XII. Barnabas rings Saul • Antioch. XII. intended to bring him forth, as CHAP. And 8 CHAP. and they sent Barnabas thence to 27 retells a mine. Now in those days some progabus phets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch, one of whom, named Agabus, rose up, and signified by 28 the spirit, that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the land of Judea; which came to pass accordingly, under Claudius 29 Cesar. Then every one of the dis-out of the prison, and as soon as ciples, according to his ability de- they had gone through one street termined to send relief to their bre- the angel left him. 30 thren of Judea, which they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. CHAP. XII. mes is ter im 1 his friends. Upon this Peter came to himself, 11 and said, "Now I know certainly acknowthat the Lord hath sent his angel, and ledges the goodness Now about that time king Herod hath delivered me from the band of of God, put forth his hands to afflict some Herod, and from all the expecta- and informs of the 'church. And he killed tion of the Jewish people." And led, and James the brother of John with the after some consideration, he went to 12 soned. sword; and when he saw it pleased the house of Mary, the mother of the Jews, he proceeded to seize John, surnamed Mark, where Peter also. Then were the days of many were gathered together, and 4 unleavened bread. And when he praying. Now when Peter had 13 had apprehended him, he put him knocked at the door of the porch, a in prison, and set a guard of six-maid-servant named Rhoda, came teen soldiers over him; intending to up to listen, but knowing Peter's 14 bring him out after the passover to voice again, did not stay to open 5 the people. Peter therefore was the door for gladness, but ran in kept in prison; but earnest prayer and told them that Peter was standwas made by the church unto God ing before the porch. And they said 15 for him. unto her, "Thou art mad." But she confidently affirmed that it was 16 Now the very night before Herod CHAP. so. Then they said, "It is a mes-nistering to the Lord, and fasting, CHAP. XIII. senger from him." But Peter con16 tinued knocking; and when they had opened the door and seen him, they were greatly astonished; but 17 he waved his hand for them to be silent, and related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, and he said, "Tell these things from me to James and the brethren." Then he departed and went to another place. 20 and soon after dies miserably. Now Herod had a quarrel with the Tyrians and Sidonians. But they came to him with one consent, and having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace, because their country was 21 fed by the king's country. And on a day appointed, Herod, in his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made an oration to the people. 22 And they cried out, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man." 23 And immediately an angel of the Lord smote Herod, because he gave not glory to God; and he was caten by worms and expired. 24 And the word of the Lord grew, Paul and and abounded: and Farnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, afAntioch. ter fulfilling their office, and brought with them John, whose return to CHAP. surname was Mark. the holy spirit said, "Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the of- 2 fice to which I have called them." So the church, after fasting and 3 praying, and laying hands on them, sent them away; and they, after 4 being thus sent forth by the holy spirit, went down to *Seleucia, and thence took ship for Cyprus; and 5 when they had reached Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they had John for their assistant. XIII. in the isle convert Sergius Paulus. Now after passing over the island 6 of Cyprus, as far as Paphos, they and coming found a certain magian, a Jewish to Paphos false prophet, named Bar-jesus, of Cyprus, who was with the deputy-governor of the country, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding, who called to him Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But the magian, otherwise called 8 Elymas, opposed them, seeking to turn aside the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, who was called 9 Paul also, filled with a holy spirit, set his eyes on him, and said, O, 10 full of all guile and all mischief, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Behold! therefore, the hand of the Lord is now against 11 thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun, for a time." And immediately there fell on him a mist and darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the governor, 12 when he saw what was done, bebeing astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. Now there were in the church at XIII. Antioch, certain prophets and teach-lieved; They are ers, as Barnabas, and Simeon called sent out by Niger and Lucius of Cyrene, and Mation of the naen, who had been brought up with will of hea- Herod the tetrarch, and Saul; and while they were publicly mi an intima. ven, Now when Paul and his compa- 13 ny bore away from Paphos, they They procame to Perga in Pamphylia. But tioch in John departed from them, and re- Pisidia. highly aggravated guilt in a Jew. 3 Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great. A sea-port town on the coast of Syria. ceed to An CHAP. turned to Jerusalem. XIII. XIII. And they. Brethren, sons of the race of CHAP. went on from Perga, and came to Abraham, and whosoever of the Antioch, where they entered the Gentiles among you feareth God, 26 synagogue on the Sabbath-day, unto you the doctrine of this salva15 and sat down. And after the tion hath been sent; for the inha- 27 reading of the law and the pro-bitants of Jerusalem, and their rulers, phets, the rulers of the synagogue not attending to this doctrine, nor sent unto them, saying, "Bre-to the declarations of the prophets, thren, if ye have any word of ex- which are read every Sabbath-day, hortation to the people, speak.' fulfilled them by condemning Jesus. And though they found no 28 just cause of death in him, desired Pilate that he might be slain. So 29 after accomplishing all that had been written of him, they took him down from the cross, and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him up 30 from the dead; and he was seen 31 many days by those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jeru 16 Paul's speech in the synagogue. Sam. the people. And we declare unto 32 you glad tidings of the promise made unto the fathers, how God hath performed this for their children, by sending Jesus to us; as 33 indeed it is written in the second psalm, Thou art my son, this day I have adopted thee.' Now 34 Then Paul stood up and waved his hand, and said, "Ye men of Israel, and ye of the Gentiles who 'fear God, hearken. The God of 17 this people Israel chose our fathers for himself, and made them prosper when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and brought them out of 18 it with an high arm; and for the space of forty years fed them in the 19 desert. And when he had destroy-salem, who are his witnesses to ed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their country 20 among our fathers. And after these things, during four hundred and fifty years he gave them judges, 21 until Samuel the prophet. And afterward they desired a king; and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Ben-that he raised him from the dead, 22 jamin, during forty years. And to return no more to corruption, when God had removed him, he the scripture hath thus declared, raised up unto them David to be I will give you the sure and gra- Isaiah, their king; to whom he also gave cious promises made to David.' this testimony, "I have found Wherefore it saith also in another 35 David, the son of Jessc, a man place, Thou wilt not suffer thy Psalm after my own heart, who will per- Holy One to see corruption.' For 23 form all my pleasure." Of this David, after he had served the will 36 man's race, hath God, according of God in his own generation, fell to his promise, raised unto Israel, asleep, and was gathered to his 24 a Saviour, Jesus: when John had fathers, and experienced corrupfirst preached, before his appear- tion; but he whom God raised, 37 ance, the baptism of repentance to did not experience corruption. 25 all the people of Israel. And John, as he was fulfilling his course said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not the Christ; but behold, one cometh after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.' 1 Who have embraced the religion of the Jews. lv. 3. xvi. 10. "Be it known therefore unto 38 you, brethren, that through him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed unto you; and an acquittal from 39 all those sins from which ye could not be acquitted by the law of Moses. Take care then that this 40 rael. In his public character, as king of Is proselytes 42 Now, as Paul and Barnabas Some of were going out of the synagogue, the Gentile the people desired that the same to judaism doctrine might be delivered to them believe. on the next Sabbath. And when 43 the congregation broke up, many of the Jews, and of the devout proselytes, went with Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them, and persuaded them to continue in the gracious gospel of God. 44 oppose the XIII. God, and the chief men of the city, CHAP. XIV. Now, at Iconium, Paul and CHAP. Barnabas went together into the synagogue of the Jews, and spake in They come such a manner that a great multi-to Iconium, tude, both of the Jews and Greeks, believed. But the unbelieving Jews 2 stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds ill affected to the brethren. The apostles abode how- 3 ever a long time there, speaking And on the following Sabbath, freely concerning the Lord, who The Jews almost the whole city came toge-bore testimony to his gracious docenviously ther to hear the word of God. But, trine, by granting signs and wonapostles, when the Jews saw the multi-ders to be performed by their hands. 45 tudes, they were filled with en- So the multitude of the city was 4 vy, and contradicted those things divided, and part held with the which were spoken by Paul, adding Jews, and part with the apostles. also wicked speeches to their con- But when both the Gentiles and 5 46 tradiction. Then Paul and Barna- the Jews, with their rulers,had a debas, with great presence of mind, sign to assault and stone them, said unto them, "It was necessary they were aware of it, and escaped 6 that the word of God should be to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lyspoken first to you; but since ye caonia, and to the neighbouring put it from you, and do not think country; and there they preached 7 proper to accept this offer of ever- the gospel. lasting life, behold! we turn to the And there was a man at Lystra, 8 47 Gentiles; for thus hath the Lord who had no use of his feet, having Barnabas commanded us, saying, "I have been lame from his birth, and never given thee for a light to the Gen-walked this man was listening to for gods, tiles, that thou mayest be for sal- the speech of Paul, who looked on account vation to the extremity of the stedfastly at him, and perceiving restoring a that he had faith, so as to be re- lame man. Now when the Gentiles heard stored, said with a loud voice, and drive this, they were glad, and glorified" Stand upright on thy feet;" and 10 then away. God, and as many as were well dis-he rose up with a leap, and began Isaiah, xlix. 6. 48 earth." : and Paul are taken of Paul's posed, believed unto eternal life. to walk about. Now when the 11 49 And the word of the Lord was pub-multitudes saw what Paul had lished throughout all the country.done, they lifted up their voices, 50 But the Jews stirred up the Gentile saying in the language of Lycaonia, women of rank, who worshipped "The gods are come down to us Asia, A town of Lycaonia in the Lesser Those who believed in Christ. That he was disposed to believe the gospel. XIV. 2 XV. CHAP. in the likeness of men." And they church for them, and praying, and CHAP. called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, fasting, they commended them to 12 Mercury, because he was the chief the Lord, on whom they had be13 speaker. Then the priest of Jupi-lieved. And after they had pass- 24 ter, the guardian-god of the city, ed through Pisidia, they came to brought oxen; and garlands, to the Pamphylia; and after preaching 25 gates, and together with the multi-the word at Perga, they came down 14 tude was going to offer sacrifice. But to Attalia, and thence sailed away 26 when the apostles, Barnabas and for Antioch, from which place Paul, heard of this, they rent their they had been recommended to the clothes, and rushed in among the favour of God for the work which multitudes, crying out, and saying, they had fulfilled. And when they 27 15 “ Sirs, why are ye doing thus d were come, and had gathered the We too are but men of like infir- church together, they related what mities with yourselves, declaring God had done by their means, and unto you glad tidings, that ye may how he had opened the door of turn from these vanities to the liv- faith to the Gentiles; and they ing God, who made heaven and continued there a good while with earth, and the sea, and all things the disciples. 16 in them; who in the ages past suffered all the Gentiles to walk in 17 their own ways, though he indeed by no means left himself without testimony, doing good by giving rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, and filling your hearts with 18 food and gladness." And by these words they could hardly restrain the multitudes from offering sacrifices to them. ering 19 ment he meceived, returns nebas to Antioch. Then some Jews from Antioch, Paul reco- and Iconium, came thither, and From the having gained over the multitudes, Cruel treat- stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples with Bar- were standing around him, he arose up, and went into the city. And on the next day he departed 21 with Barnabas to Derbe.. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to ' Antioch, 22 confirming the minds of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, saying, that through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of God. 23 Then after appointing elders in the XV. about the Now, some men came down CHAP. from Judea, and taught the brethren, saying, "Unless ye be Dispute circumcised according to the cusnecessity of tom taught by Moses, ye cannot be circumsaved." As therefore Paul and cision. Barnabas differed with them much 2 in opinion, and could not settle the dispute, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas, with some other of their number, should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. They, 3 therefore, being thus sent by the church, passed through Phenicia, and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and caused great joy to all the brethren. Now, 4 when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received with approbation by the church, and by the apostles and the elders, and related what God had done by their means, and 5 how believers of the sect of the Pharisees had risen up, and said, that it was proper to circumcise the Gentiles, and command thein to keep the law of Moses. Accordingly the apostles and the 6 elders met together, to consider this matter, and after much de In Syria. |