Information Retrieved -> Acts 2 - 12(NLT)

Book Chapter Verse Text
Acts 2 1 On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus' resurrection, the believers were meeting together in one place.
Acts 2 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting.
Acts 2 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.
Acts 2 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Acts 2 5 Godly Jews from many nations were living in Jerusalem at that time.
Acts 2 6 When they heard this sound, they came running to see what it was all about, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
Acts 2 7 They were beside themselves with wonder. "How can this be?" they exclaimed. "These people are all from Galilee,
Acts 2 8 and yet we hear them speaking the languages of the lands where we were born!
Acts 2 9 Here we are--Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia,
Acts 2 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya toward Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism),
Acts 2 11 Cretans, and Arabians. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!"
Acts 2 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. "What can this mean?" they asked each other.
Acts 2 13 But others in the crowd were mocking. "They're drunk, that's all!" they said.
Acts 2 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, "Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this.
Acts 2 15 Some of you are saying these people are drunk. It isn't true! It's much too early for that. People don't get drunk by nine o'clock in the morning.
Acts 2 16 No, what you see this morning was predicted centuries ago by the prophet Joel:
Acts 2 17 'In the last days, God said, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
Acts 2 18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy.
Acts 2 19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below--blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
Acts 2 20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon will turn bloodred, before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
Acts 2 21 And anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
Acts 2 22 "People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus of Nazareth by doing wonderful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.
Acts 2 23 But you followed God's prearranged plan. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to the cross and murdered him.
Acts 2 24 However, God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life again, for death could not keep him in its grip.
Acts 2 25 King David said this about him: 'I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
Acts 2 26 No wonder my heart is filled with joy, and my mouth shouts his praises! My body rests in hope.
Acts 2 27 For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
Acts 2 28 You have shown me the way of life, and you will give me wonderful joy in your presence.'
Acts 2 29 "Dear brothers, think about this! David wasn't referring to himself when he spoke these words I have quoted, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us.
Acts 2 30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David's own descendants would sit on David's throne as the Messiah.
Acts 2 31 David was looking into the future and predicting the Messiah's resurrection. He was saying that the Messiah would not be left among the dead and that his body would not rot in the grave.
Acts 2 32 "This prophecy was speaking of Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and we all are witnesses of this.
Acts 2 33 Now he sits on the throne of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.
Acts 2 34 For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said, 'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in honor at my right hand
Acts 2 35 until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.'
Acts 2 36 So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!"
Acts 2 37 Peter's words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"
Acts 2 38 Peter replied, "Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2 39 This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles--all who have been called by the Lord our God."
Acts 2 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, "Save yourselves from this generation that has gone astray!"
Acts 2 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church--about three thousand in all.
Acts 2 42 They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer.
Acts 2 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.
Acts 2 44 And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had.
Acts 2 45 They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need.
Acts 2 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity--
Acts 2 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
Acts 3 1 Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o'clock prayer service.
Acts 3 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple.
Acts 3 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.
Acts 3 4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, "Look at us!"
Acts 3 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting a gift.
Acts 3 6 But Peter said, "I don't have any money for you. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"
Acts 3 7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man's feet and anklebones were healed and strengthened.
Acts 3 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.
Acts 3 9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God.
Acts 3 10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded!
Acts 3 11 They all rushed out to Solomon's Colonnade, where he was holding tightly to Peter and John. Everyone stood there in awe of the wonderful thing that had happened.
Acts 3 12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. "People of Israel," he said, "what is so astounding about this? And why look at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power and godliness?
Acts 3 13 For it is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of all our ancestors who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate's decision to release him.
Acts 3 14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer.
Acts 3 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him to life. And we are witnesses of this fact!
Acts 3 16 "The name of Jesus has healed this man--and you know how lame he was before. Faith in Jesus' name has caused this healing before your very eyes.
Acts 3 17 "Friends, I realize that what you did to Jesus was done in ignorance; and the same can be said of your leaders.
Acts 3 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had declared about the Messiah beforehand--that he must suffer all these things.
Acts 3 19 Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins.
Acts 3 20 Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will send Jesus your Messiah to you again.
Acts 3 21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his prophets.
Acts 3 22 Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.'
Acts 3 23 Then Moses said, 'Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be cut off from God's people and utterly destroyed.'
Acts 3 24 "Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today.
Acts 3 25 You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, 'Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.'
Acts 3 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways."
Acts 4 1 While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the leading priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees came over to them.
Acts 4 2 They were very disturbed that Peter and John were claiming, on the authority of Jesus, that there is a resurrection of the dead.
Acts 4 3 They arrested them and, since it was already evening, jailed them until morning.
Acts 4 4 But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so that the number of believers totaled about five thousand men, not counting women and children.
Acts 4 5 The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem.
Acts 4 6 Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest.
Acts 4 7 They brought in the two disciples and demanded, "By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?"
Acts 4 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of our nation,
Acts 4 9 are we being questioned because we've done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed?
Acts 4 10 Let me clearly state to you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed in the name and power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, the man you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead.
Acts 4 11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.'
Acts 4 12 There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them."
Acts 4 13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had had no special training. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.
Acts 4 14 But since the man who had been healed was standing right there among them, the council had nothing to say.
Acts 4 15 So they sent Peter and John out of the council chamber and conferred among themselves.
Acts 4 16 "What should we do with these men?" they asked each other. "We can't deny they have done a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it.
Acts 4 17 But perhaps we can stop them from spreading their propaganda. We'll warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus' name again."
Acts 4 18 So they called the apostles back in and told them never again to speak or teach about Jesus.
Acts 4 19 But Peter and John replied, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?
Acts 4 20 We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard."
Acts 4 21 The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn't know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God
Acts 4 22 for this miraculous sign--the healing of a man who had been lame for more than forty years.
Acts 4 23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John found the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said.
Acts 4 24 Then all the believers were united as they lifted their voices in prayer: "O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them--
Acts 4 25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor King David, your servant, saying, 'Why did the nations rage? Why did the people waste their time with futile plans?
Acts 4 26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.'
Acts 4 27 "That is what has happened here in this city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed.
Acts 4 28 In fact, everything they did occurred according to your eternal will and plan.
Acts 4 29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give your servants great boldness in their preaching.
Acts 4 30 Send your healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
Acts 4 31 After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they preached God's message with boldness.
Acts 4 32 All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had.
Acts 4 33 And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great favor was upon them all.
Acts 4 34 There was no poverty among them, because people who owned land or houses sold them
Acts 4 35 and brought the money to the apostles to give to others in need.
Acts 4 36 For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means "Son of Encouragement"). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus.
Acts 4 37 He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles for those in need.
Acts 5 1 There was also a man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property.
Acts 5 2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, but he claimed it was the full amount. His wife had agreed to this deception.
Acts 5 3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself.
Acts 5 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God."
Acts 5 5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified.
Acts 5 6 Then some young men wrapped him in a sheet and took him out and buried him.
Acts 5 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
Acts 5 8 Peter asked her, "Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?Yes," she replied, "that was the price."
Acts 5 9 And Peter said, "How could the two of you even think of doing a thing like this--conspiring together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Just outside that door are the young men who buried your husband, and they will carry you out, too."
Acts 5 10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
Acts 5 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and all others who heard what had happened.
Acts 5 12 Meanwhile, the apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon's Colonnade.
Acts 5 13 No one else dared to join them, though everyone had high regard for them.
Acts 5 14 And more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord--crowds of both men and women.
Acts 5 15 As a result of the apostles' work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter's shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.
Acts 5 16 Crowds came in from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.
Acts 5 17 The high priest and his friends, who were Sadducees, reacted with violent jealousy.
Acts 5 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the jail.
Acts 5 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them,
Acts 5 20 "Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!"
Acts 5 21 So the apostles entered the Temple about daybreak and immediately began teaching. When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council, along with all the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought for trial.
Acts 5 22 But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported,
Acts 5 23 "The jail was locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!"
Acts 5 24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end.
Acts 5 25 Then someone arrived with the news that the men they had jailed were out in the Temple, teaching the people.
Acts 5 26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested them, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would kill them if they treated the apostles roughly.
Acts 5 27 Then they brought the apostles in before the council.
Acts 5 28 "Didn't we tell you never again to teach in this man's name?" the high priest demanded. "Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about Jesus, and you intend to blame us for his death!"
Acts 5 29 But Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than human authority.
Acts 5 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by crucifying him.
Acts 5 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this to give the people of Israel an opportunity to turn from their sins and turn to God so their sins would be forgiven.
Acts 5 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him."
Acts 5 33 At this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them.
Acts 5 34 But one member had a different perspective. He was a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert on religious law and was very popular with the people. He stood up and ordered that the apostles be sent outside the council chamber for a while.
Acts 5 35 Then he addressed his colleagues as follows: "Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men!
Acts 5 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About four hundred others joined him, but he was killed, and his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing.
Acts 5 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got some people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.
Acts 5 38 "So my advice is, leave these men alone. If they are teaching and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown.
Acts 5 39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God."
Acts 5 40 The council accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
Acts 5 41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus.
Acts 5 42 And every day, in the Temple and in their homes, they continued to teach and preach this message: "The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus."
Acts 6 1 But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. Those who spoke Greek complained against those who spoke Hebrew, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.
Acts 6 2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. "We apostles should spend our time preaching and teaching the word of God, not administering a food program," they said.
Acts 6 3 "Now look around among yourselves, brothers, and select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this business.
Acts 6 4 Then we can spend our time in prayer and preaching and teaching the word."
Acts 6 5 This idea pleased the whole group, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had now become a Christian).
Acts 6 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.
Acts 6 7 God's message was preached in ever-widening circles. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
Acts 6 8 Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.
Acts 6 9 But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia.
Acts 6 10 None of them was able to stand against the wisdom and Spirit by which Stephen spoke.
Acts 6 11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, "We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God."
Acts 6 12 Naturally, this roused the crowds, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.
Acts 6 13 The lying witnesses said, "This man is always speaking against the Temple and against the law of Moses.
Acts 6 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us."
Acts 6 15 At this point everyone in the council stared at Stephen because his face became as bright as an angel's.
Acts 7 1 Then the high priest asked Stephen, "Are these accusations true?"
Acts 7 2 This was Stephen's reply: "Brothers and honorable fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he moved to Haran.
Acts 7 3 God told him, 'Leave your native land and your relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.'
Acts 7 4 So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran until his father died. Then God brought him here to the land where you now live.
Acts 7 5 But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole country would belong to Abraham and his descendants--though he had no children yet.
Acts 7 6 But God also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign country where they would be mistreated as slaves for four hundred years.
Acts 7 7 'But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,' God told him, 'and in the end they will come out and worship me in this place.'
Acts 7 8 God also gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision at that time. And so Isaac, Abraham's son, was circumcised when he was eight days old. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob was the father of the twelve patriarchs of the Jewish nation.
Acts 7 9 "These sons of Jacob were very jealous of their brother Joseph, and they sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with him
Acts 7 10 and delivered him from his anguish. And God gave him favor before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. God also gave Joseph unusual wisdom, so that Pharaoh appointed him governor over all of Egypt and put him in charge of all the affairs of the palace.
Acts 7 11 "But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. There was great misery for our ancestors, as they ran out of food.
Acts 7 12 Jacob heard that there was still grain in Egypt, so he sent his sons to buy some.
Acts 7 13 The second time they went, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and they were introduced to Pharaoh.
Acts 7 14 Then Joseph sent for his father, Jacob, and all his relatives to come to Egypt, seventy-five persons in all.
Acts 7 15 So Jacob went to Egypt. He died there, as did all his sons.
Acts 7 16 All of them were taken to Shechem and buried in the tomb Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
Acts 7 17 "As the time drew near when God would fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased.
Acts 7 18 But then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph.
Acts 7 19 This king plotted against our people and forced parents to abandon their newborn babies so they would die.
Acts 7 20 "At that time Moses was born--a beautiful child in God's eyes. His parents cared for him at home for three months.
Acts 7 21 When at last they had to abandon him, Pharaoh's daughter found him and raised him as her own son.
Acts 7 22 Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he became mighty in both speech and action.
Acts 7 23 "One day when he was forty years old, he decided to visit his relatives, the people of Israel.
Acts 7 24 During this visit, he saw an Egyptian mistreating a man of Israel. So Moses came to his defense and avenged him, killing the Egyptian.
Acts 7 25 Moses assumed his brothers would realize that God had sent him to rescue them, but they didn't.
Acts 7 26 "The next day he visited them again and saw two men of Israel fighting. He tried to be a peacemaker. 'Men,' he said, 'you are brothers. Why are you hurting each other?'
Acts 7 27 "But the man in the wrong pushed Moses aside and told him to mind his own business. 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' he asked.
Acts 7 28 'Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?'
Acts 7 29 When Moses heard that, he fled the country and lived as a foreigner in the land of Midian, where his two sons were born.
Acts 7 30 "Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush.
Acts 7 31 Moses saw it and wondered what it was. As he went to see, the voice of the Lord called out to him,
Acts 7 32 'I am the God of your ancestors--the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses shook with terror and dared not look.
Acts 7 33 "And the Lord said to him, 'Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.
Acts 7 34 You can be sure that I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries. So I have come to rescue them. Now go, for I will send you to Egypt.'
Acts 7 35 And so God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected by demanding, 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' Through the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush, Moses was sent to be their ruler and savior.
Acts 7 36 And by means of many miraculous signs and wonders, he led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and back and forth through the wilderness for forty years.
Acts 7 37 "Moses himself told the people of Israel, 'God will raise up a Prophet like me from among your own people.'
Acts 7 38 Moses was with the assembly of God's people in the wilderness. He was the mediator between the people of Israel and the angel who gave him life-giving words on Mount Sinai to pass on to us.
Acts 7 39 "But our ancestors rejected Moses and wanted to return to Egypt.
Acts 7 40 They told Aaron, 'Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don't know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.'
Acts 7 41 So they made an idol shaped like a calf, and they sacrificed to it and rejoiced in this thing they had made.
Acts 7 42 Then God turned away from them and gave them up to serve the sun, moon, and stars as their gods! In the book of the prophets it is written, 'Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices during those forty years in the wilderness, Israel?
Acts 7 43 No, your real interest was in your pagan gods--the shrine of Molech, the star god Rephan, and the images you made to worship them. So I will send you into captivity far away in Babylon.'
Acts 7 44 "Our ancestors carried the Tabernacle with them through the wilderness. It was constructed in exact accordance with the plan shown to Moses by God.
Acts 7 45 Years later, when Joshua led the battles against the Gentile nations that God drove out of this land, the Tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory. And it was used there until the time of King David.
Acts 7 46 "David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob.
Acts 7 47 But it was Solomon who actually built it.
Acts 7 48 However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,
Acts 7 49 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you ever build me a temple as good as that?' asks the Lord. 'Could you build a dwelling place for me?
Acts 7 50 Didn't I make everything in heaven and earth?'
Acts 7 51 "You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your ancestors did, and so do you!
Acts 7 52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn't persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One--the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered.
Acts 7 53 You deliberately disobeyed God's law, though you received it from the hands of angels. "
Acts 7 54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation, and they shook their fists in rage.
Acts 7 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand.
Acts 7 56 And he told them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!"
Acts 7 57 Then they put their hands over their ears, and drowning out his voice with their shouts, they rushed at him.
Acts 7 58 They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. The official witnesses took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Acts 7 59 And as they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Acts 7 60 And he fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died.
Acts 8 1 Saul was one of the official witnesses at the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria.
Acts 8 2 (Some godly men came and buried Stephen with loud weeping.)
Acts 8 3 Saul was going everywhere to devastate the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into jail.
Acts 8 4 But the believers who had fled Jerusalem went everywhere preaching the Good News about Jesus.
Acts 8 5 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.
Acts 8 6 Crowds listened intently to what he had to say because of the miracles he did.
Acts 8 7 Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.
Acts 8 8 So there was great joy in that city.
Acts 8 9 A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, claiming to be someone great.
Acts 8 10 The Samaritan people, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as "the Great One--the Power of God."
Acts 8 11 He was very influential because of the magic he performed.
Acts 8 12 But now the people believed Philip's message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized.
Acts 8 13 Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the great miracles and signs Philip performed.
Acts 8 14 When the apostles back in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God's message, they sent Peter and John there.
Acts 8 15 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new Christians to receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8 16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 8 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8 18 When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the apostles placed their hands upon people's heads, he offered money to buy this power.
Acts 8 19 "Let me have this power, too," he exclaimed, "so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!"
Acts 8 20 But Peter replied, "May your money perish with you for thinking God's gift can be bought!
Acts 8 21 You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right before God.
Acts 8 22 Turn from your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts,
Acts 8 23 for I can see that you are full of bitterness and held captive by sin."
Acts 8 24 "Pray to the Lord for me," Simon exclaimed, "that these terrible things won't happen to me!"
Acts 8 25 After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News to them, too.
Acts 8 26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, "Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza."
Acts 8 27 So he did, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
Acts 8 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Acts 8 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and walk along beside the carriage."
Acts 8 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah; so he asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
Acts 8 31 The man replied, "How can I, when there is no one to instruct me?" And he begged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
Acts 8 32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
Acts 8 33 He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."
Acts 8 34 The eunuch asked Philip, "Was Isaiah talking about himself or someone else?"
Acts 8 35 So Philip began with this same Scripture and then used many others to tell him the Good News about Jesus.
Acts 8 36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look! There's some water! Why can't I be baptized?"
Acts 8 37 See Footnote
Acts 8 38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
Acts 8 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 8 40 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the city of Azotus! He preached the Good News there and in every city along the way until he came to Caesarea.
Acts 9 1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath. He was eager to destroy the Lord's followers, so he went to the high priest.
Acts 9 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them--both men and women--back to Jerusalem in chains.
Acts 9 3 As he was nearing Damascus on this mission, a brilliant light from heaven suddenly beamed down upon him!
Acts 9 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?"
Acts 9 5 "Who are you, sir?" Saul asked. And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!
Acts 9 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do."
Acts 9 7 The men with Saul stood speechless with surprise, for they heard the sound of someone's voice, but they saw no one!
Acts 9 8 As Saul picked himself up off the ground, he found that he was blind.
Acts 9 9 So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days. And all that time he went without food and water.
Acts 9 10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, "Ananias!Yes, Lord!" he replied.
Acts 9 11 The Lord said, "Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you arrive, ask for Saul of Tarsus. He is praying to me right now.
Acts 9 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he can see again."
Acts 9 13 "But Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I've heard about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!
Acts 9 14 And we hear that he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest every believer in Damascus."
Acts 9 15 But the Lord said, "Go and do what I say. For Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
Acts 9 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for me."
Acts 9 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you may get your sight back and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 9 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.
Acts 9 19 Afterward he ate some food and was strengthened. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days.
Acts 9 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is indeed the Son of God!"
Acts 9 21 All who heard him were amazed. "Isn't this the same man who persecuted Jesus' followers with such devastation in Jerusalem?" they asked. "And we understand that he came here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests."
Acts 9 22 Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
Acts 9 23 After a while the Jewish leaders decided to kill him.
Acts 9 24 But Saul was told about their plot, and that they were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him.
Acts 9 25 So during the night, some of the other believers let him down in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.
Acts 9 26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They thought he was only pretending to be a believer!
Acts 9 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus. Barnabas also told them what the Lord had said to Saul and how he boldly preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
Acts 9 28 Then the apostles accepted Saul, and after that he was constantly with them in Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.
Acts 9 29 He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they plotted to murder him.
Acts 9 30 When the believers heard about it, however, they took him to Caesarea and sent him on to his hometown of Tarsus.
Acts 9 31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it grew in strength and numbers. The believers were walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 9 32 Peter traveled from place to place to visit the believers, and in his travels he came to the Lord's people in the town of Lydda.
Acts 9 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.
Acts 9 34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and make your bed!" And he was healed instantly.
Acts 9 35 Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon turned to the Lord when they saw Aeneas walking around.
Acts 9 36 There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas ). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.
Acts 9 37 About this time she became ill and died. Her friends prepared her for burial and laid her in an upstairs room.
Acts 9 38 But they had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, "Please come as soon as possible!"
Acts 9 39 So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other garments Dorcas had made for them.
Acts 9 40 But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, "Get up, Tabitha." And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up!
Acts 9 41 He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he showed them that she was alive.
Acts 9 42 The news raced through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord.
Acts 9 43 And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a leatherworker.
Acts 10 1 In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment.
Acts 10 2 He was a devout man who feared the God of Israel, as did his entire household. He gave generously to charity and was a man who regularly prayed to God.
Acts 10 3 One afternoon about three o'clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. "Cornelius!" the angel said.
Acts 10 4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. "What is it, sir?" he asked the angel. And the angel replied, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have not gone unnoticed by God!
Acts 10 5 Now send some men down to Joppa to find a man named Simon Peter.
Acts 10 6 He is staying with Simon, a leatherworker who lives near the shore. Ask him to come and visit you."
Acts 10 7 As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants.
Acts 10 8 He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa.
Acts 10 9 The next day as Cornelius's messengers were nearing the city, Peter went up to the flat roof to pray. It was about noon,
Acts 10 10 and he was hungry. But while lunch was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
Acts 10 11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners.
Acts 10 12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds.
Acts 10 13 Then a voice said to him, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat them."
Acts 10 14 "Never, Lord," Peter declared. "I have never in all my life eaten anything forbidden by our Jewish laws. "
Acts 10 15 The voice spoke again, "If God says something is acceptable, don't say it isn't."
Acts 10 16 The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was pulled up again to heaven.
Acts 10 17 Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found the house and stood outside at the gate.
Acts 10 18 They asked if this was the place where Simon Peter was staying.
Acts 10 19 Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, "Three men have come looking for you.
Acts 10 20 Go down and go with them without hesitation. All is well, for I have sent them."
Acts 10 21 So Peter went down and said, "I'm the man you are looking for. Why have you come?"
Acts 10 22 They said, "We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout man who fears the God of Israel and is well respected by all the Jews. A holy angel instructed him to send for you so you can go to his house and give him a message."
Acts 10 23 So Peter invited the men to be his guests for the night. The next day he went with them, accompanied by some other believers from Joppa.
Acts 10 24 They arrived in Caesarea the following day. Cornelius was waiting for him and had called together his relatives and close friends to meet Peter.
Acts 10 25 As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell to the floor before him in worship.
Acts 10 26 But Peter pulled him up and said, "Stand up! I'm a human being like you!"
Acts 10 27 So Cornelius got up, and they talked together and went inside where the others were assembled.
Acts 10 28 Peter told them, "You know it is against the Jewish laws for me to come into a Gentile home like this. But God has shown me that I should never think of anyone as impure.
Acts 10 29 So I came as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me."
Acts 10 30 Cornelius replied, "Four days ago I was praying in my house at three o'clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me.
Acts 10 31 He told me, 'Cornelius, your prayers have been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God!
Acts 10 32 Now send some men to Joppa and summon Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a leatherworker who lives near the shore.'
Acts 10 33 So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now here we are, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you."
Acts 10 34 Then Peter replied, "I see very clearly that God doesn't show partiality.
Acts 10 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.
Acts 10 36 I'm sure you have heard about the Good News for the people of Israel--that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Acts 10 37 You know what happened all through Judea, beginning in Galilee after John the Baptist began preaching.
Acts 10 38 And no doubt you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, for God was with him.
Acts 10 39 "And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Israel and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by crucifying him,
Acts 10 40 but God raised him to life three days later. Then God allowed him to appear,
Acts 10 41 not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen beforehand to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
Acts 10 42 And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is ordained of God to be the judge of all--the living and the dead.
Acts 10 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name."
Acts 10 44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who had heard the message.
Acts 10 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles, too.
Acts 10 46 And there could be no doubt about it, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked,
Acts 10 47 "Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?"
Acts 10 48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.
Acts 11 1 Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God.
Acts 11 2 But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, some of the Jewish believers criticized him.
Acts 11 3 "You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!" they said.
Acts 11 4 Then Peter told them exactly what had happened.
Acts 11 5 "One day in Joppa," he said, "while I was praying, I went into a trance and saw a vision. Something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from the sky. And it came right down to me.
Acts 11 6 When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of small animals, wild animals, reptiles, and birds that we are not allowed to eat.
Acts 11 7 And I heard a voice say, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.'
Acts 11 8 "'Never, Lord,' I replied. 'I have never eaten anything forbidden by our Jewish laws. '
Acts 11 9 "But the voice from heaven came again, 'If God says something is acceptable, don't say it isn't.'
Acts 11 10 "This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven.
Acts 11 11 Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where I was staying.
Acts 11 12 The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry about their being Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon arrived at the home of the man who had sent for us.
Acts 11 13 He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, 'Send messengers to Joppa to find Simon Peter.
Acts 11 14 He will tell you how you and all your household will be saved!'
Acts 11 15 "Well, I began telling them the Good News, but just as I was getting started, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning.
Acts 11 16 Then I thought of the Lord's words when he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
Acts 11 17 And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to argue?"
Acts 11 18 When the others heard this, all their objections were answered and they began praising God. They said, "God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of turning from sin and receiving eternal life."
Acts 11 19 Meanwhile, the believers who had fled from Jerusalem during the persecution after Stephen's death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the Good News, but only to Jews.
Acts 11 20 However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.
Acts 11 21 The power of the Lord was upon them, and large numbers of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.
Acts 11 22 When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
Acts 11 23 When he arrived and saw this proof of God's favor, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.
Acts 11 24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And large numbers of people were brought to the Lord.
Acts 11 25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to find Saul.
Acts 11 26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching great numbers of people. (It was there at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)
Acts 11 27 During this time, some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch.
Acts 11 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings to predict by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.)
Acts 11 29 So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could.
Acts 11 30 This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.
Acts 12 1 About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church.
Acts 12 2 He had the apostle James (John's brother) killed with a sword.
Acts 12 3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish leaders, he arrested Peter during the Passover celebration
Acts 12 4 and imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod's intention was to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.
Acts 12 5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.
Acts 12 6 The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, chained between two soldiers, with others standing guard at the prison gate.
Acts 12 7 Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel tapped him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists.
Acts 12 8 Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered.
Acts 12 9 So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was really happening.
Acts 12 10 They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate to the street, and this opened to them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.
Acts 12 11 Peter finally realized what had happened. "It's really true!" he said to himself. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jews were hoping to do to me!"
Acts 12 12 After a little thought, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.
Acts 12 13 He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it.
Acts 12 14 When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, "Peter is standing at the door!"
Acts 12 15 "You're out of your mind," they said. When she insisted, they decided, "It must be his angel."
Acts 12 16 Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally went out and opened the door, they were amazed.
Acts 12 17 He motioned for them to quiet down and told them what had happened and how the Lord had led him out of jail. "Tell James and the other brothers what happened," he said. And then he went to another place.
Acts 12 18 At dawn, there was a great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter.
Acts 12 19 Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him. When he couldn't be found, Herod interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death. Afterward Herod left Judea to stay in Caesarea for a while.
Acts 12 20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod's country for their food. They made friends with Blastus, Herod's personal assistant,
Acts 12 21 and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them.
Acts 12 22 The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, "It is the voice of a god, not of a man!"
Acts 12 23 Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people's worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.
Acts 12 24 But God's Good News was spreading rapidly, and there were many new believers.
Acts 12 25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission in Jerusalem, they returned to Antioch, taking John Mark with them.
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