{N}JESUS TAKEN UP TO HEAVEN{/}
{1}1{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}In the first part of my work, Theophilus, I wrote of 
all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}until 
the day when he ascended to heaven.
But first he had instructed through the Holy Spirit the apostles 
he had chosen. [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}3_{/}After his passion, he presented 
himself to them, giving many signs that he was alive; over a 
period of forty days he appeared to them and taught them 
concerning the Kingdom of God. [=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}Once when he had been 
eating with them, he told them, "Do not leave Jerusalem but wait 
for the fulfillment of the Father's promise about which I have 
spoken to you: [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}John baptized with water, but you will be 
baptized with the Holy Spirit within a few days."
[=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}When they had come together, they asked him, "Is it now 
that you will restore the Kingdom of Israel?" [*]_{I}7_{/}And he 
answered, "It is not for you to know the time and the steps which 
the Father has fixed by his own authority. {R}_{I}8_{/}But you will 
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be 
my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, even to 
the ends of the earth."
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}9_{/}After Jesus said this, he was taken up before their 
eyes and a cloud hid him from their sight. [=]_[*]_{I}10_{/}While they 
were still looking up to heaven where he went, suddenly, two men 
dressed in white stood beside them [=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}and said, "Men of 
Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the sky? This Jesus 
who has been taken from you into heaven, will return in the same 
way as you have seen him go there."

{N}THE DISCIPLES AWAIT THE HOLY SPIRIT{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}12_{/}Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called 
Olives, which is a fifteen-minute walk away. {R}_{I}13_{/}On entering the 
city they went to the room upstairs where they were staying. 
Present there were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and 
Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alpheus; Simon the 
Zealot and Judas son of James. [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}14_{/}All of these together 
gave themselves to constant prayer. With them were some women and 
also Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

{N}MATTHIAS ELECTED{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}15_{/}It was during this time that Peter stood up in the midst 
of the community - about one hundred and twenty in all - {R}_{I}16_{/}and 
he said,
"Brothers, it was necessary that the Scriptures referring to Judas 
be fulfilled. The Holy Spirit had spoken through David about the 
one who would lead the crowd coming to arrest Jesus. [=]_{I}17_{/}He 
was one of our number and had been called to share our common 
ministry.
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}18_{/}(We know that he bought a field with the reward of 
his sin; yet he threw himself headlong to his death, his body 
burst open and all his bowels spilled out. [=]_{R}_{I}19_{/}This event 
became known to all the people living in Jerusalem and they named 
that field Akeldama in their own language, which means Field of 
Blood).
{I}20_{/}In the book of Psalms it is written: Let his house become 
deserted and may no one live in it. But it is also written: May 
another take his office. [=]_{R}_{I}21_{/}Therefore we must choose 
someone from among those who were with us during all the time that 
the Lord Jesus moved about with us, [=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}beginning with 
John's baptism until the day when Jesus was taken away from us. 
One of these has to become, with us, a witness to his 
resurrection."
{R}_{I}23_{/}Then they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, also known 
as Justus, and Matthias. {I}24_{/}They prayed: "You know, Lord, what 
is in the hearts of all. Show us, therefore, which of the two you 
have chosen [=]_[*]_{I}25_{/}to replace Judas in this apostolic 
ministry which he deserted to go to the place he deserved."
{I}26_{/}Then they drew lots between the two and the choice fell on 
Matthias who was added to the eleven apostles.

{N}THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT{/}

{1}2{/}

[\u0095]_{I}1_{/}When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in 
one place. [=]_{I}2_{/}And suddenly out of the sky came a sound like a 
strong rushing wind and it filled the whole house where they were 
sitting. There appeared [=]_{I}3_{/}tongues as if of fire which parted 
and came to rest upon each one of them. [=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}All were filled 
with Holy Spirit and began to speak other languages, as the Spirit 
enabled them to speak.
{R}_{I}5_{/}Staying in Jerusalem were religious Jews from every nation 
under heaven. {I}6_{/}When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered, 
all excited because each heard them speaking in his own language. 
[=]_{I}7_{/}Beside themselves with amazement and wonder, they said, 
"Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? {I}8_{/}How is it that 
we hear them in our own native language? {R}_{I}9_{/}Here are Parthians, 
Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and 
Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, {R}_{I}10_{/}Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt and 
the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 
{R}_{I}11_{/}both Jews and foreigners who accept Jewish beliefs, Cretians 
and Arabians; and all of us hear them proclaiming in our own 
language what God, the Savior, does.
{I}12_{/}They were amazed and greatly confused, and they kept asking 
one another, "What does this mean?" [=]_{I}13_{/}But others laughed 
and said, "These people are drunk."

{N}PETER ADDRESSES THE CROWD{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}14_{/}Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and, with a loud 
voice, addressed them, "Fellow Jews and all foreigners now staying 
in Jerusalem, listen to what I have to say. {I}15_{/}These people are 
not drunk as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the 
morning. {R}_{I}16_{/}Indeed what the prophet Joel spoke about has 
happened:
[=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on 
every mortal. Your sons and daughters will speak through the Holy 
Spirit; your young men will see visions and your old men will have 
dreams.
{R}_{I}18_{/}In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants, 
both men and women, and they will be prophets.
[*]_{I}19_{/}I will perform miracles in the sky above and wonders on 
the earth below. [=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}The sun will be darkened and the moon 
will turn red as blood, before the great and glorious Day of the 
Lord comes.
{I}21_{/}And then, whoever calls upon the Name of the Lord will be 
saved.
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}22_{/}Fellow Israelites, listen to what I am going to tell 
you about Jesus of Nazareth. God accredited him and through him 
did powerful deeds and wonders and signs in your midst, as you 
well know. {R}_{I}23_{/}You delivered him to sinners to be crucified and 
killed, and in this way the purpose of God from all times was 
fulfilled. [=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}But God raised him to life and released him 
from the pain of death, because it was impossible for him to be 
held in the power of death. [=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}David spoke of him when he 
said: I saw the Lord before me at all times; he is by my side, 
that I may not be shaken. {I}26_{/}Therefore my heart was glad and my 
tongue rejoiced; my body too will live in hope. {R}_{I}27_{/}Because you 
will not forsake me in the abode of the dead, nor allow your Holy 
One to experience corruption. {I}28_{/}You have made known to me the 
paths of life, and your presence will fill me with joy.
{R}_{I}29_{/}Friends, I don't need to prove that the patriarch David died 
and was buried; his tomb is with us to this day. [=]_{R}_{I}30_{/}But he 
knew that God had sworn to him that one of his descendants would 
sit upon his throne and, [=]_{R}_{I}31_{/}as he was a prophet, he foresaw 
and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah. So he said that he 
would not be left in the region of the dead, nor would his body 
experience corruption.
[=]_{R}_{I}32_{/}This Messiah is Jesus and we are all witnesses that God 
raised him to life. [=]_{R}_{I}33_{/}He has been exalted at God's right 
side and the Father has entrusted the Holy Spirit to him; this 
Spirit he has just poured upon us as you now see and hear.
{R}_{I}34_{/}And look: David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself 
said: The Lord said to my Lord: sit at my right side 
[=]_{I}35_{/}until I make your enemies a stool for your feet. 
{R}_{I}36_{/}Let Israel then know for sure that God has made Lord and 
Christ this Jesus whom you crucified."
{R}_{I}37_{/}When they heard this, they were deeply troubled. And they 
asked Peter and the other apostles, "What shall we do, brothers?"
[=]_{R}_{I}38_{/}Peter answered: "Each of you must repent and be baptized 
in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven. 
Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [=]_{R}_{I}39_{/}For 
the promise of God was made to you and your children, and to all 
those from afar whom our God may call."
[=]_{R}_{I}40_{/}With many other words Peter gave the message and 
appealed to them saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked 
generation." {I}41_{/}So those who accepted his word were baptized; 
some three thousand persons were added to their number that day.

{N}THE FIRST COMMUNITY{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{I}42_{/}They were faithful to the teaching of the apostles, 
the common life of sharing, the breaking of bread and the prayers.
{I}43_{/}A holy fear came upon all the people, for many wonders and 
miraculous signs were done by the apostles. {I}44_{/}Now all the 
believers lived together and shared all their belongings. 
{I}45_{/}They would sell their property and all they had and 
distribute the proceeds to others according to their need. 
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}46_{/}Each day they met together in the Temple area; they 
broke bread in their homes; they shared their food with great joy 
and simplicity of heart; [=]_{R}_{I}47_{/}they praised God and won the 
people's favor. And every day the Lord added to their number those 
who were being saved.

{N}PETER AND JOHN CURE A LAME MAN{/}

{1}3{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Once when Peter and John were going up to the Temple at 
three in the afternoon, the hour for prayer, [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}a man 
crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day they would 
bring him and put him at the temple gate called "Beautiful"; there 
he begged from those who entered the Temple.
[=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}When he saw Peter and John on their way into the Temple, 
he asked for alms. {R}_{I}4_{/}Then Peter with John at his side looked 
straight at him and said, "Look at us." {I}5_{/}So he looked at them, 
expecting to receive something from them. [=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}But Peter said, 
"I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you: In 
the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, walk!"
{I}7_{/}Then he took the beggar by his right hand and helped him up. 
At once his feet and ankles became firm, {R}_{I}8_{/}and jumping up he 
stood on his feet and began to walk. And he went with them into 
the Temple walking and leaping and praising God.
{R}_{I}9_{/}All the people saw him walking and praising God; 
[=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging 
at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were all astonished 
and amazed at what had happened to him.
[=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, struck 
with astonishment, came running to them in Solomon's Porch, as it 
was called. [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}12_{/}When Peter saw the people, he said to 
them,
"Fellow Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare 
at us as if it was by some power or holiness of our own that we 
made this man walk? {R}_{I}13_{/}The God of Abraham, of Isaac and of 
Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus 
whom you handed over to death and denied before Pilate, when even 
Pilate had decided to release him. [=]_{R}_{I}14_{/}You rejected the Holy 
and Just One, and you insisted that a murderer be released to you. 
{R}_{I}15_{/}You killed the Master of life, but God raised him from the 
dead and we are witnesses to this. [=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}It is his Name, and 
faith in his Name, that has healed this man whom you see and 
recognize. The faith which comes through Jesus has given him 
wholeness in the presence of all of you.
[=]_[*]_{I}17_{/}Yet I know that you acted out of ignorance, as did 
your leaders. [=]_{R}_{I}18_{/}God has fulfilled in this way what he had 
foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer.
[=]_{R}_{I}19_{/}Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be 
wiped out {R}_{I}20_{/}and the time of refreshment may come by the mercy 
of God, when he sends the Messiah appointed for you, Jesus. 
[=]_{R}_{I}21_{/}For he must remain in heaven until the time of the 
universal restoration which God spoke of long ago through his holy 
prophets.
[=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}Moses foretold this when he said: The Lord God will 
raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you 
shall listen to him in all that he says to you. {R}_{I}23_{/}Whoever does 
not listen to that prophet is to be cut off from among his people.
{R}_{I}24_{/}In fact, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel 
onward, have announced the events of these days. [=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}You are 
the children of the prophets and heirs of the covenant which God 
gave to your ancestors when he said to Abraham: All the families 
of the earth will be blessed through your descendant. {R}_{I}26_{/}It is 
to you first that God sends his Servant; he raised him to life to 
bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

{N}PETER AND JOHN ARE ARRESTED{/}

{1}4{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}While Peter and John were still speaking to the people, 
the priests, the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees 
came up to them. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}They were greatly disturbed because the 
apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming that 
resurrection from the dead had been proved in the case of Jesus. 
{I}3_{/}Since it was already evening, they arrested them and put them 
in custody until the following day. {I}4_{/}But despite this, many of 
those who heard the Message believed and their number increased to 
about five thousand.
{R}_{I}5_{/}The next day, the Jewish leaders, elders and teachers of the 
Law assembled in Jerusalem. [=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}Annas, the High Priest, 
Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high priestly 
class were there. [=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}They brought Peter and John before them 
and began to question them, "How did you do this? Whose name did 
you use?"
[=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke up, 
"Leaders of the people! Elders! {I}9_{/}It is a fact that we are being 
examined today for a good deed done to a cripple. How was he 
healed? {R}_{I}10_{/}You and all the people of Israel must know that this 
man stands before you cured through the Name of Jesus Christ the 
Nazarean. You had him crucified, but God raised him from the dead. 
[=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}Jesus is the stone rejected by you the builders which 
has become the cornerstone. [=]_[*]_{I}12_{/}There is no salvation in 
anyone else, for there is no other Name given to humankind all 
over the world by which we may be saved."
[=]_{R}_{I}13_{/}They were astonished at the boldness of Peter and John, 
considering that they were uneducated and untrained men. They 
recognized, also, that they had been with Jesus, {R}_{I}14_{/}but, as the 
man who had been cured stood beside them, they could make no 
reply.
{I}15_{/}So they ordered them to leave the council room while they 
consulted with one another. [=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}They asked, "What shall we 
do with these men? Everyone who lives in Jerusalem knows that a 
remarkable sign has been given through them, and we cannot deny 
it. {R}_{I}17_{/}But to stop this from spreading any further among the 
people, let us warn them never again to speak to anyone in the 
name of Jesus." {R}_{I}18_{/}So they called them back and charged them 
not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
[=]_{R}_{I}19_{/}But Peter and John answered them, "Judge for yourselves 
whether it is right in God's eyes for us to obey you rather than 
God. {I}20_{/}We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and 
heard." {R}_{I}21_{/}Then the council threatened them once more and let 
them go. They could find no way of punishing them because of the 
people who glorified God for what had happened, [=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}for the 
man who had been miraculously healed was over forty years old.

{N}THE PRAYER OF THE COMMUNITY{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}23_{/}As soon as Peter and John were set free, they went to 
their friends and reported what the chief priests and elders had 
said to them.
{R}_{I}24_{/}When they heard it, they raised their voices as one and 
called upon God, "Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth, of 
the sea and everything in them, {R}_{I}25_{/}you have put these words in 
the mouth of David, our father and your servant, through the Holy 
Spirit: Why did the pagan nations rage and the people conspire in 
folly? [=]_{R}_{I}26_{/}The kings of the earth were aligned and the 
princes gathered together against the Lord and against his 
Messiah. 
{R}_{I}27_{/}For indeed in this very city Herod with Pontius Pilate, and 
the pagans together with the people of Israel conspired against 
your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. {I}28_{/}Thus, indeed, 
they brought about whatever your powerful will had decided from 
all time would happen. {I}29_{/}But now, Lord, see their threats 
against us and enable your servants to speak your word with all 
boldness. [=]_{R}_{I}30_{/}Stretch out your hand to heal and to work 
signs and wonders through the Name of Jesus your holy servant."
[=]_{R}_{I}31_{/}When they had prayed, the place where they were gathered 
together shook, and they were all filled with Holy Spirit and 
began to speak the word of God boldly.

{N}AN ATTEMPT TO SHARE EVERYTHING{/}

[\u0095]_{I}32_{/}The whole community of believers were one in heart and 
mind. No one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but 
rather they shared all things in common. {R}_{I}33_{/}With great power 
the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, 
for all of them were living in an exceptional time of grace.
[=]_{I}34_{/}There was no needy person among them, for those who owned 
land or houses, sold them and brought the proceeds of the sale. 
[=]_{I}35_{/}And they laid it at the feet of the apostles who 
distributed it according to each one's need. [=]_{R}_{I}36_{/}This is 
what a certain Joseph did. He was a Levite from Cyprus, whom the 
apostles called Barnabas, meaning: "The encouraging one." 
[=]_{I}37_{/}He sold a field which he owned and handed the money to 
the apostles.

{N}THE FRAUD OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA{/}

{1}5{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Another man named Ananias, in agreement with his wife 
Sapphira, likewise sold a piece of land; [=]_{I}2_{/}with his wife's 
knowledge he put aside some of the proceeds, and the rest he 
turned over to the apostles.
[=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}Then Peter said to him, "Ananias, how is it that you let 
Satan fill your heart and why do you intend to deceive the Holy 
Spirit by keeping some of the proceeds of your land for yourself? 
{R}_{I}4_{/}Who obliged you to sell it? And after it was sold, could you 
not have kept all the money? How could you think of such a thing? 
You have not deceived us but God." 
{I}5_{/}Upon hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. Great 
fear came upon all who heard of it; {I}6_{/}the young men stood up, 
wrapped his body and carried it out for burial.
{I}7_{/}About three hours later Ananias's wife came but she was not 
aware of what had happened. {R}_{I}8_{/}Peter challenged her, "Tell me 
whether you sold that piece of land for this price?" She said, 
"Yes, that was the price." {R}_{I}9_{/}Peter replied, "How could you two 
agree to put the Holy Spirit to the test? Those who buried your 
husband are at the door and they will carry you out as well."
{R}_{I}10_{/}With that, she fell dead at his feet. The young men came in, 
found her dead and carried her out for burial beside her husband. 
[=]_{I}11_{/}And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all 
who heard of it.
[\u0095]_{R}_{I}12_{/}Many miraculous signs and wonders were done among the 
people through the hands of the apostles. The believers, of one 
accord, used to meet in Solomon's Porch. [=]_{I}13_{/}None of the 
others dared to join them, but the people held them in high 
esteem. {I}14_{/}So an ever increasing number of men and women, 
believed in the Lord. [=]_{R}_{I}15_{/}The people carried the sick into 
the streets and laid them on cots and on mats, so that when Peter 
passed by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 
[=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}The people gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, 
bringing their sick and those who were troubled by unclean 
spirits, and all of them were healed.

{N}THE APOSTLES ARRESTED AGAIN{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}17_{/}The High Priest and all his supporters, that is the 
party of the Sadducees, became very jealous of the apostles; 
{I}18_{/}so they arrested them and had them thrown into the public 
jail. {I}19_{/}But an angel of the Lord opened the door of the prison 
during the night, brought them out, and said to them, {R}_{I}20_{/}"Go 
and stand in the Temple court and tell the people the whole of 
this living message." [=]_{R}_{I}21_{/}Accordingly they entered the 
Temple at dawn and resumed their teaching.
When the High Priest and his supporters arrived, they called 
together the Sanhedrin, that is the full Council of the elders of 
Israel. They sent word to the jail to have the prisoners brought 
in. {R}_{I}22_{/}But when the Temple guards arrived at the jail, they did 
not find them inside, so they returned with the news, {I}23_{/}"We 
found the prison securely locked and the prison guards at their 
post outside the gate, but when we opened the gate, we found no 
one inside."
{R}_{I}24_{/}Upon hearing these words, the captain of the Temple guard 
and the high priests were baffled, wondering where all of this 
would end. {R}_{I}25_{/}Just then someone arrived with the report, "Look, 
those men whom you put in prison are standing in the Temple, 
teaching the people." {I}26_{/}Then the captain went off with the 
guards and brought them back, but without any show of force, for 
fear of being stoned by the people.
{R}_{I}27_{/}So they brought them in and made them stand before the 
Council and the High Priest questioned them, [=]_{R}_{I}28_{/}"We gave 
you strict orders not to preach such a Savior; but you have filled 
Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend charging us with the 
killing of this man." {R}_{I}29_{/}To this Peter and the apostles 
replied, "Better for us to obey God rather than any human 
authority!
[=]_{R}_{I}30_{/}The God of our ancestors raised Jesus whom you killed by 
hanging him on a wooden post. {R}_{I}31_{/}God set him at his right hand 
as Leader and Savior, to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins 
to Israel. [=]_{R}_{I}32_{/}We are witnesses to all these things, as well 
as the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."
[\u0095]_{I}33_{/}When the Council heard this, they became very angry and 
wanted to kill them. [=]_{R}_{I}34_{/}But one of them, a Pharisee named 
Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law highly respected by the people, 
stood up in the Sanhedrin. He ordered the men to be taken outside 
for a few minutes {I}35_{/}and then he spoke to the assembly.
"Fellow Israelites, consider well what you intend to do to these 
men. {I}36_{/}For some time ago Theudas came forward, claiming to be 
somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. But he was killed 
and all his followers were dispersed or disappeared. {I}37_{/}After 
him, Judas the Galilean appeared at the time of the census and 
persuaded many people to follow him. But he too perished and his 
whole following was scattered. {I}38_{/}So, in this present case, I 
advise you to have nothing to do with these men. Leave them alone. 
If their project or activity is of human origin, it will destroy 
itself. [=]_{R}_{I}39_{/}If, on the other hand, it is from God, you will 
not be able to destroy it and you may indeed find yourselves 
fighting against God."
The Council let themselves be persuaded. {R}_{I}40_{/}They called in the 
apostles and had them whipped, and ordered them not to speak again 
of Jesus Savior. Then they set them free.
[=]_{I}41_{/}The apostles went out from the Council rejoicing that 
they were considered worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of the 
Name. {R}_{I}42_{/}Day after day, both in the Temple and in people's 
homes, they continued to teach and to proclaim that Jesus was the 
Messiah.

{N}THE CHOOSING OF THE SEVEN{/}

{1}6{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{I}1_{/}In those days, as the number of disciples grew, the 
so-called Hellenists complained against the so-called Hebrews, 
because their widows were being neglected in the daily 
distribution. {R}_{I}2_{/}So the Twelve summoned the whole body of 
disciples together and said, "It is not right that we should 
neglect the word of God to serve at tables. [=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}So, friends, 
choose from among yourselves seven respected men full of Spirit 
and wisdom, that we may appoint them to this task. [=]_{I}4_{/}As for 
us, we shall give ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the 
Word."
[*]_{R}_{I}5_{/}The whole community agreed and they chose Stephen, a man 
full of faith and Holy Spirit; Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, 
Parmenus and Nicolaus of Antioch who was a proselyte. [=]_{I}6_{/}They 
presented these men to the apostles who first prayed over them and 
then laid hands upon them.
[=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}The Word of God continued to spread, and the number of 
the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly and even many priests 
accepted the faith.

{N}THE STORY OF STEPHEN{/}

[\u0095]_{I}8_{/}Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and 
miraculous signs among the people. {I}9_{/}Some persons then came 
forward, who belonged to the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen from 
Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia. [=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}They argued with 
Stephen but they could not match the wisdom and the spirit with 
which he spoke. {R}_{I}11_{/}As they were unable to face the truth, they 
bribed some men to say, "We heard him speak against Moses and 
against God."
{R}_{I}12_{/}So they stirred up the people, the elders and the teachers 
of the Law; they took him by surprise, seized him and brought him 
before the Council. [=]_{R}_{I}13_{/}Then they produced false witnesses 
who said, "This man never stops speaking against our Holy Place 
and the Law. {R}_{I}14_{/}We even heard him say that Jesus the Nazarean 
will destroy our Holy Place and change the customs which Moses 
handed down to us." {I}15_{/}And all who sat in the Council fixed 
their eyes on him, and his face appeared to them like the face of 
an angel.

{1}7{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}So the High Priest asked him: "Is it true?" He answered, 
"Brothers and fathers, listen to me.
{R}_{I}2_{/}The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was 
in Mesopotamia, before he went to live in Haran. And he said to 
him: [=]_{I}3_{/}'Leave your land and your relatives and go to the 
land which I will show you.' {R}_{I}4_{/}So he left the land of the 
Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God 
made him move to this land in which you now dwell. {I}5_{/}And there 
he did not give him anything that was his own, not even the 
smallest portion of land to put his foot on, but promised to give 
it to him in possession and to his descendants, though he had no 
child. [=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}So God spoke: 'Your descendants shall live in a 
strange land, they shall be enslaved and maltreated for four 
hundred years. {I}7_{/}So I shall call the nation which they serve as 
slaves to render an account for it. They will come out and worship 
me in this place.'
[=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}He made with him the covenant of circumcision. And so, at 
the birth of his son Isaac, Abraham circumcised him on the eighth 
day. Isaac did the same to Jacob, and Jacob to the twelve 
patriarchs.
[=]_{R}_{I}9_{/}The patriarchs envied Joseph so they sold him into Egypt. 
But God was with him. {R}_{I}10_{/}He rescued him from all his 
afflictions, granted him wisdom and made him please Pharaoh king 
of Egypt, who appointed him governor of Egypt and of the whole of 
his household. [=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}Then there was famine in all the land of 
Egypt and Canaan; it was a great misery and our ancestors did not 
have anything to eat. {R}_{I}12_{/}Upon learning that there was wheat in 
Egypt, Jacob sent our ancestors there on their first visit. 
{R}_{I}13_{/}On the second visit, Joseph made himself known to his 
brothers, and Pharaoh came to know the family of Joseph. 
{R}_{I}14_{/}Joseph commanded that his father Jacob be brought to him 
with the whole of his family of seventy-five persons. {R}_{I}15_{/}Jacob 
then went down to Egypt where he and our ancestors died. 
{R}_{I}16_{/}They were transferred to Shechem and laid in the tomb that 
Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor at 
Shechem.
[=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}As the time of promise drew near, which God had made to 
Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt {R}_{I}18_{/}until 
came another king who did not know Joseph. {I}19_{/}Dealing cunningly 
with our race, he forced our ancestors to abandon their newborn 
infants and let them die. {R}_{I}20_{/}At that time Moses was born, and 
God looked kindly on him. For three months he was nursed in the 
home of his father; {I}21_{/}and when they abandoned him, Pharaoh's 
daughter took him and raised him as her own son. {I}22_{/}So Moses was 
educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in word 
and deed. [=]_{I}23_{/}And when he was forty years old, he wanted to 
visit his own people, the Israelites. {R}_{I}24_{/}When he saw one of 
them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and killed the 
Egyptian. {R}_{I}25_{/}He thought his kinsfolk would understand that God 
was sending him to them as a liberator, but they did not 
understand. {I}26_{/}On the following day, he came to them as they 
were fighting and tried to reconcile them, saying: 'You are 
brothers, why do you hurt each other?' {I}27_{/}At that moment, the 
one who was injuring his companion rebuffed him saying: 'Who 
appointed you as our leader and judge? {I}28_{/}Do you want to kill me 
as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' {I}29_{/}When Moses heard this, 
he fled and went to live as a stranger in the land of Midian where 
he had two sons.
[*]_{R}_{I}30_{/}After forty years an angel appeared to him in the desert 
of Mount Sinai in the flame of a burning bush. {I}31_{/}Moses was 
astonished at the vision. And as he approached to look at it, he 
heard the voice of the Lord: [=]_{R}_{I}32_{/}'I am the God of your 
fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' Moses was filled 
with fear and did not dare look at it. {I}33_{/}But the Lord said to 
him: 'Take off your sandals for the place where you stand is holy 
ground. {R}_{I}34_{/}I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt and 
heard them weeping, and I have come down to free them. And now, 
get up! I am sending you to Egypt.'
{R}_{I}35_{/}This Moses whom they rejected saying: 'Who appointed you 
leader and judge?' God sent as leader and liberator with the 
assistance of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. {R}_{I}36_{/}He 
led them out, performing signs and wonders in Egypt, at the Red 
Sea and in the desert for forty years. [=]_{R}_{I}37_{/}This Moses is the 
one who said to the Israelites: 'God will give you a prophet like 
me from among your own people.' [=]_{R}_{I}38_{/}This is the one who in 
the Assembly in the desert became the mediator between the angel 
who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and our ancestors; and he received 
the words of life that he might communicate them to us.
{R}_{I}39_{/}But him our ancestors refused to obey, they rejected him and 
turned their hearts to Egypt, saying to Aaron: [=]_{R}_{I}40_{/}'Give us 
gods to lead us since we do not know what has happened to that 
Moses who brought us out of Egypt.' {R}_{I}41_{/}So in those days, they 
fashioned a calf, offered sacrifices to their idol and rejoiced in 
the work of their hands. [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}42_{/}So God departed from them 
and let them worship the stars of heaven, as it is written in the 
Book of the Prophets: 'People of Israel, did you offer me burnt 
offerings and sacrifices for forty years in the desert? {I}43_{/}No, 
you carried instead the tent of Moloch and the star of the god 
Rehan, images you made to worship, for this I will banish you 
farther than Babylon.'
[=]_{R}_{I}44_{/}Our ancestors had the Tent of Meeting in the desert, for 
God had directed Moses to build it according to the pattern he had 
seen. {R}_{I}45_{/}Our ancestors received it and brought it under the 
command of Joshua into the lands of the pagans that they conquered 
and whom God expelled before them. They kept it until the days of 
David [=]_{R}_{I}46_{/}who found favor with God and asked him to let him 
build a house for the God of Jacob. {R}_{I}47_{/}However, it was Solomon 
who built that temple.
{R}_{I}48_{/}In reality, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by 
human hands as the Prophet says: [=]_{I}49_{/}'Heaven is my throne and 
earth is my footstool. What house will you build for me, says the 
Lord, how could you give me a dwelling place? {I}50_{/}Was it not I 
who made all these things?'
[=]_{R}_{I}51_{/}But you are a stubborn people, you hardened your hearts 
and closed your ears. You have always resisted the Holy Spirit 
just as your fathers did. {R}_{I}52_{/}Was there a prophet whom your 
ancestors did not persecute? They killed those who announced the 
coming of the Just One whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 
[=]_{R}_{I}53_{/}you who received the Law through the angels but did not 
fulfill it."
{I}54_{/}When they heard this reproach, they were enraged and they 
gnashed their teeth against Stephen. {R}_{I}55_{/}But he, full of the 
Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on heaven and saw the glory of God and 
Jesus at God's right hand, [=]_{R}_{I}56_{/}so he declared: "I see the 
heavens open and the Son of Man at the right hand of God."
{I}57_{/}But they shouted and covered their ears with their hands and 
rushed together upon him. [=]_{R}_{I}58_{/}They brought him out of the 
city and stoned him, and the witnesses laid down their cloaks at 
the feet of a young man named Saul. [=]_{R}_{I}59_{/}As they were stoning 
him, Stephen prayed saying: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 
[=]_{I}60_{/}Then he knelt down and said in a loud voice: "Lord, do 
not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he 
died.

{1}8{/}

[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Saul was there, approving his murder. This was the 
beginning of a great persecution against the Church in Jerusalem. 
All, except the apostles, were scattered throughout the region of 
Judea and Samaria. [=]_{I}2_{/}Devout men buried Stephen and mourned 
deeply for him. {R}_{I}3_{/}Saul meanwhile was trying to destroy the 
Church; he entered house after house and dragged off men and women 
and had them put in jail.

{N}PHILIP PROCLAIMS THE WORD IN SAMARIA{/}

[\u0095]_{I}4_{/}At the same time those who were scattered went about 
preaching the word. [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}Philip went down to a town of Samaria 
and proclaimed the Christ there. {R}_{I}6_{/}All the people paid close 
attention to what Philip said as they listened to him and saw the 
miraculous signs which he did. {I}7_{/}For in cases of possession, the 
unclean spirits came out shrieking loudly. Many people who were 
paralyzed or crippled were healed. {I}8_{/}So there was great joy in 
that town.

{N}SIMON THE MAGICIAN{/}

[\u0095]_[*]_{R}_{I}9_{/}A certain man named Simon had come to this town, 
practicing magic. He held the Samaritans spellbound and passed 
himself off as a very important person. {R}_{I}10_{/}All the people, from 
the last to the greatest, put their trust in him, saying, "This is 
the Power of God, the Great One." {I}11_{/}And they followed him 
because he had held them under the spell of his magic for a long 
time. {R}_{I}12_{/}But when they came to believe Philip who announced to 
them the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ as Savior, both men and 
women were baptized.
{R}_{I}13_{/}Simon himself believed and was baptized, and would not 
depart from Philip. He was astonished when he saw the miraculous 
signs and wonders that happened.
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}14_{/}Now, when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the 
Samaritans had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John 
to them. {R}_{I}15_{/}They went down and prayed for them that they might 
receive the Holy Spirit, [=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}for he had not as yet come down 
upon any of them since they had only been baptized in the name of 
the Lord Jesus. {R}_{I}17_{/}So Peter and John laid their hands on them 
and they received the Holy Spirit.
{R}_{I}18_{/}When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying 
on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money {R}_{I}19_{/}saying, 
"Give me also this power, so that anyone upon whom I lay my hands 
may receive the Holy Spirit."
[=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}Peter replied, "May you and your money perish for 
thinking that the Gift of God could be bought with money! 
{R}_{I}21_{/}You cannot share in this since you do not understand the 
things of God. {I}22_{/}Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours 
and pray to the Lord that you may be forgiven such a wrong way of 
thinking; {I}23_{/}I see you are poisoned with bitterness and in the 
grip of sin." [=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me 
yourselves, so that none of these things you spoke of will happen 
to me."
{R}_{I}25_{/}Peter and John gave their testimony and spoke the word of 
the Lord. And they went back to Jerusalem, bringing the Good News 
to many Samaritan villages along the way.

{N}PHILIP BAPTIZES THE ETHIOPIAN{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}26_{/}An angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south towards 
the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert road." 
{R}_{I}27_{/}So he set out and it happened that an Ethiopian was passing 
along that way. He was an official in charge of the treasury of 
the queen of the Ethiopians; he had come on pilgrimage to 
Jerusalem {R}_{I}28_{/}and was on his way home. He was sitting in his 
carriage and reading the prophet Isaiah.
{R}_{I}29_{/}The Spirit said to Philip, "Go and catch up with that 
carriage." {R}_{I}30_{/}So Philip ran up and heard the man reading the 
prophet Isaiah; and he asked, "Do you really understand what you 
are reading?" The Ethiopian replied, {R}_{I}31_{/}"How can I, unless 
someone explains it to me?" He then invited Philip to get in and 
sit beside him. [=]_{I}32_{/}This was the passage of Scripture he was 
reading:
He was led like a sheep to be slaughtered; like a lamb that is 
dumb before the shearer, he did not open his mouth. {I}33_{/}He was 
humbled and deprived of his rights. Who can speak of his 
descendants? For he was uprooted from the earth.
{R}_{I}34_{/}The official asked Philip, "Tell me, please, does the 
prophet speak of himself or of someone else?"
[=]_{R}_{I}35_{/}Then Philip began to tell him the Good News of Jesus, 
using this text of Scripture as his starting point. {R}_{I}36_{/}As they 
traveled down the road they came to a place where there was some 
water. Then the Ethiopian official said, "Look, here is water; 
what is to keep me from being baptized?" ([=]_{I}37{/})
{R}_{I}38_{/}Then he ordered the carriage to stop; both Philip and the 
Ethiopian went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 
[=]_{R}_{I}39_{/}When they came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord 
took Philip away. The Ethiopian saw him no more, but he continued 
on his way full of joy. 
[=]_{R}_{I}40_{/}Philip found himself at Azotus, and he went about 
announcing the Good News in all the towns until he reached 
Caesarea.

{N}SAUL MEETS JESUS{/}

{1}9{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Meanwhile Saul considered nothing but violence and death 
for the disciples of the Lord. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}He went to the High Priest 
and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus that would 
authorize him to arrest and bring to Jerusalem anyone he might 
find, man or woman, belonging to the Way.
[=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}As he traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a 
light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. {R}_{I}4_{/}He fell to 
the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul! Why do 
you persecute me?" [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}And he asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The 
voice replied, "I am Jesus whom you persecute. [=]_{I}6_{/}Now get up 
and go into the city; there you will be told what you are to do."
{I}7_{/}The men who were traveling with him stood there speechless: 
they had heard the sound, but could see no one. {R}_{I}8_{/}Saul got up 
from the ground and, opening his eyes, he could not see. They took 
him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. {I}9_{/}He was blind and 
he did not eat or drink for three days.
{R}_{I}10_{/}There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, to whom the 
Lord called in a vision, "Ananias!" He answered, "Here I am, 
Lord!" {R}_{I}11_{/}Then the Lord said to him, "Go at once to Straight 
Street and ask, at the house of Judas, for a man of Tarsus named 
Saul. You will find him praying, {R}_{I}12_{/}for he has just seen in a 
vision that a man named Ananias has come in and placed his hands 
upon him, to restore his sight."
{R}_{I}13_{/}Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many sources 
about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in 
Jerusalem, [=]_{R}_{I}14_{/}and now he is here with authority from the 
High Priest to arrest all who call upon your name." [=]_{R}_{I}15_{/}But 
the Lord said to him, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to 
bring my name to the pagan nations and their kings, and the people 
of Israel as well. {I}16_{/}I myself will show him how much he will 
have to suffer for my name."
{R}_{I}17_{/}So Ananias left and went to the house. He laid his hands 
upon Saul and said, "Saul, my brother, the Lord Jesus, who 
appeared to you on your way here, has sent me to you so that you 
may receive your sight and be filled with Holy Spirit." 
[=]_{I}18_{/}Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and 
he could see; he got up and was baptized. [\u0095]_{R}_{I}19_{/}Then he took 
food and was strengthened.
For several days Saul stayed with the disciples at Damascus, 
{R}_{I}20_{/}and he soon began to proclaim in the synagogues that Jesus 
was the Son of God. [=]_{R}_{I}21_{/}All who heard were astonished and 
said, "Is this not the one who cast out in Jerusalem all those 
calling upon this Name? Did he not come here to bring them bound 
before the chief priests?"
[=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}But Saul grew more and more powerful, and he confounded 
the Jews living in Damascus when he proved that Jesus was the 
Messiah.
{I}23_{/}After a fairly long time, the Jews conspired together to kill 
him. [=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}But Saul became aware of their plan: Day and night 
they kept watch at the city gate in order to kill him. {I}25_{/}So his 
disciples took him one night and let him down from the top of the 
wall, lowering him in a basket.
{R}_{I}26_{/}When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples 
there, but they were afraid of him because they could not believe 
that he was a disciple. {R}_{I}27_{/}But Barnabas took him and brought 
him to the apostles. He recounted to them how Saul had seen the 
Lord on his way and the words the Lord had spoken to him. He told 
them also how Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
{R}_{I}28_{/}Then Saul began to live with them. He moved about freely in 
Jerusalem and preached openly in the name of the Lord. {I}29_{/}He 
also spoke to the Hellenists and argued with them, but they wanted 
to kill him. {R}_{I}30_{/}When the believers learned of this, they took 
him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
{R}_{I}31_{/}Meanwhile, the Church had peace. It was building up 
throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria with eyes turned to 
the Lord and filled with comfort from the Holy Spirit.

{N}PETER VISITS THE CHURCHES{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}32_{/}As Peter traveled around, he went to visit the saints 
who lived in Lydda. {R}_{I}33_{/}There he found a man named Aeneas who 
was paralyzed, and had been bedridden for eight years. 
[=]_{R}_{I}34_{/}Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get 
up and make your bed!" And the man got up at once. {I}35_{/}All the 
people living in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
{I}36_{/}There was a disciple in Joppa named Tabitha, which means 
Dorcas or Gazelle. She was always doing good works and helping the 
poor. {I}37_{/}At that time she fell sick and died. After having 
washed her body, they laid her in the upstairs room.
[=]_{R}_{I}38_{/}As Lydda is near Joppa, the disciples, on hearing that 
Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, "Please 
come to us without delay."
{R}_{I}39_{/}So Peter went with them. On his arrival they took him 
upstairs to the room. All the widows crowded around him in tears, 
showing him the clothes which Dorcas had made while she was with 
them. {R}_{I}40_{/}Peter made them all leave the room and then he knelt 
down and prayed. Turning to the dead body he said, "Tabitha, stand 
up." She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up. 
[=]_{R}_{I}41_{/}Peter gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he 
called in the saints and widows and presented her to them alive. 
{I}42_{/}This became known throughout all of Joppa and many people 
believed in the Lord because of it. {R}_{I}43_{/}As for Peter, he 
remained for some time in Joppa at the house of Simon, a tanner of 
leather.

{N}THE BAPTISM OF CORNELIUS{/}

{1}10{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}There was in Caesarea a man named Cornelius, captain of 
what was called the Italian Battalion. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}He was a religious 
and God-fearing man together with his whole household. He gave 
generously to the people and constantly prayed to God.
{R}_{I}3_{/}One afternoon at about three he had a vision in which he 
clearly saw an angel of God coming towards him and calling him, 
"Cornelius!" [=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}He stared at the vision with awe and said, 
"What is it, sir?" And the angel answered, "Your prayers and your 
alms have just been recalled before God. {R}_{I}5_{/}Now send some men to 
Joppa and summon a certain Simon also known as Peter; {R}_{I}6_{/}he is 
the guest of Simon, a tanner, who lives beside the sea."
{R}_{I}7_{/}As soon as the angel who spoke to him departed, Cornelius 
called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those 
attached to his service, {I}8_{/}and after having explained everything 
to them, he sent them to Joppa.
[*]_{R}_{I}9_{/}The next day, while they were on their journey and 
approaching the city, Peter went up to the roof at about noon to 
pray. [=]_{I}10_{/}He became hungry and wished to eat, but while they 
were preparing food, he fell into a trance. {I}11_{/}The heavens were 
opened to him and he saw an object that looked like a large sheet 
coming down, until it rested on the ground by its four corners. 
{I}12_{/}In it were all kinds of four-legged animals of the earth, 
reptiles and birds.
{R}_{I}13_{/}Then a voice said to him, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat!" 
{R}_{I}14_{/}But Peter replied, "Certainly not, Lord! I have never eaten 
any defiled or unclean creature." {R}_{I}15_{/}And again a second time 
the voice spoke, "What God has made clean, you must not call 
unclean." {I}16_{/}This happened three times and then the sheet was 
taken up again into the sky.
{R}_{I}17_{/}While Peter was still puzzling over the meaning of the 
vision he had seen, the messengers of Cornelius arrived at the 
gate asking for the house of Simon. {R}_{I}18_{/}They called out to 
inquire whether Simon, also known as Peter, was staying there. 
{R}_{I}19_{/}At that moment, as Peter continued pondering on the vision, 
the Spirit spoke to him, "There are men looking for you; {I}20_{/}get 
up and go downstairs and follow them without hesitation, for I 
have sent them." 
{R}_{I}21_{/}So Peter went and said to the men, "I am the one you are 
looking for. What brings you here?" They answered, {R}_{I}22_{/}"He who 
sent us is Captain Cornelius. He is an upright and God-fearing 
man, well respected by all the Jewish people. He has been 
instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, so that he 
may listen to what you have to say." {R}_{I}23_{/}So Peter invited them 
in and put them up for the night.
The next day he went off with them and some of the believers from 
Joppa accompanied him. {R}_{I}24_{/}The following day, he arrived in 
Caesarea where Cornelius was expecting them; he had called 
together his relatives and close friends. {R}_{I}25_{/}As Peter was about 
to enter, Cornelius went to him, fell on his knees and bowed low. 
[=]_{R}_{I}26_{/}But Peter lifted him up saying, "Stand up, for I too am 
a human being."
{R}_{I}27_{/}After talking with him, Peter entered and found many people 
assembled there. {R}_{I}28_{/}Then he said to them, "You know that it is 
forbidden for Jews to associate with anyone of another nation or 
to enter their houses. But God has made it clear to me that no one 
should call any person common or unclean; [=]_{I}29_{/}because of this 
I came at once when I was sent for. Now I should like to know why 
you sent for me."
{R}_{I}30_{/}Cornelius then answered, "Just three days ago at this time, 
about three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house when a man 
in shining clothes stood before me [=]_{R}_{I}31_{/}and said to me: 
'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer, and your alms have been 
remembered before him. {R}_{I}32_{/}Send someone, therefore, to Joppa and 
ask for Simon, also known as Peter, who is guest at the house of 
Simon the tanner by the sea.' {R}_{I}33_{/}So I sent for you at once and 
you have been kind enough to come. Now we are all here in God's 
presence, waiting to hear all that the Lord has commanded you to 
say."
[=]_{R}_{I}34_{/}Peter then spoke to them, "Truly, I realize that God 
does not show partiality, [=]_{R}_{I}35_{/}but in all nations he listens 
to everyone who fears God and does good. [=]_{R}_{I}36_{/}And this is the 
message he has sent to the children of Israel, the good news of 
peace he has proclaimed through Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of 
all. [*]_{R}_{I}37_{/}No doubt you have heard of the event that occurred 
throughout the whole country of the Jews, beginning from Galilee, 
after the baptism John preached. [=]_{R}_{I}38_{/}You know how God 
anointed Jesus the Nazarean with Holy Spirit and power. He went 
about doing good and healing all who were under the devil's power, 
because God was with him; {R}_{I}39_{/}we are witnesses of all that he 
did throughout the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem itself. 
Yet they put him to death by hanging him on a wooden cross.
[=]_{R}_{I}40_{/}But God raised him to life on the third day and let him 
manifest himself, {R}_{I}41_{/}not to all the people, but to the 
witnesses that were chosen beforehand by God - to us who ate and 
drank with him after his resurrection from death. {R}_{I}42_{/}And he 
commanded us to preach to the people and to bear witness that he 
is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 
[=]_{R}_{I}43_{/}All the prophets say of him, that everyone who believes 
in him has forgiveness of sins through his Name."
[=]_{R}_{I}44_{/}Peter was still speaking when the Holy Spirit came upon 
all who listened to the Word. [=]_{R}_{I}45_{/}And the believers of 
Jewish origin who had come with Peter were amazed, "Why! God gives 
and pours the Holy Spirit on foreigners also!" {R}_{I}46_{/}For indeed 
this happened: they heard them speaking in tongues and praising 
God.
{R}_{I}47_{/}Then Peter declared, "Can we refuse to baptize with water 
these people who have received the Holy Spirit, just as we have?" 
{R}_{I}48_{/}So he had them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. After 
that they asked him to remain with them for some days.

{N}PETER JUSTIFIES HIS CONDUCT{/}

{1}11{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}News came to the apostles and the brothers and 
sisters in Judea that even foreigners had received the Word of 
God. {R}_{I}2_{/}So, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, these Jewish 
believers began to argue with him, [=]_{I}3_{/}"You went to the home 
of uncircumcised people and ate with them!"
{R}_{I}4_{/}So Peter began to give them the facts as they had happened, 
{I}5_{/}"I was at prayer in the city of Joppa when, in a trance, I saw 
a vision. Something like a large sheet came down from the sky and 
drew near to me, landing on the ground by its four corners. {I}6_{/}As 
I stared at it, I saw four-legged creatures of the earth, wild 
beasts and reptiles, and birds of the sky. {R}_{I}7_{/}Then I heard a 
voice saying to me: 'Get up, Peter, kill and eat!' {I}8_{/}I replied, 
'Certainly not, Lord! No common or unclean creature has ever 
entered my mouth.' {R}_{I}9_{/}A second time the voice from the heavens 
spoke, "What God has made clean, you must not call unclean." 
[=]_{I}10_{/}This happened three times, and then it was all drawn up 
into the sky. {R}_{I}11_{/}At that moment three men, who had been sent to 
me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were staying. 
{R}_{I}12_{/}The Spirit instructed me to go with them without hesitation; 
so these six brothers came along with me and we entered into the 
man's house. {R}_{I}13_{/}He told us how he had seen an angel standing in 
his house and telling him: Send someone to Joppa and fetch Simon, 
also known as Peter. {I}14_{/}He will bring you a message by which you 
and all your household will be saved."
{R}_{I}15_{/}I had begun to address them when suddenly the Holy Spirit 
came upon them, just as it had come upon us at the beginning. 
[=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized 
with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 
{R}_{I}17_{/}If, then, God had given them the same gift that he had given 
us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to resist 
God?"
[=]_{R}_{I}18_{/}When they heard this they set their minds at rest and 
praised God saying, "Then God has granted life-giving repentance 
to the pagan nations as well."

{N}THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH{/}

[\u0095]_{I}19_{/}Those who had been scattered because of the persecution 
over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, 
telling the message, but only to the Jews. {R}_{I}20_{/}But there were 
some natives of Cyprus and Cyrene among them who, on coming into 
Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, giving them the good news of 
the Lord Jesus. [=]_{I}21_{/}The hand of the Lord was with them so 
that a great number believed and turned to the Lord.
{R}_{I}22_{/}News of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, so 
they sent Barnabas to Antioch. [=]_{R}_{I}23_{/}When he arrived and saw 
the manifest signs of God's favor, he rejoiced and urged them all 
to remain firmly faithful to the Lord; {R}_{I}24_{/}for he himself was a 
good man filled with Holy Spirit and faith. Thus large crowds came 
to know the Lord.
[=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul 
{I}26_{/}and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole 
year they had meetings with the Church and instructed many people. 
It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
[\u0095]_{R}_{I}27_{/}At that time some prophets went down from Jerusalem to 
Antioch {R}_{I}28_{/}and one of them, named Agabus, inspired by the Holy 
Spirit, foretold that a great famine would spread over the whole 
world. This actually happened in the days of the Emperor Claudius. 
[=]_{I}29_{/}So the disciples decided, within their means, to set 
something aside and to send relief to the brothers and sisters who 
were living in Judea. [=]_{R}_{I}30_{/}They did this and sent their 
donations to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

{N}JAMES IS PUT TO DEATH; PETER'S MIRACULOUS ESCAPE{/}

{1}12{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}About that time King Herod decided to persecute some 
members of the Church. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}He had James, the brother of John, 
killed with the sword, [=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}and when he saw how it pleased the 
Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
This happened during the festival of the Unleavened Bread. 
{R}_{I}4_{/}Herod had him seized and thrown into prison with four squads, 
each of four soldiers, to guard him. He wanted to bring him to 
trial before the people after the Passover feast, {R}_{I}5_{/}but while 
Peter was kept in prison, the whole Church prayed earnestly for 
him.
[=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial, 
Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound by a double chain, 
while guards kept watch at the gate of the prison.
{R}_{I}7_{/}Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there and a light shone 
in the prison cell. The angel tapped Peter on the side and woke 
him saying, "Get up quickly!" At once the chains fell from Peter's 
wrists. The angel said, "Put on your belt and your sandals." Peter 
did so, {I}8_{/}and the angel added, "Now, put on your cloak and 
follow me."
{R}_{I}9_{/}Peter followed him out; yet he did not realize that what was 
happening with the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a 
vision. {I}10_{/}They passed the first guard and then the second and 
they came to the iron door leading out to the city, which opened 
of itself for them. They went out and made their way down a narrow 
alley, when suddenly the angel left him.
{R}_{I}11_{/}Then Peter recovered his senses and said, "Now I know that 
the Lord has sent his angel and has rescued me from Herod's 
clutches and from all that the Jews had in store for me."
{R}_{I}12_{/}Peter then found his bearings and came to the house of Mary, 
the mother of John also known as Mark, where many were gathered 
together and were praying. {I}13_{/}When he knocked at the outside 
door, a maid named Rhoda came to answer it. {R}_{I}14_{/}On recognizing 
the voice of Peter she was so overcome with joy that, instead of 
opening the door, she ran in to announce that Peter was at the 
door. {I}15_{/}They said to her, "You are crazy!" And as she insisted, 
they said, "It must be his angel."
{R}_{I}16_{/}Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking and, when they finally 
opened the door, they were amazed to see him. [=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}He 
motioned to them with his hand to be quiet and told them how the 
Lord had brought him out of prison. And he said to them, "Report 
this to James and to the brothers." Then he left and went to 
another place.
{R}_{I}18_{/}At daybreak there was a great commotion among the soldiers 
over what had become of Peter. [=]_{R}_{I}19_{/}Herod began a search for 
him and, not finding him, had the guards questioned and executed. 
After that, he came down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

{N}HEROD'S DEATH{/}

{R}_{I}20_{/}At that time Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and 
Sidon. By general agreement they appeared before him and, after 
having won over Blastus, the king's treasurer, they asked for 
peace, for their country was supplied with food from the territory 
of Herod. {R}_{I}21_{/}On the appointed day Herod, clothed in royal 
robes, sat on his throne and addressed them. [=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}So the 
assembled crowd shouted back, "A god is speaking, not a man!"
[=]_{R}_{I}23_{/}The angel of the Lord immediately struck Herod for he 
did not return the honor to God, and he died eaten by worms.
[=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}Meanwhile the word of God was increasing and spreading. 
[=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}Barnabas and Saul carried out their mission and then 
came back from Jerusalem, taking with them John also called Mark.

{N}PAUL SENT BY THE CHURCH{/}

{1}13{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}There were at Antioch - in the Church which was there - 
prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon known as Niger, Lucius of 
Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod, and Saul. 
{R}_{I}2_{/}On one occasion while they were celebrating the Lord and 
fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Set apart for me Barnabas 
and Saul and send them to do the work for which I have called 
them." {I}3_{/}So, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on 
them and sent them off.

{N}PAUL'S FIRST MISSION{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}4_{/}These then, sent by the Holy Spirit, went down to the 
port of Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}Upon 
their arrival in Salamis they proclaimed the word of God in the 
Jewish synagogue; John was with them as an assistant.
[=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}They traveled over the whole island as far as Paphos 
where they met a certain magician named Bar-Jesus, a Jewish false 
prophet {R}_{I}7_{/}who lived with the governor Sergius Paulus, an 
intelligent man. He had summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to 
hear the word of God. {I}8_{/}But they were opposed by the Elymas 
(that is, the magician) who tried to turn the governor from the 
faith.
{R}_{I}9_{/}Then Saul, also known as Paul, full of Holy Spirit, looked 
intently at him [=]_{I}10_{/}and said, "You son of the devil, full of 
all kinds of deceit and enemy of all that is right! Will you never 
stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord? [=]_{I}11_{/}Now the 
Lord's hand is upon you; you will become blind and for a time you 
will not see the light of day." At once a misty darkness came upon 
him, and he groped about for someone to lead him by the hand.
{I}12_{/}The governor saw what had happened; he believed, and was 
deeply impressed by the teaching about the Lord.

{N}PAUL IN THE CAPITAL OF PISIDIA {/}

{R}_{I}13_{/}From Paphos, Paul and his companions set sail and came to 
Perga in Pamphylia. There John left them and returned to Jerusalem 
[=]_{I}14_{/}while they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in 
Pisidia. On the sabbath day they entered the synagogue and sat 
down. [=]_{R}_{I}15_{/}After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the 
officials of the synagogue sent this message to them, "Brothers, 
if you have any word of encouragement for the assembly, please 
speak up." 
{R}_{I}16_{/}So Paul arose, motioned to them for silence and began, 
"Fellow Israelites and also all you who fear God, listen. 
[=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}The God of our people Israel chose our ancestors, and 
after he had made them increase during their stay in Egypt, he led 
them out by powerful deeds. {R}_{I}18_{/}For forty years he fed them in 
the desert, {R}_{I}19_{/}and after he had destroyed seven nations in the 
land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. 
[=]_{I}20_{/}All this took four hundred and fifty years. {R}_{I}21_{/}After 
that, he gave them Judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they 
asked for a king and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, of the tribe 
of Benjamin, and he was king for forty years. [=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}After that 
time, God removed him and raised up David as king, to whom he bore 
witness saying: I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after 
my own heart, who will do all I want him to do.
{R}_{I}23_{/}It is from the descendants of David that God has now raised 
up the promised savior of Israel, Jesus. [=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}Before he 
appeared, John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for all the 
people of Israel. [=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}As John was ending his life's work, he 
said: 'I am not what you think I am, for after me another one is 
coming whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.'
{R}_{I}26_{/}Brothers, children and descendants of Abraham, and you also 
who fear God, it is to you that this message of salvation has been 
sent. {R}_{I}27_{/}It is a fact that the inhabitants of Jerusalem and 
their leaders did not recognize Jesus. Yet in condemning him, they 
fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every sabbath 
but not understood. {R}_{I}28_{/}Even though they found no charge against 
him that deserved death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 
[=]_{I}29_{/}And after they had carried out all that had been written 
concerning him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in 
a tomb.
{R}_{I}30_{/}But God raised him from the dead, {R}_{I}31_{/}and for many days 
thereafter he showed himself to those who had come up with him 
from Galilee to Jerusalem. They have now become his witnesses 
before the people. {R}_{I}32_{/}We ourselves announce to you this Good 
News: All that God promised our ancestors, [=]_{R}_{I}33_{/}he has 
fulfilled for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus, according 
to what is written in the second psalm: You are my Son, today I 
have begotten you. [=]_{R}_{I}34_{/}On raising him from the dead so that 
he would never know the decay of death, God fulfilled his promise: 
I will give you the holy blessings, the sure ones, that I kept for 
David.
[=]_{I}35_{/}Moreover, in another place it is said: You will not allow 
your holy one to suffer corruption. {R}_{I}36_{/}Now David was subjected 
to corruption, for he died and was laid beside his ancestors after 
having served God's purpose in his own time. {R}_{I}37_{/}But the one God 
raised up - Jesus - did not know corruption. [=]_{I}38{/}{N}-
{/}[=]_{R}_{I}39_{/}Through him, fellow Israelites, you have forgiveness of 
sins, and this is our good news. Whoever believes in him is freed 
of everything from which you could not be freed by the law of 
Moses.
[=]_{R}_{I}40_{/}Now watch out lest what was said by the prophet happen 
to you: [=]_{I}41_{/}Take care, you cynics; be amazed and disappear! 
For I am about to do something in your days which you would never 
believe even if you had been told."
{R}_{I}42_{/}As Paul and Barnabas withdrew, they were invited to speak 
again on the same subject the following sabbath. [=]_{R}_{I}43_{/}After 
that, when the assembly broke up, many Jews and devout God-fearing 
people followed them and to these they spoke, urging them to hold 
fast to the grace of God.
{R}_{I}44_{/}The following sabbath almost the entire city gathered to 
listen to Paul, who spoke a fairly long time about the Lord. 
[=]_{R}_{I}45_{/}But the presence of such a crowd made the Jews jealous. 
So they began to oppose with insults whatever Paul said.
{R}_{I}46_{/}Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out firmly, saying, "It was 
necessary that God's word be first proclaimed to you, but since 
you now reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal 
life, we turn to non-Jewish people. [=]_{I}47_{/}For thus we were 
commanded by the Lord: I have set you as a light to the pagan 
nations, so that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the 
earth."
[=]_{I}48_{/}Those who were not Jews rejoiced when they heard this and 
praised the message of the Lord, and all those destined for 
everlasting life believed in it. {I}49_{/}Thus the Word spread 
throughout the whole region.
{R}_{I}50_{/}Some of the Jews, however, incited God-fearing women of the 
upper class and the leading men of the city, as well, and stirred 
up an intense persecution against Paul and Barnabas. Finally they 
had them expelled from their region. [=]_{I}51_{/}The apostles shook 
the dust from their feet in protest against this people and went 
to Iconium, {R}_{I}52_{/}leaving the disciples filled with joy and Holy 
Spirit.

{N}ICONIUM IS EVANGELIZED{/}

{1}14{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}In Iconium Paul and Barnabas likewise went into the 
Jewish synagogue and preached in such a manner that a great number 
of Jews and Greeks believed. {I}2_{/}But the Jews who would not 
believe stirred up the pagan people and poisoned their minds 
against the brothers. [=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}In spite of this Paul and Barnabas 
spent a considerable time there. They spoke fearlessly of the 
Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace with the miraculous 
signs and wonders he gave them power to do.
{I}4_{/}There, too, all the town was stirred by the Teaching. They 
were divided, some siding with the Jews and some with the 
apostles. {I}5_{/}A move was made by pagans and Jews, together with 
their leaders, to harm the apostles and to stone them. {R}_{I}6_{/}But 
Paul and Barnabas learned of this and fled to the Lycaonian towns 
of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside, 
[\u0095]_{I}7_{/}where they continued preaching the Good News.

{N}LYSTRA AND DERBE{/}

Paul and Barnabas spent a fairly long time at Lystra. {R}_{I}8_{/}There 
was a crippled man in Lystra who had never been able to stand or 
walk. [*]_{R}_{I}9_{/}One day, as he was listening to the preaching, Paul 
looked intently at him and saw that he had the faith to be saved. 
{R}_{I}10_{/}So he spoke to him in a loud voice, "In the Name of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, I command you to stand up on your feet!" And the man 
stood up and began to walk around.
{R}_{I}11_{/}When the people saw what Paul had done, they cried out in 
the language of Lycaonia, "The gods have come to us in human 
likeness!" {R}_{I}12_{/}They named Barnabas Zeus, and Paul they called 
Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. {R}_{I}13_{/}Even the priest of 
the Temple of Zeus, which stood outside the town, brought oxen and 
garlands to the gate; together with the people, he wanted to offer 
sacrifice to them.
[=]_{R}_{I}14_{/}When Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their 
garments to show their indignation and rushed into the crowd, 
shouting, [=]_{R}_{I}15_{/}"Friends, why are you doing this? We are human 
beings with the same weakness you have and we are now telling you 
to turn away from these useless things to the living God who made 
the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them. 
[=]_{I}16_{/}In past generations he allowed each nation to go its own 
way, [=]_{I}17_{/}though he never stopped making himself known; for he 
is continually doing good, giving you rain from heaven and 
fruitful seasons, providing you with food and filling your hearts 
with gladness." 
{R}_{I}18_{/}Even these words could hardly keep the crowd from offering 
sacrifice to them.
[=]_{R}_{I}19_{/}They were there teaching some time. But some Jews 
arrived from Antioch and Iconium to argue with Paul and Barnabas. 
They persuaded the people to reject them, saying that all this was 
untrue. Finally they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, 
leaving him for dead. {I}20_{/}But when his disciples gathered around 
him, he stood up and returned to the town. And the next day he 
left for Derbe with Barnabas.

{N}RETURN TO ANTIOCH{/}

[\u0095]_{I}21_{/}After proclaiming the gospel in that town and making many 
disciples, they returned to Lystra and Iconium and on to Antioch. 
{R}_{I}22_{/}They were strengthening the disciples and encouraging them 
to remain firm in the faith, for they said, "We must go through 
many trials to enter the Kingdom of God." [=]_{I}23_{/}In each church 
they appointed elders and, after praying and fasting, they 
commended them to the Lord in whom they had placed their faith.
{I}24_{/}Then they traveled through Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia. 
{I}25_{/}They preached the Word in Perga and went down to Attalia. 
{R}_{I}26_{/}From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had first 
been commended to God's grace for the task they had now completed.
{R}_{I}27_{/}On their arrival they gathered the Church together and told 
them all that God had done through them and how he had opened the 
door of faith to the non-Jews. {I}28_{/}They spent a fairly long time 
there with the disciples.

{N}THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM{/}

{1}15{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Some persons who had come from Judea to Antioch were 
teaching the brothers in this way, "Unless you are circumcised 
according to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved."
[=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}Because of this there was trouble, and Paul and Barnabas 
had fierce arguments with them. For Paul told the people to remain 
as they were when they became believers. Finally those who had 
come from Jerusalem suggested that Paul and Barnabas and some 
others go up to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with the apostles 
and elders.
{R}_{I}3_{/}They were sent on their way by the Church. As they passed 
through Phoenicia and Samaria they reported how the non-Jews had 
turned to God, and there was great joy among all the brothers and 
sisters.
[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the 
Church, the apostles and the elders, to whom they told all that 
God had done through them. [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}Some believers, however, who 
belonged to the party of the Pharisees, stood up and said that 
non-Jewish men must be circumcised and instructed to keep the law 
of Moses. {I}6_{/}So the apostles and elders met together to consider 
this matter.
[=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}As the discussions became heated, Peter stood up and said 
to them, "Brothers, you know what God did among us in the early 
days, so that non-Jews could hear the Good News from me and 
believe. {R}_{I}8_{/}God, who can read hearts, put himself on their side 
by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he did to us. [=]_{I}9_{/}He 
made no distinction between us and them and cleansed their hearts 
through faith. [=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}So why do you want to put God to the 
test? Why do you lay on the disciples a burden that neither our 
ancestors nor we ourselves were able to carry? [=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}We 
believe, indeed, that we are saved through the grace of the Lord 
Jesus, just as they are."
{R}_{I}12_{/}The whole assembly kept silent as they listened to Paul and 
Barnabas tell of all the miraculous signs and wonders that God had 
done through them among the non-Jews.
[\u0095]_[=]_{I}13{/}After they had finished, James spoke up, "Listen to 
me, brothers. {R}_{I}14_{/}Symeon has just explained how God first showed 
his care by taking a people for himself from non-Jewish nations. 
{R}_{I}15_{/}And the words of the prophets agree with this, for Scripture 
says,
[=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}After this I will return and rebuild the booth of David 
which has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins and set it up again. 
{R}_{I}17_{/}Then the rest of humanity will look for the Lord, and all 
the nations will be consecrated to my Name. So says the Lord, who 
does today {I}18_{/}what he decided from the beginning.
{R}_{I}19_{/}Because of this, I think that we should not make 
difficulties for those non-Jews who are turning to God. 
[=]_{I}20_{/}Let us just tell them not to eat food that is unclean 
from having been offered to idols; to keep themselves from 
prohibited marriages; and not to eat the flesh of animals that 
have been strangled, or any blood. {I}21_{/}For from the earliest 
times Moses has been taught in every place, and every sabbath his 
laws are recalled."

{N}THE COUNCIL'S LETTERS{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}Then the apostles and elders together with the whole 
Church decided to choose representatives from among them to send 
to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. These were Judas, known as 
Barsabbas, and Silas, both leading men among the brothers. 
{R}_{I}23_{/}They took with them the following letter:
Greetings from the apostles and elders, your brothers, to the 
believers of non-Jewish birth in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. 
{I}24_{/}We have heard that some persons from among us have worried 
you with their discussions and troubled your peace of mind. They 
were not appointed by us. {R}_{I}25_{/}But now, it has seemed right to us 
in an assembly, to choose representatives and to send them to you, 
along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, [=]_{R}_{I}26_{/}who have 
dedicated their lives to the service of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
{I}27_{/}We send you then Judas and Silas who themselves will give you 
these instructions by word of mouth.
[*]_{R}_{I}28_{/}We, with the Holy Spirit, have decided not to put any 
other burden on you except what is necessary: {I}29_{/}You are to 
abstain from blood from the meat of strangled animals and from 
prohibited marriages. If you keep yourselves from these, you will 
do well. Farewell."
{I}30_{/}After saying good-bye, the messengers went to Antioch, where 
they assembled the community and handed them the letter. {I}31_{/}When 
they read the news, all were delighted with the encouragement it 
gave them. {R}_{I}32_{/}Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, 
spoke at length to encourage and strengthen them. {I}33_{/}After they 
had spent some time there, the messengers were sent off in peace 
by the believers; {I}34_{/}Silas, however, preferred to stay with them 
and only Judas went off. {R}_{I}35_{/}So Paul and Barnabas continued in 
Antioch, teaching and preaching with many others the word of God.

{N}PAUL'S SECOND MISSION{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}36_{/}After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return 
and visit the believers in every town where we proclaimed the word 
of the Lord, to see how they are getting on." {R}_{I}37_{/}Barnabas 
wanted to take with them John also called Mark, [=]_{R}_{I}38_{/}but Paul 
did not think it right to take him since he had not stayed with 
them to the end of their mission, but had turned back and left 
them in Pamphylia. {I}39_{/}Such a sharp disagreement resulted that 
the two finally separated. Barnabas took Mark along with him and 
sailed for Cyprus. [=]_{R}_{I}40_{/}Paul, for his part, chose Silas and 
left, commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the 
Lord.
{I}41_{/}He traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the 
churches there.

{N}PAUL RECRUITS TIMOTHY{/}

{1}16{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Paul traveled on to Derbe and then to Lystra. A 
disciple named Timothy lived there, whose mother was a believer of 
Jewish origin but whose father was a Greek. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}As the 
believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him, Paul wanted 
Timothy to accompany him. [=]_[*]_{I}3_{/}So he took him and, because 
of the Jews of that place who all knew that his father was a 
Greek, he circumcised him.
{R}_{I}4_{/}As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the 
decisions of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, for the people 
to obey. {I}5_{/}Meanwhile, the churches grew stronger in faith and 
increased in number every day.
[=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}They traveled through Phrygia and Galatia, because they 
had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message 
in the province of Asia. {R}_{I}7_{/}When they came to Mysia, they tried 
to go on to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them 
to do this. [=]_{I}8_{/}So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.

{N}PAUL GOES TO MACEDONIA{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}9_{/}There one night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood 
before him and begged him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" 
[=]_{I}10_{/}When he awoke, he told us of this vision and we 
understood that the Lord was calling us to give the Good News to 
the Macedonian people.
{R}_{I}11_{/}So we put out to sea from Troas and sailed straight across 
to Samothrace Island, and the next day to Neapolis. {R}_{I}12_{/}From 
there we went inland to Philippi, the leading city of the district 
of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We spent some days in that city.
[*]_{I}13_{/}On the sabbath we went outside the city gate to the bank 
of the river where we thought the Jews would gather to pray. We 
sat down and began speaking to the women who were gathering there. 
{R}_{I}14_{/}One of them was a God-fearing woman named Lydia from 
Thyatira City, a dealer in purple cloth.
As she listened, the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul 
was saying. [=]_{I}15_{/}After she had been baptized together with her 
household, she invited us to her house, "If you think I am 
faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she 
persuaded us to accept her invitation.

{N}PAUL AND SILAS IN PRISON{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}16_{/}One day, as we were on our way to the place of prayer, 
we were met by a slave girl who had a divining spirit and gained 
much profit for her owners by her fortune-telling.
{R}_{I}17_{/}She followed Paul and the rest of us shouting, "These people 
are servants of the Most High God. They will make known to you a 
way of salvation." [=]_{R}_{I}18_{/}The girl did this for several days 
until Paul was annoyed. Then he turned around and said to the 
spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you, come out of 
her!" The spirit went out of her that very moment.
{R}_{I}19_{/}When her owners realized that all the profits they expected 
had gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the 
marketplace before the local authorities. {I}20_{/}And when they had 
turned them over to the officials, they said, {R}_{I}21_{/}"These people 
are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They have come here to 
introduce customs which are not lawful for us Romans to adopt or 
practice."
[=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}So they set the crowd against them and the officials 
tore the clothes off Paul and Silas and ordered them to be 
flogged. {I}23_{/}And after inflicting many blows on them, they threw 
them into prison, charging the jailer to guard them safely. 
{I}24_{/}Upon receiving these instructions, he threw them into the 
inner cell and fastened their feet between heavy blocks of wood.

{N}A MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE{/}

[=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing 
hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 
[=]_{I}26_{/}Suddenly a severe earthquake shook the place, rocking the 
prison to its foundations. Immediately all the doors flew open and 
the chains of all the prisoners fell off. {I}27_{/}The jailer woke up 
to see the prison gates wide open. Thinking that the prisoners had 
escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself, {R}_{I}28_{/}but Paul shouted 
to him, "Do not harm yourself! We are all still here."
{R}_{I}29_{/}The jailer asked for a light, then rushed in, and fell at 
the feet of Paul and Silas. {I}30_{/}After he had secured the other 
prisoners, he led them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be 
saved?" [=]_{R}_{I}31_{/}They answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ 
and you and your household will be saved." {R}_{I}32_{/}Then they spoke 
the word of God to him and to all his household.
{I}33_{/}Even at that hour of the night, the jailer took care of them 
and washed their wounds; and he and his whole household were 
baptized at once. {R}_{I}34_{/}He led them to his house, spread a meal 
before them and joyfully celebrated with his whole household his 
newfound faith in God.
{I}35_{/}The next morning the officials sent police officers with the 
order, "Let those men go." {R}_{I}36_{/}So the jailer said to Paul and 
Silas, "The officials have sent an order for you and Silas to be 
released. You may leave and go in peace."
[=]_{R}_{I}37_{/}But Paul said to him, "They flogged us publicly, and 
jailed us without trial, men who are Roman citizens; and now they 
want to smuggle us out secretly? Oh no! Let them come themselves 
and lead us out."
{R}_{I}38_{/}The police officers reported this to the officials, who were 
afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 
{R}_{I}39_{/}So they went to the prison with many of their friends and 
invited them to leave, "We did not know that you were upright 
men." And when Paul and Silas were leaving, they added, "When you 
are out, please do not bring trouble on us for having spoken 
sharply to you."
{R}_{I}40_{/}Once outside the prison, Paul and Silas went to Lydia's 
house where they met and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and 
then departed.

{N}DIFFICULTIES IN THESSALONICA{/}

{1}17{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Paul and Silas took the road through Amphipolis and 
Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish 
synagogue. [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}As Paul used to do, he went to the synagogue 
and on three sabbaths he held discussions with them about the 
Scriptures. [=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}He explained and proved to them that the 
Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and he said, "Such a 
Messiah is this Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you."
{R}_{I}4_{/}Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas. So too 
did a great number of Greeks sympathetic to Judaism and many 
prominent women.
[=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}This only made the Jews jealous, so they gathered some of 
the good-for-nothing street loafers and formed a mob to start a 
riot in the town. They came to the house of Jason, in an attempt 
to bring Paul and Silas before the people's assembly. [=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}Not 
finding them there, they dragged off Jason and some believers to 
the city authorities shouting, "These people who have turned the 
world upside down have come here also, [=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}and Jason has 
given them hospitality. They all disregard the decrees of the 
Emperor and claim that there is another king, Jesus."
{I}8_{/}In this way they upset the crowd and the city officials who 
heard them. {R}_{I}9_{/}The officials released Jason and the others on 
bail.
[=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}As soon as night fell, the believers sent Paul and Silas 
off to Beroea. On their arrival they went to the Jewish synagogue. 
{I}11_{/}Its members were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica 
and welcomed the message with great enthusiasm. Each day they 
examined the Scriptures to see if these things were so. {I}12_{/}Many 
of them came to believe, as did numerous influential Greek women, 
and many men as well.
{R}_{I}13_{/}But when the Jews of Thessalonica came to know that the word 
of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea also, they hurried 
there to cause a commotion and stir up the crowds. {R}_{I}14_{/}At once, 
the believers sent Paul away to the coast; but both Silas and 
Timothy stayed in Beroea. {R}_{I}15_{/}Paul was taken as far as Athens by 
his escort, who then returned to Beroea with instructions for 
Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible.

{N}PAUL IN ATHENS{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}16_{/}While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he felt very 
uneasy at the sight of a city full of idols. {R}_{I}17_{/}He held 
discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing 
people, as well as daily debates in the public square with 
ordinary passersby.
[=]_{R}_{I}18_{/}Epicureans and Stoic philosophers debated with him, some 
of them asking, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others 
commented, "He sounds like a promoter of foreign gods," because he 
was heard to speak of Jesus and 'the Resurrection.' {R}_{I}19_{/}So they 
took Paul and led him off to the Areopagus hall, and said, "We 
would like to know what this new teaching is that you are talking 
about. {I}20_{/}Some of the things we hear you say sound strange to 
us, and we would like to know what they mean."
{I}21_{/}Indeed, all Athenian citizens, as well as the foreigners who 
live there, have as their favorite occupation talking about or 
listening to the latest news.
{R}_{I}22_{/}Then Paul stood up in the Areopagus hall and said, "Athenian 
citizens, I note that in every way you are very religious. 
{R}_{I}23_{/}As I walked around looking at your shrines, I even 
discovered an altar with this inscription: To an unknown God. Now, 
what you worship as unknown, I intend to make known to you.
[=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}God, who made the world and all that is in it, does not 
dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, being as he is Lord of 
heaven and earth. [=]_{I}25_{/}Nor does his worship depend on anything 
made by human hands, as if he were in need. Rather it is he who 
gives life and breath and everything else to everyone. 
[=]_{I}26_{/}From one stock he created the whole human race to live 
throughout all the earth, and he fixed the time and the boundaries 
of each nation. {I}27_{/}He wanted them to seek him by themselves, 
even if it were only by groping for him, and eventually to find 
him.
Yet he is not far from any one of us. {I}28_{/}For in him we live and 
move and have our being, as some of your poets have said: for we 
too are his offspring. [=]_{R}_{I}29_{/}If we are indeed God's offspring, 
we ought not to think of divinity as something like a statue of 
gold or silver or stone, a product of human art and imagination.
[=]_{R}_{I}30_{/}But now God prefers to overlook this time of ignorance 
and he calls on all people to change their ways. {R}_{I}31_{/}He has 
already set a day on which he will judge the world with justice 
through a man he has appointed. And, so that all may believe it, 
he has just given a sign by raising this man from the dead."
[=]_{R}_{I}32_{/}When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection from death, 
some made fun of him, while others said, "We must hear you on this 
topic some other time." {R}_{I}33_{/}At that point Paul left. {I}34_{/}But a 
few did join him, and believed. Among them were Dionysius, a 
member of the Areopagus court, a woman named Damaris, and some 
others.

{N}PAUL IN CORINTH{/}

{1}18{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 
[=]_{I}2_{/}There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who 
had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, following a 
decree of the Emperor Claudius which ordered all Jews to leave 
Rome. [=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}Paul went to visit them and then stayed and worked 
with them because they shared the same trade of tentmaking. 
{I}4_{/}Every sabbath he held discussions in the synagogue, trying to 
convince both Jews and Greeks.
{R}_{I}5_{/}When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was 
able to give himself wholly to preaching and proving to the Jews 
that Jesus was the Messiah. [=]_{I}6_{/}One day when they opposed him 
and insulted him, he shook the dust from his clothes in protest, 
saying, "You yourselves will account for your deeds! I am not to 
blame if from now on I go to the non-Jews."
{R}_{I}7_{/}So Paul left there and went to the house of a God-fearing man 
named Titus Justus who lived next door to the synagogue. {R}_{I}8_{/}A 
leading man of the synagogue, Crispus, along with his whole 
household, believed in the Lord. On hearing Paul, many more 
Corinthians believed and were baptized.
{R}_{I}9_{/}One night, in a vision, the Lord said to Paul, "Do not be 
afraid, but continue speaking and do not be silent, {I}10_{/}for many 
people in this city are mine. I am with you, so no one will harm 
you." [=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}So Paul stayed a year and a half in that place, 
teaching the word of God among them.
{R}_{I}12_{/}When Gallio was governor of Achaia, the Jews made a united 
attack on Paul and brought him before the court. And they accused 
him, [=]_{R}_{I}13_{/}"This man tries to persuade us to worship God in 
ways that are against the Law."
{R}_{I}14_{/}Paul was about to speak in his own defense when Gallio said 
to the Jews, "If it were a matter of a misdeed or vicious crime, I 
would have to consider your complaint. [=]_{R}_{I}15_{/}But since this is 
a quarrel about teachings and divine names that are proper to your 
own law, see to it yourselves: I refuse to judge such matters." 
{I}16_{/}And he sent them out of the court.
[=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}Then the people seized Sosthenes, a leading man of the 
synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal; but Gallio paid 
no attention to it.
[=]_{R}_{I}18_{/}Paul stayed on with the disciples in Corinth for many 
days; he then left them and sailed off with Priscilla and Aquila 
for Syria. And as he was no longer under a vow he had taken, he 
shaved his head before sailing from Cenchreae.
[=]_{I}19_{/}When they reached Ephesus, he left Priscilla and Aquila 
behind and entered the synagogue to hold discussions with the 
Jews. {I}20_{/}But although they asked him to stay longer, he 
declined. {R}_{I}21_{/}And he took leave of them saying, "God willing, I 
will come back to you again." Then he set sail from Ephesus. 
{R}_{I}22_{/}On landing at Caesarea, he went up to greet the Church, and 
then went down to Antioch.
[\u0095]_{I}23_{/}After spending some time there, he left and traveled from 
place to place through Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the 
disciples.
[\u0095]_{I}24_{/}A certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, 
arrived at Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker and an authority on 
the Scriptures, {R}_{I}25_{/}and he had some knowledge of the way of the 
Lord. With great enthusiasm he preached and taught correctly about 
Jesus, although he knew only of John's baptism. {I}26_{/}As he began 
to speak boldly in the synagogue, Priscilla and Aquila heard him; 
so they took him home with them and explained to him the way more 
accurately. [=]_{R}_{I}27_{/}As Apollos wished to go to Achaia, the 
believers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to 
welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly strengthened those who, 
by God's grace, had become believers, [=]_{R}_{I}28_{/}for he vigorously 
refuted the Jews, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus is the 
Messiah.

{N}PAUL IN EPHESUS{/}

{1}19{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the 
interior of the country and came to Ephesus. There he found some 
disciples [=]_{R}_{I}2_{/}whom he asked, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit 
when you became believers?" They answered, "We have not even heard 
that anyone may receive the Holy Spirit." [=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}Paul then 
asked, "What kind of baptism have you received?" And they 
answered, "The baptism of John."
[=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}Paul then explained, "John's baptism was for conversion, 
but he himself said they should believe in the one who was to 
come, and that one is Jesus." [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}Upon hearing this, they 
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. {R}_{I}6_{/}Then Paul laid 
his hands on them and the Holy Spirit came down upon them; and 
they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. {I}7_{/}There were 
about twelve of them in all.
{R}_{I}8_{/}Paul went into the synagogue and for three months he preached 
and discussed there boldly, trying to convince them about the 
Kingdom of God. {R}_{I}9_{/}Some of them, instead of believing, grew 
obstinate and criticized the way publicly. So Paul departed from 
them and took the disciples with him. He taught daily in the 
lecture hall of a certain Tyrannus, from eleven to four in the 
afternoon. {I}10_{/}He did this for two years, so that all those who 
lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and non-Jews, heard the 
word of the Lord.
[\u0095]_{R}_{I}11_{/}God did extraordinary deeds of power through the hands 
of Paul. [=]_{I}12_{/}Even handkerchiefs or cloths that had touched 
his skin were laid upon the sick and their illnesses were cured, 
and evil spirits also departed from them.
[=]_{R}_{I}13_{/}Some Jews who traveled around driving out evil spirits, 
also tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those possessed 
by evil spirits, saying, "I command you by this Jesus whom Paul 
preaches." {R}_{I}14_{/}Among them were the sons of a Jewish priest named 
Sceva. {R}_{I}15_{/}But one day, when they entered a house and dared to 
do this, the evil spirit said to them, "Jesus I recognize and Paul 
I know; but who are you?" {R}_{I}16_{/}Then the man with the evil spirit 
sprang at them and overpowered first one and then another. And he 
handled them so violently that they fled from that house naked and 
mauled. {R}_{I}17_{/}This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living 
in Ephesus; all of them were very impressed and the name of the 
Lord Jesus came to be held in great honor.
{I}18_{/}Many of those who had become believers came forward and 
openly acknowledged their former practices. {R}_{I}19_{/}Many who had 
practiced magic arts collected their books and burned them in 
front of everyone. When the value of these was assessed, it came 
to fifty thousand silver coins.
[=]_{I}20_{/}In this way, the word of the Lord spread widely and with 
power.

{N}THE SILVERSMITHS' RIOT{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}21_{/}When all these events were completed Paul, led by the 
Holy Spirit, decided to travel through Macedonia and Achaia again 
and then go on to Jerusalem. And he said, "After I have been 
there, I must visit Rome also." {R}_{I}22__{/}So he sent two of his 
assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia ahead of him, while 
he himself stayed on for a time in Asia.
[=]_{I}23_{/}About that time the city was deeply troubled because of 
the way. {R}_{I}24_{/}It all began because of a certain silversmith named 
Demetrius, who made silver models of the temple of the goddess 
Artemis and whose business brought a great deal of profit to the 
workers. {I}25_{/}He called them, together with others who did similar 
work, and said, "Friends, you know that our prosperity depends on 
this work. {R}_{I}26_{/}But, as you can see and hear for yourselves, this 
Paul has led astray a great number of people, not only here in 
Ephesus, but also throughout most of the province of Asia. And he 
has convinced them that gods made by human hands are no gods at 
all. [=]_{I}27_{/}The danger grows that not only our trade will be 
discredited, but even that the temple of the great goddess Artemis 
will count for nothing. She whom Asia and all the world worships 
may soon be stripped of her renown."
{I}28_{/}On hearing this they became enraged and began shouting, 
"Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" {R}_{I}29_{/}The uproar spread 
throughout the whole city. The mob rushed to the theater, dragging 
with them Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were Paul's 
traveling companions. {R}_{I}30_{/}Paul wished to face this crowd, but 
the disciples would not let him. {R}_{I}31_{/}Some of the counselors of 
the Asian province also, who were friends of Paul, sent him a 
message begging him not to show himself in the theater.
{I}32_{/}Meanwhile the whole assembly was in an uproar. Some shouted 
one thing, and some shouted another and most of them did not know 
why they were there. {R}_{I}33_{/}Some of the crowd wanted a certain 
Alexander to speak, whom the Jews put forward. Alexander intended 
to make a speech of defense before the crowd, [=]_{I}34_{/}but when 
they recognized that he was a Jew, they chanted all together for 
about two hours, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"
{I}35_{/}Finally the town clerk was able to calm the mob. He said, 
"Citizens of Ephesus, who does not know that Ephesus is keeper of 
the temple of the great Artemis, and of her image which fell from 
the sky? {I}36_{/}Since these things are undeniable, you must calm 
yourselves and do nothing rash. {I}37_{/}These men whom you brought 
here are not temple-robbers nor have they spoken ill of our 
goddess. {R}_{I}38_{/}If Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen want to bring 
charges against anyone, the courts are open and there are 
officials. Let them bring charges against each other. {I}39_{/}If 
there is anything further that needs to be investigated, let it be 
done in the lawful assembly. {I}40_{/}For as it is today, we are in 
danger of being charged with rioting, since there is no valid 
excuse we can give for this wild demonstration." {I}41_{/}And the town 
clerk dismissed the assembly.

{N}PAUL RETURNS TO MACEDONIA{/}

{1}20{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}After the uproar died down, Paul called his disciples 
together to encourage them. Then he said goodbye and set out on 
his journey to Macedonia. {R}_{I}2{/}He traveled throughout those regions 
and spent himself in speaking and encouraging them. He finally 
arrived in Greece.
{R}_{I}3_{/}When he had been there for three months, he wanted to set 
sail for Syria, but as the Jews were plotting against him, he 
decided to return by way of Macedonia. {I}4_{/}When he was about to 
leave for the Asian province, some companions went with him, 
Sopater, son of Pyrrhus, from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from 
Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, Tychicus and Trophimus 
from Asia. {I}5_{/}So they went ahead and waited for us in Troas, 
[=]_{I}6_{/}while we set sail from Philippi as soon as the festival of 
Unleavened Bread was over. Five days later we joined them in Troas 
where we spent a week.

{N}THE EUCHARIST AT TROAS{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}On the first day of the week we were together for the 
breaking of the bread, and Paul, who intended to leave the 
following day, spoke at length. The discourse went on until 
midnight, {I}8_{/}with many lamps burning in the upstairs room where 
we were gathered. A young man named Eutychius was sitting on the 
window ledge, {R}_{I}9_{/}and as Paul kept on talking, Eutychius grew 
more and more sleepy, until he finally went sound asleep and fell 
from the third floor to the ground. There they found him dead.
[=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}Paul went down, bent over him and took him in his arms. 
"Do not be alarmed," he said, "there is life in him." {I}11_{/}Then he 
went back upstairs, broke the bread and ate. After that he kept on 
talking with them for a long time until daybreak and then he left. 
{R}_{I}12_{/}As for the young man, they lifted him up alive and were 
greatly comforted.
{R}_{I}13_{/}We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we 
were to pick up Paul. This was the arrangement since Paul intended 
to travel by foot. {I}14_{/}In fact, we met him at Assos and taking 
him aboard, we went on to Mitylene. {I}15_{/}We sailed from there and 
arrived off Chios the next day. A day later we came to Samos and 
the following day we reached Miletus.
{R}_{I}16_{/}Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so as not to lose 
time in Asia, for he was eager to reach Jerusalem by the day of 
Pentecost, if at all possible.

{N}PAUL'S FAREWELL TO THE EPHESIAN ELDERS{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}17_{/}From Miletus Paul sent word to Ephesus, summoning 
the elders of the Church. [=]{I}18_{/}When they came to him, he 
addressed them, "You know how I lived among you from the first day 
I set foot in the province of Asia, [=]_{I}19_{/}how I served the Lord 
in humility through the sorrows and trials that the Jews caused 
me. {I}20_{/}You know that I never held back from doing anything that 
could be useful for you; I spoke publicly and in your homes 
{I}21{/}and I urged Jews and non-Jews alike to turn to God and believe 
in our Lord Jesus.
[=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}But now I am going to Jerusalem, chained by the Spirit, 
without knowing what will happen to me there. {R}_{I}23_{/}Yet in every 
city the Holy Spirit warns me that imprisonment and troubles await 
me. [=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}Indeed I put no value on my life, if only I can 
finish my race and complete the service to which I have been 
assigned by the Lord Jesus, to announce the good news of God's 
grace.
{R}_{I}25_{/}I now feel sure that none of you among whom I have gone 
about proclaiming the Kingdom of God will ever see me again. 
[=]_{I}26_{/}Therefore I declare to you this day that my conscience is 
clear with regard to all of you. {R}_{I}27_{/}For I have spared no effort 
in fully declaring to you God's will.
[=]_[*]_{R}_{I}28_{/}Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock 
the Holy Spirit has placed into your care. Shepherd the Church of 
the Lord which he has won at the price of his own blood. 
[=]_{I}29_{/}I know that after I leave, ruthless wolves will come 
among you and not spare the flock. [*]_{I}30_{/}And from among 
yourselves, some will arise corrupting the truth and inducing the 
disciples to follow them.
[=]_{I}31_{/}Be on the watch, therefore, remembering that for three 
years, night and day, I did not cease to warn everyone even with 
tears. [=]_[*]_{R}_{I}32_{/}Now I commend you to God and to his grace-
filled word, which is able to make you grow and gain the 
inheritance that you shall share with all the saints.
{I}33_{/}I have not looked for anyone's silver, gold or clothing. 
[=]_{I}34_{/}You yourselves know that these hands of mine have 
provided for both my needs and the needs of those who were with 
me. {R}_{I}35_{/}In every way I have shown you that by so working hard 
one must help the weak, remembering the words that the Lord Jesus 
himself said, 'Happiness lies more in giving than in receiving.'"
{R}_{I}36_{/}After this discourse, Paul knelt down with them and prayed. 
{I}37_{/}Then they all began to weep and threw their arms around him 
and kissed him. {I}38_{/}They were deeply distressed because he had 
said that they would never see him again. And they went with him 
even to the ship.

{N}ON TO JERUSALEM{/}

{1}21{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}When we had finally taken leave of them, we put out to sea 
and sailed straight to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from 
there to Patara. {I}2_{/}There we found a ship that made for 
Phoenicia; we went aboard and set sail. {I}3_{/}We caught sight of 
Cyprus but passed it by on our left, as we continued on towards 
Syria. We landed at Tyre, where the ship had to unload cargo. 
{R}_{I}4_{/}There we found the disciples and stayed a week. Warned by the 
Spirit, they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
{I}5_{/}But when it was time, we departed and continued on our 
journey. All of them, wives and children included, came out of the 
city with us, and on the beach we knelt down and prayed. 
[=]_{I}6_{/}After that we said good-bye to one another; we boarded the 
ship and they returned home.
{R}_{I}7_{/}We continued our journey, sailing from Tyre to Ptolemais, 
where we greeted the brothers and sisters and spent a day with 
them. {R}_{I}8_{/}On the following day we left and came to Caesarea. 
There we entered the house of Philip the evangelist and we stayed 
with him. He was one of the Seven {I}9_{/}and had four unmarried 
daughters who were gifted with prophecy.
[=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}We were there some days when a prophet named Agabus came 
down from Judea. Coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his 
own feet and hands with it, saying, {R}_{I}11_{/}"Thus speaks the Holy 
Spirit: This is how the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the owner of 
this belt and hand him over to the foreign power."
[=]_{R}_{I}12_{/}When we heard this, we, together with these people of 
Caesarea, begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. [=]_{R}_{I}13_{/}Then he 
answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? For I am 
ready not only to be imprisoned but also to die in Jerusalem for 
the name of the Lord Jesus." {I}14_{/}When he would not be persuaded, 
we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."
{R}_{I}15_{/}After this we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. {R}_{I}16_{/}With 
us were some of the disciples of Caesarea who brought us to the 
house of a Cypriot where we were to stay. He was called Mnason and 
was one of the early disciples.

{N}PAUL IS RECEIVED BY THE CHURCH OF JERUSALEM{/}

{R}_{I}17_{/}When we arrived in Jerusalem the brothers welcomed us 
warmly. {R}_{I}18_{/}The next day Paul went with us to James' house where 
all the elders had gathered. [=]_{R}_{I}19_{/}After greeting them, Paul 
began telling them in detail everything God had done among the 
non-Jews through his ministry.
[=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}After hearing this, they all praised God, but they said, 
"You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews of Judea have come 
to believe, and all of them are zealous for the Law. [=]_{R}_{I}21_{/}Yet 
they have heard that you teach the Jews who live in pagan nations 
to depart from Moses, telling them not to have their sons 
circumcised and to renounce Jewish customs. {I}22_{/}We shall gather 
the assembly for, in any case, they will hear that you have 
arrived. [=]_{I}23_{/}Then do as we tell you.
There are four men among us who have made a vow. {R}_{I}24_{/}Take them 
and purify yourself along with them and pay the sacrifice for them 
to shave their heads. In that way everyone will know that there is 
nothing true in what they have been told about you, but that you 
go on keeping the Law.
[=]_{I}25_{/}As for the non-Jews who have become believers, we sent 
them a letter to tell them that they are only obliged not to eat 
meat offered to idols, or blood, or flesh of strangled animals; 
and also to avoid prohibited sexual union."
[=]_{R}_{I}26_{/}So the next day Paul took the men; he purified himself 
with them and entered the Temple to give notice of what day the 
sacrifice would be offered for each of them to end his time of 
purification.

{N}PAUL IS ARRESTED IN THE TEMPLE{/}

{R}_{I}27_{/}When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from Asia, 
who saw Paul in the Temple, began to stir up the whole crowd. They 
seized him {R}_{I}28_{/}shouting, "Fellow Israelites, help! This is the 
man who is spreading his teaching everywhere against our people, 
our law and this Sanctuary. And now he has even brought non-Jews 
into the Temple area, defiling this Holy Place." [=]_{R}_{I}29_{/}They 
said this because earlier they had seen Trophimus, an Ephesian, 
with Paul in the city and they thought that Paul had taken him 
into the Temple.
{R}_{I}30_{/}Then turmoil spread through the whole city. People came 
running from all sides. They seized Paul and dragged him outside 
the Temple. At once the gates were shut.
{R}_{I}31_{/}They would have killed him, had not a report reached the 
commander of the Roman troops that all of Jerusalem was rioting. 
{R}_{I}32_{/}At once the commander took some officers and soldiers and 
rushed down to the crowd.
On seeing him with the soldiers, the crowd stopped beating Paul. 
{R}_{I}33_{/}The commander went over to Paul, arrested him and ordered 
him to be bound with two chains; then he inquired who he was and 
what he had done. {R}_{I}34_{/}But some in the crowd shouted one thing 
and others another. As the commander was unable to find out the 
facts because of the uproar, he ordered Paul to be brought to the 
fortress. {R}_{I}35_{/}When Paul reached the steps, he actually had to be 
carried up by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob, 
[=]_{I}36_{/}for a multitude of people followed shouting, "Kill him!"
{R}_{I}37_{/}Just as he was about to be taken inside, Paul said to the 
commander, "May I say something to you?" He replied, "So you speak 
Greek! {R}_{I}38_{/}Are you not the Egyptian, then, who caused a riot 
some time ago and let a band of four thousand terrorists out into 
the desert?" Paul answered, {I}39_{/}"I am a Jew, a citizen of Tarsus, 
a well-known city in Cilicia. I beg you, let me address these 
people."
The commander agreed. {R}_{I}40_{/}So Paul standing on the steps, 
motioned to the people with his hand and, when they were silent, 
he began to speak to them in Hebrew.

{N}PAUL ADDRESSES THE JEWS{/}

{1}22{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{I}1_{/}"Brothers and fathers, listen to what I have to say to 
you in my defense." [=]_{I}2_{/}When they heard him speaking to them 
in Hebrew, they became more quiet. So he went on.
{R}_{I}3_{/}"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here 
in this city where I was educated in the school of Gamaliel, 
according to the strict observance of our Law. And I was dedicated 
to God's service as are all of you today. [=]_{R}_{I}4_{/}As for this 
way, I persecuted it to the point of death and arrested its 
followers, both men and women, throwing them into prison.
{R}_{I}5_{/}The High Priest and the whole Council of elders can bear 
witness to this. From them I received letters for the Jewish 
brothers in Damascus and I set out to arrest the Christians I 
would find there and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. 
{R}_{I}6_{/}But as I was traveling along, nearing Damascus, at about noon 
a great light from the sky suddenly flashed about me. {R}_{I}7_{/}I fell 
to the ground and heard a voice saying to me: 'Saul, Saul, why do 
you persecute me?' {R}_{I}8_{/}I answered: 'Who are you, Lord?' And he 
said to me: 'I am Jesus the Nazarean whom you persecute.' {I}9_{/}The 
men who were with me saw the light and were afraid, but they did 
not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 
[=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}I asked: 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord replied: 
'Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told all that you 
are destined to do.' {R}_{I}11_{/}Yet the brightness of that light had 
blinded me and so I was led by the hand into Damascus by my 
companions.
{R}_{I}12_{/}There a certain Ananias came to me. He was a devout observer 
of the Law and well spoken of by all the Jews who were living 
there. {R}_{I}13_{/}As he stood by me, he said: 'Brother Saul, recover 
your sight.' At that moment I could see and I looked at him. 
[=]_{R}_{I}14_{/}He then said, 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you 
to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear the words from 
his mouth. [=]_{R}_{I}15_{/}From now on you shall be his witness before 
all the pagan peoples and tell them all that you have seen and 
heard. {I}16_{/}And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized and have 
your sins washed away by calling upon his Name.'
{R}_{I}17_{/}On my return to Jerusalem I was praying in the Temple, when 
I fell into a trance {R}_{I}18_{/}and saw him. He spoke to me: 'Get ready 
to leave Jerusalem without delay, because they will not accept 
your testimony about me.' {I}19_{/}I answered: 'Lord, they know well 
that I imprisoned those who believed in you and had them beaten in 
every synagogue, {I}20_{/}and while the blood of your witness Stephen 
was being poured out, I stood by and approved it and even guarded 
the cloaks of his murderers.' [=]_{I}21_{/}Then he said to me: 'Go, 
for I am sending you far away to the pagan nations.'"
{R}_{I}22_{/}Up to this point the crowd listened to Paul, but on hearing 
the last words, they began to shout, "Kill him! He does not 
deserve to live!" {I}23_{/}They were screaming and waving their cloaks 
and throwing dust into the air. {R}_{I}24_{/}So the commander ordered 
Paul to be brought inside the fortress and questioned after 
flogging, to find out why they made such an outcry against him.
[=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}But when the soldiers had strapped him down, Paul said 
to the officer standing there, "Is it legal to flog a Roman 
citizen without a trial?"
{I}26_{/}On hearing this the officer went to the commander and said, 
"What are you doing? That man is a Roman citizen." {R}_{I}27_{/}So the 
commander came and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" 
"Yes," answered Paul. {R}_{I}28_{/}The commander then said, "It cost me a 
large sum of money to become a Roman citizen." Paul answered, "I 
am one by birth."
{I}29_{/}Then those who were about to question him backed away, and 
the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put 
a Roman citizen in chains.

{N}PAUL APPEARS BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN{/}

[=]_{R}_{I}30_{/}The next day the commander wanted to know for certain 
the charges the Jews were making against Paul. So he released him 
from prison and called together the High Priest and the whole 
Council; and they brought Paul down and made him stand before 
them.

{1}23{/}

[\u0095]_[=]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Paul looked directly at the Council and said, 
"Brothers, to this day I have lived my life with a clear 
conscience before God." {R}_{I}2_{/}At that the High Priest Ananias 
ordered his attendants to strike him on the mouth. [=]_{R}_{I}3_{/}Then 
Paul said, "God is about to strike you, you whitewashed wall! You 
sit there to judge me according to the Law, and you break the Law 
by ordering me to be struck!" {R}_{I}4_{/}At this the attendants 
protested, "How dare you insult God's High Priest?" [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}Paul 
answered, "Brothers, I did not know that he was the High Priest. 
For Scripture says: You shall not curse the ruler of your 
people.''
[=]_{R}_{I}6_{/}Paul knew that part of the Council were Sadducees and 
others Pharisees; so he spoke out in the Council, "Brothers, I am 
a Pharisee, son of a Pharisee. It is for the hope in the 
resurrection of the dead that I am on trial here."
{R}_{I}7_{/}At these words, an argument broke out between the Pharisees 
and the Sadducees and the whole assembly was divided. [=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}For 
the Sadducees claim that there is neither resurrection, nor angels 
nor spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all these things.
{R}_{I}9_{/}Then the shouting grew louder, and some teachers of the Law 
of the Pharisee party protested, "We find nothing wrong with this 
man. Maybe a spirit or an angel has spoken to him."
[=]_{R}_{I}10_{/}With this the argument became so violent that the 
commander feared that Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He 
therefore ordered the soldiers to go down and rescue him from 
their midst and take him back to the fortress.
[=]_{R}_{I}11_{/}That night the Lord stood by Paul and said, "Courage! As 
you have borne witness to me here in Jerusalem, so must you do in 
Rome."

{N}THE PLOT TO KILL PAUL{/}

[=]_{R}_{I}12_{/}When it was day, certain Jews formed a conspiracy: they 
bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they had 
killed Paul. {I}13_{/}There were more than forty of them who joined in 
this conspiracy.
{R}_{I}14_{/}They went to the high priests and the elders and said, "We 
have bound ourselves by oath not to taste food until we have 
killed Paul. {I}15_{/}Now then, it is up to you and the Council 
together to convince the Roman commander to bring him down to you 
on the pretext that you want to investigate his case more 
thoroughly. We, for our part, are prepared to kill him before he 
gets there."
{R}_{I}16_{/}But the son of Paul's sister heard about the planned ambush, 
so he went to the headquarters and informed Paul. {R}_{I}17_{/}Paul sent 
for one of the officers and said, "Take this young man to the 
commander for he has something to report to him." {R}_{I}18_{/}So the 
officer took him and brought him to the commander, saying, "The 
prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this boy to you 
because he has something to tell you."
{I}19_{/}The commander took him by the hand and drawing him aside 
asked him privately, "What is it that you have to report to me?" 
{I}20{/}The boy replied, "The Jews have agreed among themselves to ask 
you tomorrow to have Paul brought down to the Council as if to 
inquire more thoroughly about him. {I}21_{/}But do not be persuaded by 
them, for there are more than forty of them ready to ambush him, 
having bound themselves by an oath not to eat or drink until they 
have killed him. They are now ready to do it and are awaiting your 
decision." {I}22_{/}The commander let the boy go with this advice, "Do 
not tell anyone that you gave me this information."

{N}PAUL IS TRANSFERRED TO CAESAREA{/}

{R}_{I}23_{/}Then the commander summoned two of his officers and said to 
them, "Get ready to leave for Caesarea by nine o'clock tonight, 
with two hundred infantrymen, seventy horsemen and two hundred 
spearmen. {R}_{I}24_{/}Provide horses also for Paul to ride, so that he 
may be brought safely to Felix the governor."
{I}25_{/}He then wrote the governor a letter to this effect:
{R}_{I}26_{/}"Claudius Lysias greets the Most Excellent Governor Felix 
and communicates to him the following: {R}_{I}27_{/}The Jews had arrested 
this man and were about to kill him when I intervened with my 
troops and took him out of their hands, since I knew he was a 
Roman citizen. [=]_{R}_{I}28_{/}As I wanted to know what charge they had 
against him, I presented him before the Sanhedrin {R}_{I}29_{/}and I 
discovered that the accusation related to matters of their Law, 
but there was nothing which deserved death or imprisonment. 
[=]_{R}_{I}30_{/}When I was informed that the Jews had prepared a plot 
against this man, I decided to send him to you and told his 
accusers to present their complaints before you. Farewell."
{R}_{I}31_{/}The soldiers acted in accordance with these instructions. 
They took Paul and brought him to Antipatris by night. {I}32_{/}On the 
following day, they returned to the fortress but the horsemen 
continued journeying with him. {R}_{I}33_{/}Upon entering Caesarea they 
handed the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him. 
{R}_{I}34_{/}When Felix had read the letter, he asked Paul from which 
province he was, and when he learned that Paul was from Cilicia, 
{R}_{I}35_{/}he said to him: "I shall hear your accusers when they come." 
And he ordered that he be kept in custody in the palace of Herod.

{N}THE CASE BEFORE FELIX {/}

{1}24{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}After five days Ananias the High Priest came down to Caesarea 
with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. And they 
presented their case against Paul before the governor. {R}_{I}2_{/}Paul 
was called in and Tertullus accused him in this way:
{R}_{I}3_{/}"Most Excellent Felix, thanks to you - your labors and your 
wise reforms - our people now enjoy great peace. We accept all 
this in every way and in every place, and we are totally grateful 
to you. {I}4_{/}So as not to take more of your time, I beg you to 
listen briefly to us with your usual kindness. [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}We have 
found that this man is a pest, he creates division among the Jews 
throughout the world and is a leader of the Nazarene sect. {R}_{I}6_{/}He 
even tried to profane the Temple, so we seized him. We would have 
judged him according to our law, {R}_{I}7_{/}but Lysias the commandant 
intervened in a very violent way and took him from us. {I}8_{/}Then he 
declared that his accusers must present themselves before you. By 
examining him yourself, you will learn from him about all that we 
accuse him of."
{I}9_{/}The Jews confirmed this, firmly maintaining that all this was 
so.
{R}_{I}10_{/}Then the governor motioned to Paul who said:
"As I know that you have administered this nation for many years, 
I make my defense with much confidence. {R}_{I}11_{/}You yourself can 
ascertain that not more than twelve days ago I went up to 
Jerusalem to worship, [=]_{R}_{I}12_{/}and that they did not find me 
disputing with anyone or inciting the people, either in the Temple 
or in the synagogues or in the city. {I}13_{/}So they cannot prove the 
things of which they now accuse me.
{R}_{I}14_{/}But this I admit before you, that I serve the God of our 
ancestors according to the Way which they call a sect. I believe 
everything written in the Law and in the Prophets, [=]_{R}_{I}15_{/}and I 
have the same hope in God that they have, that there will be a 
resurrection of the dead, both the good and the sinners. {R}_{I}16_{/}So 
I strive always to have a clear conscience before God and before 
people.
{I}17_{/}After many years, I came to bring help to those of my nation 
and to offer sacrifices. {R}_{I}18_{/}On that occasion, they found me in 
the Temple; I had been purified according to the Law and there was 
no crowd or commotion. Yet all began with some Jews from Asia 
{I}19_{/}who ought to be here before you to accuse me, if they have 
anything against me. {R}_{I}20_{/}Let these men say what crime they found 
in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin, {R}_{I}21_{/}unless it was for 
having declared in a loud voice when I was before them: 'Today I 
am being judged on account of the resurrection of the dead.'"
[=]_{R}_{I}22_{/}Felix who was well-informed about the Way, postponed the 
case and said to them, "When the commandant, Lysias, comes down, I 
will examine the case thoroughly." {R}_{I}23_{/}So he ordered the captain 
to keep Paul under guard, giving him certain liberty and without 
preventing his friends from attending to him.
{R}_{I}24_{/}After some days, Felix came with his wife Drusilla who was a 
Jew. He sent for Paul and let him speak about faith in Christ. 
[=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}But when Paul spoke about justice, self-control and the 
future judgment, Felix was frightened and he said to him: "You may 
leave now; I shall send for you some other time." {R}_{I}26_{/}Felix was 
hoping that Paul would give him money, so he sent for him often 
and conversed with him.
[=]_{R}_{I}27_{/}Two years passed, and Felix was succeeded by Porcius 
Festus; and as Felix wanted to remain on good terms with the Jews, 
he left Paul in prison.

{N}THE TRIAL BEFORE FESTUS{/}

{1}25{/}

{R}_{I}1_{/}Three days after Festus arrived in the province, he went up 
from Caesarea to Jerusalem. {R}_{I}2_{/}There the chief priests and the 
elders accused Paul again. {R}_{I}3_{/}In a very hypocritical way, they 
asked as a favor from Festus that Paul be brought to Jerusalem; 
but they were planning to kill him on the way. {R}_{I}4_{/}Festus 
answered that Paul was under custody in Caesarea and, as he 
himself had to go there shortly, he added, {R}_{I}5_{/}"Let those of you 
who have the authority go down with me to Caesarea, and if this 
man has done anything wrong, let them accuse him."
{R}_{I}6_{/}Festus did not stay in Jerusalem for more than eight or ten 
days, and then he went to Caesarea. The next day, he took his seat 
on the tribunal and sent for Paul. [=]_{R}_{I}7_{/}When Paul arrived, the 
Jews who came from Jerusalem stood around him and presented many 
serious charges which they could not prove. [=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}Paul defended 
himself from all these saying, "I have not committed any offense 
against the Law of the Jews, or against the Temple or against 
Caesar."
{R}_{I}9_{/}Then Festus, who wanted to please the Jews, asked Paul: "Do 
you wish to go up to Jerusalem to be tried before me?" {R}_{I}10_{/}Paul 
answered, "I am on trial before Caesar's tribunal; here I have to 
be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews: you yourself know this 
very well. {R}_{I}11_{/}If I have committed any crime which deserves 
death, I accept death. But if I have not done anything of which 
they accuse me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to 
Caesar."
{R}_{I}12_{/}So Festus, after conferring with his council, answered, "You 
have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go."
{R}_{I}13_{/}Some days later King Agrippa and his sister Bernice arrived 
in Caesarea to greet Festus. As they were to stay there several 
days, Festus told the king about Paul's case and said to him,
{R}_{I}14_{/}"We have here a man whom Felix left as a prisoner. {I}15{/}When 
I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews 
accused him and asked me to sentence him. {R}_{I}16_{/}I told them that 
it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over a man without 
giving him an opportunity to defend himself in front of his 
accusers. {R}_{I}17_{/}So they came and I took my seat without delay on 
the tribunal and sent for the man.
{I}18_{/}When the accusers had the floor, they did not accuse him of 
any of the crimes that I was led to think he had committed; 
{R}_{I}19_{/}instead they quarreled with him about religion and about a 
certain Jesus who has died but whom Paul asserted to be alive. 
{R}_{I}20_{/}I did not know what to do about this case, so I asked Paul 
if he wanted to go to Jerusalem to be tried there. {R}_{I}21_{/}But Paul 
appealed to be judged by the emperor. So I ordered that he be kept 
in custody until I send him to Caesar." {R}_{I}22_{/}Agrippa said to 
Festus: "I would like to hear that man." Festus answered him: 
"Tomorrow you shall."
{R}_{I}23_{/}On the following day, Agrippa and Bernice arrived with great 
ceremony and entered the audience hall with the commanders and the 
elders of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be brought in and 
said:
{R}_{I}24_{/}"King Agrippa and all here present, here you see this man 
about whom the whole community of the Jews came to see me, in 
Jerusalem as well as here, protesting loudly that he must not 
live. {R}_{I}25_{/}I, for my part, am convinced that he has not done 
anything that deserves death. But after he appealed to be judged 
by the emperor, I decided to send him on. {R}_{I}26_{/}Well, if I have no 
definite information, what can I write to Caesar about him? 
Therefore I present him before all of you, and especially before 
you, King Agrippa, that you may examine him and that I may know 
what to write. {I}27_{/}For it seems absurd to me to send a prisoner 
without indicating the charges against him."

{N}PAUL'S SPEECH BEFORE KING AGRIPPA{/}

{1}26{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}Agrippa said to Paul: "You may speak in your own 
defense." So Paul stretched out his hand and began in this way:
{R}_{I}2_{/}"King Agrippa, you have just heard about the accusations of 
the Jews. I consider myself fortunate in having the opportunity to 
defend myself against all this before you today, {I}3_{/}for you are 
an expert in the customs of the Jews and their disputes. Therefore 
I beg you to listen to me patiently.
{R}_{I}4_{/}All the Jews know how I have lived from my youth, how I have 
lived among my own people and in Jerusalem. {I}5_{/}They have always 
known me and they can tell you, if they wish, that I have lived as 
a Pharisee in the most rigorous sect of our religion. {R}_{I}6_{/}If I am 
now tried here, it is because of the hope I have in the promise 
made by God to our ancestors. {R}_{I}7_{/}The hope of attaining this 
promise is behind the fervent worship which our twelve tribes 
render to God night and day. Yet now, O king, the Jews accuse me 
for this hope! [=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}But why refuse to believe that God raises 
the dead?
[=]_{R}_{I}9_{/}I myself in the beginning thought that I had to use all 
possible means to counteract the Name of Jesus of Nazareth. 
{R}_{I}10_{/}This I did in Jerusalem and, with the authorization of the 
chief priests, I put in prison many who believed; and I cast my 
vote when they were condemned to death.
{I}11_{/}I went round the synagogues and multiplied punishments 
against them to force them to renounce their faith; such was my 
rage against them that I pursued them even to foreign cities.
{R}_{I}12_{/}With this purpose in mind I went to Damascus with full 
authority and commissioned by the chief priests. {R}_{I}13_{/}On the way, 
O King, at midday I saw a light from heaven, more brilliant than 
the sun, that dazzled me and those who accompanied me. 
[*]_{R}_{I}14_{/}We all fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to 
me in Hebrew: 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? In vain do you 
kick against the goad.'
[*]_{R}_{I}15_{/}I answered: 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said: 'I 
am Jesus whom you persecute. {I}16_{/}Get up now and stand on your 
feet. I have revealed myself to you to make you servant and 
witness to what I have just shown you and to what I will show you 
later on. [=]_{I}17_{/}I will rescue you from all evil that may come 
from your own people or from the pagans to whom I am sending you. 
[=]_{R}_{I}18_{/}For you shall open their eyes that they may turn from 
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; and, 
through faith in me, may obtain forgiveness of their sins and a 
place among those who are sanctified.'
{R}_{I}19_{/}Since that time, King Agrippa, I did not stray from this 
heavenly vision; [=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}on the contrary,I began preaching first 
to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and throughout 
Judea, and then to the pagan nations, that they should repent and 
turn to God, showing the fruits of true conversion. {R}_{I}21_{/}I was 
carrying out this mission when the Jews arrested me in the Temple 
and tried to kill me. But with the help of God, I still stand here 
today to give my testimony both to the great and the small.
{R}_{I}22_{/}I do not teach anything other than what Moses and the 
Prophets announced beforehand: [=]_{R}_{I}23_{/}the Messiah had to die, 
and after being the first to be raised from the dead, he would 
proclaim the light to his people as well as to all nations."
{R}_{I}24_{/}As Paul came to this point of his defense, Festus said in a 
loud voice: "Paul, you are mad; your great learning has deranged 
your mind!" {R}_{I}25_{/}But Paul answered: "I am not mad, Most Excellent 
Festus, but everything I have said is reliable and true. {R}_{I}26_{/}The 
king is acquainted with all these things, so to him I speak with 
such confidence. I am convinced that he knows everything about 
this case, for these things did not happen in a dark corner. 
{R}_{I}27_{/}King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you 
do."
{I}28_{/}Agrippa said to him: "You almost believe that you have 
already made me a Christian!" {R}_{I}29_{/}Paul answered him: "Whether 
little or more, I would that not only you but all who hear me this 
day may come to be as I am - except for these chains."
{R}_{I}30_{/}Then the king rose and, with him, the governor, Bernice and 
all the attendants. {R}_{I}31_{/}When they went out they talked among 
themselves and said: "This man has done nothing to deserve death 
or imprisonment." [=]_{R}_{I}32_{/}And Agrippa said to Festus: "Had he 
not appealed to Caesar, he could have been set free."

{N}DEPARTURE FOR ROME{/}

{1}27{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}1_{/}When it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they 
handed over Paul and the other prisoners into the care of an 
officer of the Augustan battalion, named Julius. [=]_{I}2_{/}We 
boarded a ship of Adramyttium bound for the Asian coasts, and we 
left accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from the city of 
Thessalonica. {R}_{I}3_{/}We arrived at Sidon on the next day. Julius was 
very kind to Paul, letting him visit his friends and be cared for 
by them. [=]_{I}4_{/}From there, we sailed along the sheltered coast 
of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. {I}5_{/}We sailed across 
the seas off Cilicia and Pamphylia and arrived at Myra in Lycia. 
{I}6_{/}There the captain found a ship from Alexandria sailing for 
Italy and made us board it.
{I}7_{/}We sailed slowly for several days, and arrived with great 
difficulty at Cnidus. As the wind did not allow us to enter that 
port, we sailed for the shelter of Crete with the Cape of Salmone 
within sight. {I}8_{/}We turned with difficulty and arrived at a place 
called Good Ports, near the city of Lasea.
[*]_{I}9_{/}Time passed and the crossing began to be dangerous: we had 
already celebrated the feast of the Fast. {R}_{I}10_{/}Then Paul said to 
them: "Friends, I believe that it would not be very wise to 
proceed with our crossing for we could lose not only the cargo and 
the ship but also our lives." {R}_{I}11_{/}But the Roman officer relied 
more on the ship's captain and the owner of the ship than on the 
words of Paul. {I}12_{/}And as the port was not suitable for 
wintering, the majority agreed to set out from there in the hope 
of reaching the harbor of Crete called Phoenix, overlooking Africa 
and Choros, where they could spend the winter.

{N}STORM AND SHIPWRECK{/}

{I}13_{/}Then the south wind began to blow and they thought that they 
had gained their purpose; they weighed anchor and sailed along the 
island of Crete. {I}14_{/}But a little later, a strong wind called 
"the northeaster" swept down on them, from across the island. 
{I}15_{/}The ship was dragged along and could not face the wind, so 
that we remained adrift.
{I}16_{/}As we were crossing under the lee of the small island of 
Cauda, we managed - but with effort - to secure the lifeboat. 
{R}_{I}17_{/}After lifting it aboard, they used cables to undergird the 
hull, and since we feared running aground on the sands of Syrtis, 
they lowered the sea anchor. So we continued to be dragged along.
{I}18_{/}The storm lashed at us so strongly that on the next day they 
began throwing the cargo overboard. {I}19_{/}On the third day the 
sailors with their own hands threw out the ship's gear. {I}20_{/}For 
several days neither the sun nor the stars could be seen, and the 
tempest had not subsided: we lost all hope of saving ourselves.
{R}_{I}21_{/}As we had not eaten for days, Paul stood up among them and 
said: "Friends, if you had followed my advice when I told you not 
to set sail from Crete, we would not be in such danger now, and we 
could have avoided this loss. {I}22_{/}But now I invite you to regain 
courage for no one among you shall die; only the ship shall be 
destroyed. {R}_{I}23_{/}Last night there appeared to me an angel of my 
God to whom I serve, [=]_{R}_{I}24_{/}and he said to me: 'Paul, do not be 
afraid, you must present yourself before Caesar's tribunal, and 
God has guaranteed you the life of all those who sail with you.'
{R}_{I}25_{/}Have courage, therefore, my friends, for I trust in God that 
it will be just as he told me. {I}26_{/}But we have to run aground on 
some island."
{R}_{I}27_{/}Near midnight on the fourteenth night, as we were drifting 
in the Adriatic Sea, the sailors suspected that land was near. 
{R}_{I}28_{/}They measured the depth of the water and it was thirty-seven 
meters. After a while, they measured it again and it was twenty-
seven meters. {I}29_{/}They feared that we might hit some rocks, so 
they cast out four anchors from the stern and waited anxiously for 
morning. {R}_{I}30_{/}Then the sailors tried to escape from the ship 
under the pretext of extending the cables of the anchors from the 
bow, so they lowered the lifeboat into the sea. {R}_{I}31_{/}But Paul 
said to the captain and to the soldiers: "If they leave the ship, 
you can-not be saved. {I}32_{/}So the soldiers cut the mooring cables 
of the boat and let it fall.
{R}_{I}33_{/}As they waited for dawn, Paul urged everyone: "For fourteen 
days we have not eaten anything because of anxious waiting. {I}34_{/}I 
ask you to eat now if you want to live; be sure that not even a 
hair of your head will be lost." [=]_{R}_{I}35_{/}Having said this, he 
took bread, gave thanks to God in everybody's presence, broke it 
and began to eat. {I}36_{/}All were encouraged and they too ate. 
{I}37_{/}They were two hundred and seventy-six persons in all. 
{R}_{I}38_{/}When they had eaten enough, they threw the wheat into the 
sea to lighten the boat.
{I}39_{/}When morning came, they did not recognize the land but 
noticed a bay with a beach, so they decided to run the ship 
aground, if possible. {R}_{I}40_{/}They cast off the anchors and left 
them in the sea; at the same time, they loosened the ropes of the 
rudders, hoisted the foresail to the wind and headed for the 
beach. {I}41_{/}But they struck a sandbank and the ship ran aground. 
The bow stuck and was immovable, while the stern was broken up by 
the violent waves.
[=]_{I}42_{/}The soldiers then planned to kill the prisoners for fear 
that some of them might escape by swimming. {R}_{I}43_{/}But the captain, 
who wished to save Paul, did not allow them to do this. He ordered 
those who knew how to swim, to be the first to jump into the water 
and head for the shore, [=]_{I}44_{/}and the rest to hold on to planks 
or pieces of the ship. So all of us reached land safe and sound.

{N}ON MALTA{/}

{1}28{/}

[\u0095]_{I}1_{/}After being saved, we learned that the island was called 
Malta. {I}2_{/}The natives were very cordial. They lit a big bonfire 
and took good care of us all, since it was raining and cold.
{R}_{I}3_{/}Paul gathered a bundle of dried twigs and as he threw them 
into the fire, a viper suddenly came out because of the heat and 
entwined itself around his hand. {R}_{I}4_{/}When the natives saw the 
viper hanging from his hand, they said to one another: "Surely 
this man is a murderer: he has barely escaped from the raging sea, 
yet divine justice will not allow him to live." [=]_{R}_{I}5_{/}But Paul 
shook off the viper into the fire and did not suffer any harm. 
They waited to see him swell and die; [=]_{I}6_{/}but after observing 
him for a while they saw that nothing happened to him, so they 
changed their minds and began to say that he was a god. 
{R}_{I}7_{/}Near this place was an estate owned by the head of the 
island, named Publius. For three days this man welcomed us 
hospitably. [=]_{R}_{I}8_{/}It so happened that his father was in bed 
with fever and dysentery. Paul went to see him; he prayed and laid 
his hands on him and healed him. {I}9_{/}Because of this, the rest of 
the sick people on the island came to see him and were cured. 
{I}10_{/}So they showered us with kindness, and on our departure they 
provided us with everything we needed.

{N}FROM MALTA TO ROME{/}

[\u0095]_{I}11_{/}After three months, we boarded a ship which had spent the 
winter at the island. It belonged to an Alexandrian company and 
carried the figurehead of Castor and Pollux as insignia. {I}12_{/}We 
sailed for Syracuse, staying there for three days {I}13_{/}and, after 
circling the coast, we arrived at Rhegium. On the following day, a 
south wind began to blow, and at the end of two days we arrived at 
Puteoli, {I}14_{/}where we found some of our brothers who invited us 
to stay with them for a week. And that was how we came to Rome.
{R}_{I}15_{/}There the brothers and sisters had been informed of our 
arrival and came out to meet us as far as the Appian Forum and the 
Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he gave thanks to God and took 
courage. [=]_{R}_{I}16_{/}Upon our arrival in Rome, the captain turned 
the prisoners over to the military governor but permitted Paul to 
lodge in a private house with the soldier who guarded him.

{N}PAUL MEETS THE JEWS IN ROME{/}

[\u0095]_{R}_{I}17_{/}After three days, Paul called together the leaders of 
the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them: "Brothers, 
though I have not done anything against our people or against the 
traditions of our fathers, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed 
over to the Romans. {R}_{I}18_{/}They examined me and wanted to set me 
free, for they saw nothing in my case that deserved death. 
{I}19_{/}But the Jews objected, so I was forced to appeal to Caesar 
without the least intention of bringing any case against my own 
people. [=]_{R}_{I}20_{/}Therefore, I have asked to see you and speak 
with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I bear 
these chains."
{I}21_{/}They answered: "We have not received any letter about you 
from Judea, and none of the brothers who have come from there have 
brought any message or said anything against you. {I}22_{/}But we wish 
to hear from you what you think, although we know already that 
everywhere people speak against this sect that you belong to."
[=]_{R}_{I}23_{/}They set a day for him and came in great numbers to his 
lodging. So Paul explained everything he wanted to tell them 
regarding the Kingdom of God and tried to convince them concerning 
Jesus, taking the Law of Moses and the Prophets as his starting 
point. This continued from morning till night. {I}24_{/}Some were 
convinced by his words, others were not. [=]_{R}_{I}25_{/}Finally the 
Jews left, still arguing strongly among themselves; and Paul sent 
them away with this statement:"What the Holy Spirit said has come 
true, when he spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah:
[=]_{I}26_{/}Go to this people and say to them: However much you hear, 
you will not understand; you will see and see again but not 
perceive.
{R}_{I}27_{/}The heart of this people has grown hard; they have covered 
their ears and closed their eyes, lest they should see with their 
eyes and hear with their ears, lest their spirit understand, and I 
should heal them.
[=]_{R}_{I}28_{/}Let it be known to you, then, that this salvation of God 
has been sent to the pagans: they will listen."
{I}30_{/}Paul stayed for two whole years in a house he himself rented, 
where he received without any hindrance all those who came to see 
him. [=]_{R}_{I}31_{/}He proclaimed the Kingdom of God and taught the 
truth about Jesus Christ, the Lord, quite openly and without any 
hindrance. 

