James Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 ^sHe killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it ^tpleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in ^uprison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 ^vSo Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

Peter Is Rescued

6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7 And behold, an ^wangel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He ^xstruck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the ^ychains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a ^zvision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It ^aopened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a ^bservant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is ^chis angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.”¹ Then he departed and went to another place.

18 Now when day came, ^dthere was no little ^edisturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19 And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.

The Death of Herod

20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain,² they asked for peace, ^fbecause their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

24 But the ^gword of God increased and multiplied.

25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from³ Jerusalem when they had completed their ^hservice, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

13 Now there were in the church at Antioch ⁱprophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger,¹ Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the ^jHoly Spirit said, ^k“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after ^lfasting and ^mpraying they ⁿlaid their hands on them and sent them off.

Barnabas and Saul on Cyprus

4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the ^osynagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain ^pmagician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) ^qopposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, ^rfilled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You ^sson of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making ^tcrooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to ^ulead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas at Antioch in Pisidia

13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, 14 but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any ^vword of encouragement for the people, say it.” 16 So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said:

“Men of Israel and you who ^wfear God, listen. 17 The God of this people Israel ^xchose our fathers and ^ymade the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and ^zwith uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18 And for about forty years he put up with² them in the wilderness. 19 ^aAnd after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20 All this took about 450 years. And after that ^bhe gave them judges until ^cSamuel the prophet. 21 Then ^dthey asked for a king, and ^eGod gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, ^fhe raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ^g‘I have found in David the son of Jesse ^ha man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 Of ⁱthis man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, ^jas he promised. 24 ^kBefore his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 ^lAnd as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

26 “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. 27 ^mFor those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the ⁿprophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28 ^oAnd though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 And ^pwhen they had carried out all that was written of him, ^qthey took him down from the ^rtree and laid him in a tomb. 30 ^sBut God raised him from the dead, 31 ^tand for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we bring you the ^ugood news that what God ^vpromised to the fathers, 33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,

34 And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, ^yno more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

35 Therefore he says also in another psalm,

36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, 37 but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. 38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and by him everyone who believes is freed³ from everything from which you ^bcould not be freed by the law of Moses. 40 Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

42 As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. 43 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to ^dJudaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews⁴ saw the crowds, they were filled with ^ejealousy and began to ^fcontradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken ^gfirst to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are ^hturning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,

48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and ^lglorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. 50 But the Jews ^mincited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they ⁿshook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with ^ojoy and with the Holy Spirit.

Paul and Barnabas at Iconium

14 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great ^pnumber of both ^qJews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews ^rstirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.¹ 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who ^sbore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to ^tpreach the gospel.

Paul and Barnabas at Lystra

8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was ^ucrippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well,² 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he ^vsprang up and began walking. 11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, ^w“The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer ^xsacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should ^yturn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In ^zpast generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself ^awithout witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

Paul Stoned at Lystra

19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, ^bthey stoned Paul and ^cdragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had ^dmade many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many ^etribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23 And when they had ^fappointed elders for them in every church, ^gwith ^hprayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria

24 Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26 and from there they sailed to Antioch, ⁱwhere they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. 27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had ^jopened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they remained no little time with the disciples.

The Jerusalem Council

15 ^kBut some ^lmen came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are ^mcircumcised ⁿaccording to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, ^oPaul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail ^pthe conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.¹ 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that ^qin the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, ^rbore witness ^sto them, by giving them the Holy Spirit ^tjust as he did to us, 9 and he ^umade no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you ^vputting God to the test by placing a ^wyoke on the neck of the disciples that ^xneither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be ^ysaved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first ^zvisited the Gentiles, to take from them ^aa people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things ^dpolluted by ^eidols, and from ^fsexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from ^gblood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers

22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, 23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers³ who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you⁴ with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 ^hmen who have risked their lives for the ⁱname of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.⁵ 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Paul and Barnabas Separate

36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had ^jwithdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. ^kBarnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul¹ came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the ^lson of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers² at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and ^mcircumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they went on their way through the cities, they ⁿdelivered to them for observance ^othe decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they ^pincreased in numbers daily.