 This is why I do my best always to maintain a clear conscience before God and people.

17 Now after several years I have come to bring alms to my nation and present offerings,

18 which is what I was doing when they found me ritually purified in the temple.  There was no crowd or disturbance.

19 But there were some Jews from the province of Asia who really should be here before you to make the accusation, if they have anything against me.

20 Let these men themselves tell you what crime they discovered in me when I stood before the council,

21 except it is for this one thing, that I cried out while standing among them, 'I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.'"

22 But Felix, who was well informed concerning the Way, adjourned the hearings, saying, "When Lysias the chief commander comes down, I will decide your case."


23 He gave orders to the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, and should have some liberty and not restrict any of his friends from taking care of his needs.

24 A few days later, Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and listened to him speak concerning faith in Christ Jesus.

25 While Paul was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was frightened, and said, "Go your way for now; and when there is an opportunity, I will send for you."

26 At the same time Felix was hoping Paul would give him money.  This was the reason he sent for him so often and talked with him.

27 But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and desiring to gain favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison.

                                             DASV: Acts 25

1 Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2 The chief priests and the leaders of the Jews presented formal charges against Paul.  They urged Festus,

3 asking for a favor against Paul, that he would send and bring him to Jerusalem.  They were planning to ambush and kill him on the way.

4 Festus replied that Paul was being held in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to go there shortly.

5 "Let them," he said, "who are leaders among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong with the man, they can bring their charges against him there."

6 When he had stayed with them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea.  The next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought in.

7 When he arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him that they could not prove,

8 while Paul argued in his defense, "I have not committed any crime against the law of the Jews, or against the temple, or against Caesar."

9 But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, "Will you go up to Jerusalem, and be tried there before me on these charges?"

10 But Paul objected, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat, which is where I ought to be tried.  I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you know very well.

11 If then I am in the wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I am not refusing to die; but if none of their charges that they accuse me of is true, no one can turn me over to them. I appeal to Caesar."

12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, replied, "You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you will go."


13 Now after a few days, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and paid their respects to Festus.

14 As they stayed there several days, Festus presented Paul's case to the King, saying, "There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix.

15 When I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, asking for a sentence condemning him.

16 I told them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand any one over before the accused had met his accusers face to face, and had been given an opportunity to make his defense concerning the charges brought against him.

17 So when they traveled back here, I did not delay, but the next day sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought in.

18 When his accusers stood up, they brought no charge of the wrong doing of the kind that I had expected.
19 Rather they had certain objections against him concerning their own religion, and about someone named Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul alleged to be alive.

20 Since I was perplexed about how to investigate these matters, I asked whether he would go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges.

21 But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody requesting a decision from the emperor, I ordered him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar."

22 Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he said, "you will hear him."


23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had arrived with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the chief commanders and leading men of the city, then Festus ordered that Paul be brought in.

24 Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom the entire Jewish people have petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

25 But I found that he has committed nothing worthy of death; and as he himself appealed to His Majesty the Emperor I have decided to send him there.

26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that after this interrogation I may have something to write.

27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner to the Emperor without indicating the charges against him."

                                            DASV: Acts 26

1 Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

2 "I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, that I am able to make my defense before you today against all the accusations I am accused of by the Jews,

3 especially because you are expert in all customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg your patience as you listen to me.

4 All the Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem.

5 They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to admit it, that I lived according to the strictest sect of our religion as a Pharisee.

6 Now I stand here to be judged for my hope in the promise made by God to our forefathers,

7 to the promise our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly worship God day and night. It is concerning this hope that I am accused by the Jews, O king!

8 Why is it considered incredible to any of you, that God raises the dead?

9 Truly I myself thought that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 And that is exactly what I did in Jerusalem.  I both locked up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests.  I cast my vote against them when they were being sentenced to death.

11 I often punished them in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being in a furious rage against them, I persecuted them even in foreign cities.


12 It was for that reason I was traveling to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests;

13 at midday, O king, I saw on the road a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my traveling companions.

14 When we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

15 I replied, 'Who are you, Lord?' The Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to appoint you both as a minister and a witness of the things you have seen of me and what I will show you.

17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you

18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'


19 Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

20 but declared first to those of Damascus and then at Jerusalem, and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing works worthy of repentance.

21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.

22 Therefore having obtained help from God, I stand here today testifying to both small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses predicted was going to happen:

23 how that the Messiah must suffer, and that he would be the first to rise from the dead to proclaim light to both the Jewish people and the Gentiles."


24 As he was making his defense, Festus shouted, "Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you crazy."

25 But Paul said, "I am not insane, most excellent Festus; but speak words of truth and soberness.

26 For the king knows about these things, so I am able to speak freely with him.  For I am persuaded that none of these things has been hidden from him; for this has not been done in a corner.

27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do."

28 Agrippa said to Paul, "In such a short time are you able to persuade me to become a Christian?"

29 Paul replied, "I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become like I am, except for these chains."


30 Then the king got up, along with the governor and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them.

31 When they had withdrawn, they spoke to each other, saying, "This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment."

32 Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free, if he had not appealed to Caesar."

                                             DASV: Acts 27

1 When it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius of the Augustan military cohort.

2 Embarking in a ship from Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the places on the coast of the province of Asia, we put out to sea with Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica with us.

3 The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, allowing him to go to his friends who took care of him.


4 Putting out to sea from there, we sailed on the sheltered north side of Cyprus, because the winds were against us.

5 After we had sailed across the open sea which is off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia.

6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy; and he put us on board.

7 We sailed slowly for many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus; as the wind would not permit us to proceed, we sailed under the sheltered southern side of Crete, off Salmone.

8 Sailing past it with difficulty we came to a place called Fair Havens; that was near the city of Lasea.


9 Since substantial time had been lost, and the voyage was now dangerous, because it was now after the Day of Atonement fast, Paul warned them,

10 "Men, I can see that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives."

11 But the centurion was more convinced by the master and the owner of the ship, than by what Paul said.

12 Because the harbor was not a suitable place to winter, the majority decided to put out by sea from there.  They were hoping they could reach Phoenix, and winter there.  It is a harbor of Crete which faces northwest and southwest.

13 When a gentle south wind blew, they thought they could reach their objective, so they weighed anchor and sailed along close to the southern shore of Crete.


14 But not long after, a hurricane force wind called a 'northeaster' blew off the island.

15 When the ship was caught in it and could not head into the gale, we gave way to it, and were driven along.

16 Running under the sheltered side of a small island called Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the trailing lifeboat.

17 When they had hoisted it up, they used ropes to hold the whole ship together; fearing they would be run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the anchor, and so were driven along.

18 The next day we were battered by the gale; they began to throw the cargo overboard.

19 The third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands.

20 When neither sun or stars had appeared for many days and the intense storm raged unabated, we at last abandoned all hope of being saved.


21 When they had been a long time without food, Paul stood up among them, and said, "Men, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete, and avoided this damage and loss.

22 Now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship.

23 For last night an angel from God to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood by me,

24 saying, 'Don't be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar, indeed God has granted safety to you and all those who are sailing with you.'

25 Therefore, men, keep up your courage, for I trust God, that it will turn out just as I have been told.

26 But we must run aground on some island."


27 But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven to and fro in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were drawing near to land.

28 They took soundings, and found it 120 feet deep; and after going a little farther, they sounded again, and found it 90 feet deep.

29 Fearing that we might run aground on a rocky coast, they let down four anchors from the stern, and prayed for daybreak.

30 Then as the sailors were attempting to abandon ship, having lowered the lifeboat into the sea, pretending they were going to put out anchors from the bow of the ship,

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved."

32 So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat, and let it drift off.


33 Just as the day was dawning, Paul urged them all to eat some food, saying, "This day is the fourteenth day you have been in suspense and have gone without food, having eaten nothing.

34 Therefore I urge you to eat some food for this is for your survival, for none of you will lose a hair of your head."

35 After he said this he took bread, gave thanks to God in the presence of all of them, and broke it and began to eat.

36 Then they were all encouraged and took food themselves.

37 There were 276 of us in all on the ship.

38 When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.


39 When dawn broke, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach.  They decided to see if they could drive the ship ashore there.

40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosed the ropes of the rudders, and hoisted the mainsail to the wind, as they made for the beach.

41 But they hit a reef where the crosscurrents met.  They ran the vessel aground and the bow stuck and remained unmovable, but the stern began to break up from the force of the waves.

42 The soldiers' advice was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape.

43 But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from executing their plan; and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land.

44 The rest were to follow on planks, and other pieces of the ship. This is how they all escaped safely to the land.

                                           DASV: Acts 28

1 When we reached safety, then we learned that the island was called Malta.

2 The inhabitants showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire because it was rainy and cold and welcomed us all.

3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and was putting them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened itself on his hand.

4 When the inhabitants saw the serpent hanging from his hand, they said each other, "No doubt this man is a murderer, even though he escaped from the sea, yet justice has not permitted him to live."

5 However he shook off the snake into the fire and suffered no harm.

6 But they expected that he would swell up, or drop dead.  But after they had waited a long time with nothing happening to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.


7 Now in the vicinity of that place were lands belonging to the chief official of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us three days hospitably.

8 The father of Publius lay in bed sick from fever and dysentery.  Paul entered and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him healed him.

9 After this had happened, the rest of the people who had diseases on the island came and were cured.

10 They bestowed many honors on us, and when we sailed, they put on board whatever  provisions we needed.


11 After three months we set sail in a ship from Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers.

12 We landed at Syracuse, and spent three days there.

13 From there we cast off and arrived at Rhegium.  After one day the south wind blew and on the second day we came to Puteoli.

14 There we found some brothers, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we came to Rome.

15 From there the brothers, when they hea           rd about us, came out to meet us as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Taverns.  When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.


16 When we entered into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with a soldier who guarded him.

17 After three days he called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them, "Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people, or the customs of our fathers, yet I was handed over in Jerusalem as a prisoner to the Romans.

18 After they had interrogated me, they desired to release me, because there was no crime worthy of death in me.

19 But when the Jews objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar; although it was not my intention to bring any accusation against my nation.

20 For this reason I asked to see and to speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain."
21 They replied, "We have not received letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers here have reported or spoken anything bad about you.

22 But we want to hear from you what you think; for as concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere."

23 When they scheduled a day to meet with him, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers.  From morning until evening he explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets.

24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe.


25 When they could find no consensus among themselves, as they began to leave Paul made one final statement, "Well spoke the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet to your forefathers,

26 saying,
            'Go to this people, and say,

                        "You will hear but not understand;

                                    you will see but not perceive.

27         For this people's heart has become hard,

                        and their ears are dull of hearing,

                                    and they have closed their eyes;

                                    so that they might not see with their eyes,

                        and hear with their ears,

            and understand with their heart,

                        and should turn again,

                                    and I should heal them."'

28 Therefore let it be known to you, that this salvation from God is sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen to it."

29 [Some manuscripts have:  After he said these words, the Jews left, arguing among themselves.]

30 He stayed two whole years in his own rented dwelling, and welcomed all who came to visit him,

31 proclaiming the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness without any restriction.