Study Desk

Now the apostles and ^(C1)the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, ^(F1)(C1)the Jewish believers took issue with him,

saying, "^(C1)You ^(F1)went to ^(F2)uncircumcised men and ate with them."

But Peter began and explained at length to them ^(C1)in an orderly sequence, saying,

"^(C1)I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw ^(C2)a vision, an ^(F1)object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from the sky; and it came to where I was,

and I stared at it and was thinking about it, and I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild animals, the ^(F1)crawling creatures, and the birds of the sky.

"I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; ^(F1)kill and eat.'

"But I said, 'By no means, Lord, for nothing ^(F1)unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'

"But a voice from heaven answered a second time, '^(C1)What God has cleansed, no longer ^(F1)consider unholy.'

"This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky.

"And behold, at that moment three men who had been sent to me from ^(C1)Caesarea came up to the house where we were staying.

"^(C1)And the Spirit told me to go with them ^(C2)without ^(F1)misgivings. ^(C3)These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house.

"And he reported to us how he had seen the angel ^(F1)standing in his house, and saying, 'Send some men to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;

and he will speak ^(C1)words to you by which you will be saved, you and ^(C2)all your household.'

"And as I began to speak, ^(C1)the Holy Spirit fell upon them just ^(C2)as He did upon us at the beginning.

"And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, '^(C1)John baptized with water, but you will be baptized ^(F1)with the Holy Spirit.'

"Therefore, if ^(C1)God gave them the same gift as He also gave to us after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, ^(C2)who was I that I could ^(F1)stand in God's way?"

When they heard this, they ^(F1)quieted down and ^(C1)glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has also granted to the Gentiles the ^(C2)repentance that leads to life."

^(C1)So then those who were scattered because of the ^(F1)persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way ^(F2)to ^(C2)Phoenicia, ^(C3)Cyprus, and ^(C4)Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.

But there were some of them, men of ^(C1)Cyprus and ^(C2)Cyrene, who came to ^(C3)Antioch and began speaking to the ^(F1)(C4)Greeks as well, ^(C5)preaching the good news of the Lord Jesus.

And ^(C1)the hand of the Lord was with them, and ^(C2)a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

The ^(F1)news about them ^(F2)reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent ^(C1)Barnabas off ^(F3)to ^(C2)Antioch.

Then when he arrived and ^(F1)witnessed ^(C1)the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with ^(F2)resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;

for he was a good man, and ^(C1)full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And ^(F1)(C2)considerable numbers were added to the Lord.

And he left for ^(C1)Tarsus to look for Saul;

and when he had found him, he brought him to ^(C1)Antioch. And for an entire year they ^(F1)met with the church and taught ^(F2)considerable numbers of people; and ^(C2)the disciples were first called ^(C3)Christians in ^(C1)Antioch.

Now ^(F1)at this time some ^(C1)prophets came down from Jerusalem to ^(C2)Antioch.

One of them, named ^(C1)Agabus, stood up and ^(F1)indicated ^(F2)by the Spirit that there would definitely be a severe famine ^(C2)all over the ^(F3)world. ^(F4)And this took place in the reign of ^(C3)Claudius.

And to the extent that any of ^(C1)the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the ^(F1)relief of ^(C2)the brothers and sisters living in Judea.

^(C1)And they did this, sending it ^(F1)with ^(C2)Barnabas and Saul to the ^(C3)elders.

Now about that time ^(F1)Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church, to do them harm.

And he ^(C1)had James the brother of John ^(C2)executed with a sword.

When he saw that it ^(C1)pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter as well. (Now these were ^(F1)(C2)the days of Unleavened Bread.)

When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, turning him over to four ^(F1)(C1)squads of soldiers to guard him, intending only after ^(C2)the Passover to bring him before the people.

So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God ^(F1)intensely by the church.

On ^(F1)the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, ^(C1)bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison.

And behold, ^(C1)an angel of the Lord suddenly ^(C2)stood near Peter, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And ^(C3)his chains fell off his hands.

And the angel said to him, "Put on your belt and ^(F1)strap on your sandals." And he did so. And he ^(*)said to him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me."

And he went out and continued to follow, and yet he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing ^(C1)a vision.

Now when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which ^(C1)opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

When Peter ^(C1)came ^(F1)to himself, he said, "Now I know for sure that ^(C2)the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all ^(F2)that the Jewish people were expecting."

And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of ^(C1)John, who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and ^(C2)were praying.

When he knocked at the door of the gate, ^(C1)a slave woman named Rhoda came to answer.

When she recognized Peter's voice, ^(C1)because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They said, "It is ^(C1)his angel."

But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.

But ^(C1)motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, "Report these things to ^(F1)(C2)James and ^(C3)the brothers." Then he left and went to another place.

Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to ^(F1)what could have become of Peter.

When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they ^(C1)be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to ^(C2)Caesarea and was spending time there.

Now he was very angry with the people of ^(C1)Tyre and Sidon; and with one mind they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king's chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because ^(C2)their country was supported with grain from the king's country.

On an appointed day, after putting on his royal apparel, Herod took his seat on the ^(F1)rostrum and began delivering an address to them.

The people repeatedly cried out, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"

And immediately ^(C1)an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and ^(F1)died.

But ^(C1)the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

And ^(C1)Barnabas and ^(C1)Saul returned ^(C2)when they had fulfilled their ^(F1)mission to Jerusalem, taking along with them ^(C3)John, who was also called Mark.

Now there were ^(C1)prophets and ^(C2)teachers at ^(C3)Antioch, in the ^(C4)church that was there: ^(C5)Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of ^(C6)Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with ^(C7)Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

While they were ^(F1)serving the Lord and fasting, ^(C1)the Holy Spirit said, "Set ^(C2)Barnabas and Saul apart for Me for ^(C3)the work to which I have called them."

Then, when they had fasted, ^(C1)prayed, and ^(C2)laid their hands on them, ^(C3)they sent them away.

So, being ^(C1)sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to ^(C2)Cyprus.

When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in ^(C1)the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had ^(C2)John as their helper.

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a ^(C1)magician, a Jewish ^(C2)false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus,

who was with the ^(C1)proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.

But Elymas the ^(C1)magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the ^(C2)proconsul away from ^(C3)the faith.

But Saul, who was also known as Paul, ^(F1)(C1)filled with the Holy Spirit, stared at him,

and said, "^(F1)You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you ^(C1)son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop making crooked ^(C2)the straight ways of the Lord?

"Now, behold, ^(C1)the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.

Then the ^(C1)proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at ^(C2)the teaching of the Lord.

Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from ^(C1)Paphos and came to ^(C2)Perga in ^(C3)Pamphylia; but ^(C4)John left them and returned to Jerusalem.

But going on from Perga, they arrived at ^(C1)Pisidian ^(C2)Antioch, and on ^(C3)the Sabbath day they went into ^(C4)the synagogue and sat down.

After ^(C1)the reading of the Law and ^(C2)the Prophets, ^(C3)the synagogue officials sent word to them, saying, "^(F1)Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it."

Paul stood up, and ^(C1)motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and ^(C2)you who fear God, listen:

Footnotes:  

Cross References:  

"The God of this people Israel ^(C1)chose our fathers and ^(F1)(C2)made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm ^(C3)He led them out from it.

"For ^(C1)a period of about forty years ^(C2)He put up with them in the wilderness.

"^(C1)When He had destroyed ^(C2)seven nations in the land of Canaan, He ^(C3)distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took ^(C4)about 450 years.

"After these things He ^(C1)gave them judges until ^(C2)Samuel the prophet.

"Then they ^(C1)asked for a king, and God gave them ^(C2)Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.

"After He had ^(C1)removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, '^(C2)I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My ^(F1)will.'

"^(C1)From the descendants of this man, ^(C2)according to promise, God has brought to Israel ^(C3)a Savior, Jesus,

after ^(C1)John had proclaimed, before ^(F1)His coming, a ^(C2)baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

"And while John ^(C1)was completing his course, ^(C2)he kept saying, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, One is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'

"^(F1)Brothers, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of ^(C1)this salvation has been sent.

"For those who live in Jerusalem, and their ^(C1)rulers, ^(C2)recognizing neither Him nor the ^(F1)declarations of ^(C3)the prophets which are ^(C4)read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him.

"And though they found no grounds for putting Him to death, they ^(C1)asked Pilate that He be executed.

"When they had ^(C1)carried out everything that was written concerning Him, ^(C2)they took Him down from the ^(F1)(C3)cross and ^(C4)laid Him in a tomb.

"But God ^(C1)raised Him from the dead;

and for many days ^(C1)He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now ^(C2)His witnesses to the people.

"And we ^(C1)preach to you the good news of ^(C2)the promise made to the fathers,

that God has fulfilled this promise to those of us who are the descendants by ^(C1)raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm: '^(C2)YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE FATHERED YOU.'

"As for the fact that He ^(C1)raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: '^(C2)I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY AND FAITHFUL MERCIES OF DAVID.'

"Therefore, He also says in another Psalm: '^(C1)YOU WILL NOT ^(F1)ALLOW YOUR ^(F2)HOLY ONE TO ^(F3)UNDERGO DECAY.'

"For ^(C1)David, after he had ^(F1)served God's ^(C2)purpose in his own generation, ^(C3)fell asleep, and was ^(F2)buried among his fathers and ^(F3)underwent decay;

but He whom God ^(C1)raised did not ^(F1)undergo decay.

"Therefore let it be known to you, ^(F1)brothers, that ^(C1)through ^(F2)Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

and ^(F1)through Him ^(C1)everyone who believes is ^(F2)freed from all things, from which you could not be ^(F2)freed ^(F3)through the Law of Moses.

"Therefore, see that the thing spoken of ^(C1)in the Prophets does not come upon you:

'^(C1)LOOK, YOU SCOFFERS, AND BE ASTONISHED, AND ^(F1)PERISH; FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.'"

As ^(F1)Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people repeatedly begged to have these ^(F2)things spoken to them the next ^(C1)Sabbath.

Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the ^(C1)God-fearing ^(F1)(C2)proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them and urging them to continue in ^(C3)the grace of God.

The next ^(C1)Sabbath nearly all the city assembled to hear the word of ^(F1)the Lord.

But when ^(C1)the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were ^(F1)blaspheming.

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you ^(C1)first. Since you repudiate it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, ^(C2)we are turning to the Gentiles.

"For so the Lord has commanded us, '^(C1)I HAVE APPOINTED YOU AS A ^(C2)LIGHT ^(F1)TO THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY ^(F2)BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'"

When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying ^(C1)the word of ^(F1)the Lord; and all who ^(C2)had been appointed to eternal life believed.

And ^(C1)the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.

But ^(C1)the Jews incited the ^(F1)(C2)devout women ^(C3)of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their ^(F2)region.

But ^(C1)they shook off the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to ^(C2)Iconium.

And the disciples were continually ^(C1)filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.