James Murdock Peshitto

I.

  01 THE former book have I written, O Theophilus concerning all the things which our Lord Jesus Messiah began to do and teach,
  02 until the day when he was taken up, after he had instructed those legates whom he had chosen by the Holy Spirit. 
  03 To whom also he showed himself alive after he had suffered, by numerous signs, during forty days, while he was seen by them, and spoke of the kingdom of God. 
  04 And when he had eaten bread with them, he instructed them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which (said he) ye have heard from me.
  05 For John baptized with water; but ye will be baptized with the Holy Spirit after not many days.
  06 And they, when assembled, asked him and said to him: Our Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?
  07 He said to them: It is not yours, to know the time or times which God hath placed in his own power. 
  08 But when the Holy Spirit shall come upon you, ye will receive energy, and will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and also among the Samaritans, and unto the ends of the earth.
  09 And when he had said these things, while they beheld him, he was taken up, and a cloud received him, and he was hidden from their eyes.
  10 And while they were looking toward heav, as he departed, two men were found standing near them, in white garments,
  11 and saying to them: Ye Galilean men, why stand ye and look toward heaven? This Jesus, who is taken up from you to heaven, will so come, as ye have seen him ascend to heaven.
  12 And afterwards they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called the place of Olives, which was near to Jerusalem, and distant from it about seven furlongs.
  13 And when they had entered, they went to an upper chamber; where were Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, and Philip, and Thomas, and Matthew, and Bartholomew, and James the son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the son of James.
  14 All these unitedly persevered in prayer, with one soul, together with the women, and with Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
  15 And in those days stood up Simon Cephas in the midst of the disciples, (the persons there assembled being about one hundred and twenty,) and said:
  16 Men, brethren, it was right that the scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spake, by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to them that apprehended Jesus.
  17 For he was numbered with us, and had a part in this ministry.
  18 He purchased a field with the wages of sin; and he fell upon his face on the ground, and burst in the middle, and all his entrails were poured out.
  19 And this was known to all that dwelt at Jerusalem; so that the field was called, in the language of the country, Aceldama, which is interpreted Field of Blood.
  20 For it is written, in the book of Psalms: Let his habitation be desolate, and let no resident be in it; and let another take his service.
  21 It should therefore be, that one of these persons, who have been with us all the time that our Lord Jesus went in and out with us,
  22 commencing from the baptism of John, unto the day he was taken up from us, should be, with us, a witness of his resurrection.
  23 And they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias.
  24 And when they had prayed, they said: Thou, Lord, knowest what is in the hearts of all, manifest which thou hast chosen of these two,
  25 that he should take part in this ministry and legateship, from which Judas broke away, that he might go to his own place.
  26 And they cast lots, and it came upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven legates.

II.

  01 And when the days of pentecost were fully come, while they were all assembled together,
  02 suddenly there was a sound from heaven, as of a violent wind; and the whole house where they were sitting was filled with it.
  03 And there appeared to them tongues, which were divided like flame; and they rested upon each of them.
  04 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in diverse languages, as the Spirit gave them to speak.
  05 Now there were resident at Jerusalem persons who feared God, Jews from all the nations under heaven.
  06 And when that sound occurred, all the people collected together; and they were agitated, because they every one heard them speaking in their own languages.
  07 And they were all astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: All these who speak behold, are they not Galileans?
  08 And how do we hear, each his own language, in which we were born ?
  09 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and those dwelling between the rivers, Jews and Cappadocians, and those from the region of Pontus and of Asia,
  10 and those from the region of Phrygia, and of Pamphylia, and of Egypt, and of the parts of Lybia near Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, Jews and proselytes ;
  11 and those from Crete, and Arabians. Lo, we hear them speak in our own languages the wonders of God.
  12 And they all wondered and were astonished, saying one to another: From whom is this thing?
  13 Others however ridiculed them, saying: They have drunken new wine, and are intoxicated.
  14 And afterwards Simon Cephas rose up, with the eleven legates, and elevated his voice, and said to them: Men, Jews, and all ye that reside at Jerusalem; be this known to you, and hearken ye to my words.
  15 For these are not intoxicated, as ye suppose: for lo, it is yet but the third hour.
  16 But this is what was spoken by Joel the prophet: 
  17 It shall be in the last days, saith God, that I will pour my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons shall prophesy, and your daughters and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
  18 And upon: my servants and my handmaids will I pour my Spirit, in those days, and they shall prophesy. 
  19 And I will give signs in heaven, and prodigies on earth, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
  20 And the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and fearful day of the Lord come.
  21 And it shall be, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord, shall live.
  22 Men, sons of Israel, hear ye these words: Jesus the Nazarean, a man made manifest among you by God, by those deeds of power and prodigies which God wrought among you by his hand, as ye yourselves know;
  23 him, being hereto appointed by the prescience and the good pleasure of God, ye have delivered into the hands of the wicked; and have crucified and slain.
  24 But God hath resuscitated him, and hath loosed the cords of the grave; because it could not be, that he should be held in the grave.
  25 For David said of him: I foresaw my Lord at all times; for he is on my right hand, so that I shall not be moved. 
  26 Therefore my heart doth rejoice, and my glory exult, and also my body shall abide in hope.
  27 For thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave, nor wilt thou give thy pious one to see corruption. 
  28 Thou hast revealed to me the path of life; thou wilt fill me with joy with thy presence.
  29 Men, brethren, I may speak to you explicitly of the patriarch David, that he died, and also was buried; and his sepulchre is with us to this day.
  30 For he was a prophet, and he knew, that God had sworn to him by an oath: Of the fruit of thy bowels, I will seat [one] on thy throne.
  31 And he foresaw, and spoke of the resurrection of Messiah, that he was not left in the grave, neither did his body see corruption.
  32 This Jesus hath God resuscitated; and we all are his witnesses.
  33 And he it is, who is exalted by the right hand of God, and hath received from the Father a promise respecting the Holy Spirit, and hath sent this gift which, lo, ye see and hear.
  34 For David hath not ascended into heaven; because he himself said: The Lord said to my Lord, seat thyself at my right hand,
  35 until I shall place thy enemies a footstool to thy feet.
  36 Therefore, let all the house of Israel know, assuredly, that God hath made that Jesus whom ye crucified, to be Lord and Messiah.
  37 And when they heard these things, they were agitated in their heart; and they said to Simon and to the rest of the legates: Brethren, what shall we do ?
  38 Simon said to them: Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, for the remission of sins; so that ye may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
  39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all those afar off whom God will call.
  40 And in many other words he testified to them, and entreated of them, saying: Live ye from this perverse generation.
  41 And some of them readily received his discourse, and believed, and were baptized. And there were added, on that day, about three thousand souls.
  42 And they persevered in the doctrine of the legates; and were associated together in prayer, and in breaking the eucharist.
  43 And fear was on every mind: and many signs and prodigies were [wrought] by the hand of the legates in Jerusalem. 
  44 And all they who believed, were together; and whatever belonged to them, was of the community.
  45 And they who had a possession, sold it, and divided to each one as he had need.
  46 And they continued daily in the temple, with one soul: and at home, they broke bread and took food rejoicing, and in the simplicity of their heart.
  47 And they praised God, and had favor with all the people. And our Lord added daily to the assembly those who became alive.

III.

  01 And it occurred, as Simon Cephas and John went together up to the temple, at the time of prayer, being the ninth hour,
  02 that, lo, those accustomed to bring a man lame from his mother's womb, brought him and laid him at the gate of the temple called Beautiful; that he might ask alms of those going into the temple.
  03 This man, when he saw Simon and John going into the temple, asked them to give him alms.
  04 And Simon and John looked on him, and said to him: Look on us.
  05 And he looked on them, expecting to receive something from them.
  06 Simon said to him: Gold and silver, I have not; but what I have, I give to thee; in the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah, the Nazarean, rise up and walk.
  07 And he took him by the right hand, and raised him up: and forthwith, his feet and his heels recovered strength. 
  08 And he sprang, stood up, and walked: and he entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
  09 And all the people saw him, as he walked and praised God.
  10 And they knew that he was the beggar, who sat daily and asked alms, at the gate called Beautiful: and they were filled with wonder and admiration at what had occurred.
  11 And as he held fast to Simon and John, all the people admiring ran to them at the portico called Solomon's. 
  12 And when Simon saw [it], he answered and said to them: Men, sons of Israel, why do ye wonder at this ? or why do ye gaze on us, as if by our own power or authority we had made this man to walk ?
  13 The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he would have justified him and set him free.
  14 But ye denied the holy and just One, and demanded that a murderer should be released to you.
  15 And that Prince of life ye slew; and him, hath God raised from the dead, and all of us are witnesses of it. 
  16 And, by the faith in his name, he hath strengthened and cured this man, whom ye see and know; and faith in him hath given the man this soundness before you all.
  17 And now, my brethren, I know that through misapprehensions ye did this, as did also your chiefs:
  18 and God, according as he had previously announced by the mouth of all the prophets that the Messiah would suffer, hath in this manner fulfilled [it].
  19 Repent, therefore, and be converted; that so your sins may be blotted out,
  20 and times of rest may come to you from before the face of the Lord; and he may send to you him, who was made ready for you, Jesus the Messiah:
  21 whom the heavens must retain, until the completion of the times of those things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets of old.
  22 For Moses said: A prophet, like me, will the Lord raise up to you, from among your brethren ; to him hearken ye, in all that he shall say to you.
  23 And it will be, that every soul who will not hearken to that prophet, that soul shall perish from his people. 
  24 And all the prophets that have been, from Samuel and those after him, have spoken and proclaimed of these days.
  25 Ye are the children of the prophets: and that covenant which God made with our fathers, when he said to Abraham, that in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed,
  26 he hath first established to you: and God hath sent his Son to bless you, if ye will be converted, and repent of your wickedness.

IV.

  01 And while they were speaking these words to the people, the priests and the Sadducees and the rulers of the temple rose up against them;
  02 being angry with them, that they taught the people, and preached a resurrection from the dead by the Messiah. 
  03 And they laid hands on them, and kept them until the next day; because evening was drawing near.
  04 And many who had heard the word, believed; and they were, in number, about five thousand men.
  05 And the next day, the rulers and the Elders and the Scribes assembled;
  06 and also Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and they who were of the kindred of the high priests.
  07 And when they had set them in the midst, they interrogated them: By what power or what name, have ye done this ?
  08 Then Simon Cephas was filled with the Holy Spirit, and said to them: Ye rulers of the people, and Elders of the house of Israel, hear ye.
  09 If we are judged by you this day, respecting the good deed done to the infirm man, by what means he was healed; 
  10 be it known to you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Messiah the Nazarean, whom ye crucified, and whom God hath raised from the dead, lo, by him, doth this [man] stand here before you recovered. 
  11 This is the stone, which ye builders rejected; and it hath become the head of the corner.
  12 Neither is there deliverance in any other; for there is not another name under heaven, which is given to men, whereby to live.
  13 And when they heard the speech of Simon and John, which they pronounced confidently, they reflected that these were unlearned and plebeian men, and they were surprised at them, and recognized them as having been conversant with Jesus.
  14 And they saw that the lame man, who had been healed, stood near them; and they could say nothing to confront them.
  15 Then they commanded to remove them from the presence of the council; and said one to another:
  16 What shall we do to these men? For lo, that a manifest sign hath been wrought by them, is known to all that reside at Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
  17 But that the fame of it spread no further, let us interdict their speaking any more to any man in this name. 
  18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak nor to teach at all in the name of Jesus.
  19 Simon Cephas and John answered, and said to them: Whether it be right before God, that we hearken to you more than to God, judge ye.
  20 For we cannot but speak that which we have seen and heard.
  21 And they threatened them, and dismissed them. For they found no ground for punishing them, because of the people: for every one praised God for what had been done;
  22 for the man, on whom this sign of healing had been wrought, was more than forty years old.
  23 And when they were dismissed, they went to their brethren, and told them all that the priests and Elders had said.
  24 And they, when they heard [it], unitedly lifted up their voice to God and said: Lord, thou art God, who hast made heaven, and earth, and seas, and every thing in them.
  25 And it is thou who hast said, by the Holy Spirit in the mouth of David thy servant: Why do the nations rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
  26 The kings of the earth and the potentates stood up, and they consulted together, against the Lord, and against his anointed.
  27 For, in reality, against thy holy Son Jesus whom thou hast anointed, Herod and Pilate, with the Gentiles and the congregation of Israel, have been combined together in this city,
  28 to do whatever thy hand and thy pleasure previously marked out to be done.
  29 And also now, Lord, behold and see their menaces: and grant to thy servants, that they may proclaim thy word boldly,
  30 while thou extendest thy hand for cures and prodigies, to be done in the name of thy holy Son Jesus.
  31 And when they had prayed and made supplications, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God boldly.
  32 And in the assembly of the persons that believed, there was one soul, and one mind: and no one of them said, of the property he possessed, that it was his own; but whatever was theirs, it was the community's.
  33 And with great power, the legates testified to the resurrection of Jesus Messiah: and great grace was with them all.
  34 And no one among them was destitute; for those who possessed lands or houses, sold, and brought the price of what was sold,
  35 and placed [it] at the feet of the legates; and distribution was made to every one, as he had need.
  36 And Joseph, who by the legates was surnamed Barnabas, (which is interpreted Son of Consolation,) a Levite of the country of Cyprus,
  37 had a field: and he sold it, and brought the price of it, and laid [it] before the feet of the legates.

V.

  01 And a certain man whose name was Ananias, with his wife whose name was Sapphira, sold his field,
  02 and carried away [part] of the price and concealed it, his wife consenting; and he brought [a part] of the money, and laid [it] before the feet of the legates. 
  03 And Simon said to him: Ananias, why hath Satan so filled thy heart, that thou shouldst lie against the Holy Spirit, and conceal of the money of the price of the field ?
  04 Was it not thine own before it was sold ? And when sold, again thou hadst authority over the price of it. Why hast thou set thy heart to do this purpose? Thou hast not lied against men, but against God.
  05 And when Ananias heard these words, he fell down, and died. And great fear was upon all them that heard [of it].
  06 And the young men among them arose, and gathered him up, and carried [him] out, and buried him.
  07 And when three hours had passed, his wife also came in, without knowing what had occurred.
  08 Simon said to her: Tell me, if ye sold the field for this price? And she said: Yes, for this price.
  09 Simon said to her: Since ye have been equals in tempting the Spirit of the Lord, lo, the feet of the buriers of thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee out.
  10 And immediately she fell before their feet, and died. And those young men came in, and found her dead; and they took up, carried forth, and buried her by the side of her husband.
  11 And great fear was on all the assembly, and on all them that heard [it].
  12 And there were many signs and prodigies wrought by the legates among the people. And they were all assembled together in the porch of Solomon.
  13 And of the others, no one ventured to come near them; but the people magnified them.
  14 And the more were those added who feared the Lord, a multitude both of men and of women.
  15 So that they brought out into the streets the sick, laid on beds, that when Simon should pass, at least his shadow might cover them.
  16 And many came to them from other cities around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who had unclean spirits; and they were all cured.
  17 And the high priest was filled with indignation, and all those with him who were of the doctrine of the Sadducees.
  18 And they laid hands on the legates, and took and bound them in prison.
  19 Then the angel of the Lord, by night, opened the door of the prison, and let them out; and said to them: 
  20 Go, stand in the temple, and speak to the people all these words of life.
  21 And in the morning, they went and entered into the temple, and taught. And the high priest and those with him, convoked their associates and the Elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to bring forth the legates. 
  22 And when those sent by them went, they found them not in the prison; and they returned and came back, 
  23 and said: We found the prison carefully closed, and also the keepers standing before the doors; and we opened, but found no one there.
  24 And when the chief priests and rulers of the temple heard these words, they were astonished at them; and they studied what this could mean.
  25 And one came and informed them: Those men, whom ye shut up in the prison, lo, they are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
  26 Then went the rulers with attendants, to bring them without violence; for they feared, lest the people should stone them.
  27 And when they had brought them, they placed them before the whole council; and the high priest began to say to them:
  28 Did we not strictly charge you, to teach no person in this name? And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine; and ye would bring the blood of this man upon us.
  29 And Simon, with the legates, answered and said to them: God is to be obeyed, rather than men.
  30 The God of our fathers hath raised up that Jesus, whom ye slew when ye hanged him on a tree.
  31 Him hath God established as a head and vivifier; and hath exalted him to his own right hand, so that he might give repentance and remission of sins to Israel. 
  32 And we are the witnesses of these things; and also the Holy Spirit, whom God giveth to them that believe in him.
  33 And when they heard these things, they burned with indignation, and thought of putting them to death. 
  34 Then rose up one of the Pharisees whose name was Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, and honored by all the people; and he directed them to put the legates aside for a short time.
  35 And he said, to them: Men, sons of Israel, take heed to yourselves, and consider what ye ought to do in regard to these men.
  36 For before this time, rose up Theudas, and said of himself, that he was some great one; and there went after him about four hundred men. And he was slain; and they who went after him, were dispersed and became as nothing. 
  37 And after him, rose up Judas a Galilean, in the days when the people were enrolled for the capitation tax; and he seduced much people after him. And he died, and all they that went after him were dispersed.
  38 And now, I say to you: Desist from these men, and let them lone. For if this device and this work originate from men, they will dissolve and come to nothing. 
  39 But if it be from God, it is not in your power to frustrate it: that ye may not be found placing yourselves in opposition to God. And they, assented to him. 
  40 And they called the legates, and scourged them, and commanded them not to teach in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.
  41 And they went from before them, rejoicing that they were worthy to suffer abuse on account of that name. 
  42 And they ceased not to teach daily, in the temple and at home, and to preach concerning our Lord Jesus Messiah.

VI.

  01 And in those days, when the disciples had become numerous, the Grecian disciples murmured against the Hebrew, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration [to the needy].
  02 And the twelve legates convoked the whole company of the disciples, and said to them: It is not proper, that we should neglect the word of God, and serve tables. 
  03 Therefore brethren, search out, and elect from among you, seven men of whom there is good testimony, men full of the Spirit of the Lord, and of wisdom; that we may place them over this business:
  04 and we will continue in prayer, and in the ministration of the word.
  05 And this proposal was acceptable before all the people. And they elected Stephen, a man who was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas an Antiochian  proselyte.
  06 These stood before the legates; and when they had prayed, they laid the hand on them.
  07 And the word of God increased, and the number of disciples was enlarged at Jerusalem greatly; and many people from among the Jews, were obedient to the faith.
  08 And Stephen was full of grace and energy; and he wrought signs and prodigies among the people.
  09 And there rose up some of the synagogue which is called that of the freed men, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and persons from Cilicia and from Asia; and they disputed with Stephen.
  10 And they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit that spoke by him.
  11 Then they sent men, and instructed them to say: We have heard him speak words of blasphemy, against Moses and against God.
  12 And they excited the people, and the Elders, and the Scribes; and they came, and rose upon him, and seized him, and carried him into the midst of the council. 
  13 And they set up false witnesses, who said: This man ceaseth not to utter words contrary to the law, and against this holy place.
  14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus the Nazarean will destroy this place, and will change the rites which Moses delivered to you.
  15 And all they who were sitting in the council looked upon him, and they beheld his face, as the face of an angel.

VII.

  01 And the high priest asked him: Are these things so? 
  02 And he said: Men, brethren, and our fathers, hear ye. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was between the rivers, before he came to reside in Charran;
  03 and he said to him: Depart from thy country, and from thy kindred, and go to a land which I will show to thee. 
  04 And then Abraham departed from the land of the Chaldeans, and came and dwelt in Charran. And from there, after his father had died, God removed him to this land, in which ye this day dwell.
  05 And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even a foot-track: but he promised that he would give it him, as an inheritance to him and to his seed, when as yet he had no son.
  06 And God conversed with him, and said to him: Thy seed will be a sojourner in a foreign land; and they will reduce it to servitude, and will treat it ill, during four hundred years.
  07 And the nation, to whom they perform bondservice, I will judge saith God. And afterwards, they will go out, and will worship me in this land.
  08 And he gave them the covenant of circumcision. And then he begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. And Isaac begat Jacob: and Jacob begat our twelve fathers.
  09 And those our fathers envied Joseph, and sold him into Egypt: but God was with him,
  10 and delivered: him from all his afflictions; and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him chief over Egypt, and over all his house.
  11 And there was a famine and great distress in all Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, and our fathers lacked food.
  12 And when Jacob heard that there was bread-stuff in Egypt, he sent our fathers a first time.
  13 And when they went the second time, Joseph made himself known to his brethren; and the kindred of Joseph was known to Pharaoh.
  14 And Joseph sent and brought is father Jacob, and all his family; and they were in number seventy and five souls.
  15 And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died there, he and our fathers.
  16 And he was transported to Sychem, and was deposited in the sepulchre which Abraham bought with money of the sons of Emmor.
  17 And when the time arrived for that which God had promised to Abraham with an oath, the people had multiplied and become strong, in Egypt:
  18 until there arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
  19 And he dealt craftily with our kindred, and ill-treated our fathers, and gave orders that their infants should be cast away, and should not live.
  20 At that time was Moses born; and he was lovely to God: and he was nursed three months in his father's house. 
  21 And when he was cast out, by his people, the daughter of Pharaoh found him, and brought him up for her own son. 
  22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was eminent in his words, and also in his deeds.
  23 And when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. 
  24 And he saw one of the race of his kindred treated with violence; and he avenged him, and did him justice, and killed the Egyptian who had abused him.
  25 And he supposed that his brethren the sons of Israel would have understood, that by his hand God would give them deliverance; but they understood not.
  26 And on another day, he appeared to them, as they were quarrelling one with another. And he exhorted them to become reconciled, saying: Men, ye are brethren; why do ye seek to harm each other?
  27 But he who did the wrong to his fellow, repulsed him from him, and said to him: Who constituted thee a ruler and a judge over us?
  28 Dost thou seek to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday?
  29 And Moses fled at that speech, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian. And he had two sons.
  30 And when forty years had been passed by him there, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a fire that burned in a bush. 
  31 And when Moses saw [it], he admired the sight: and as he drew near to behold [it], the Lord said to him, audibly :
  32 I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and dared not to gaze at the sight.
  33 And the Lord said to him: Loose thy shoes from thy feet; for the ground on which thou standest is holy. 
  34 I have attentively seen the affliction of my people, who are in Egypt; and I have heard their groans, and have come down to deliver them. And now, come, I will send thee to Egypt.
  35 This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, Who constituted thee a ruler and judge over us ? this same did God, by the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush, send to them to be their captain and deliverer. 
  36 He it was that brought them out, working signs and wonders and prodigies in the land of Egypt, and at the sea of rushes, and in the desert, forty years.
  37 This Moses is the man who said to the children of Israel: A prophet, like me, will the Lord God raise up to you from among your brethren; to him give ear. 
  38 He it was, who was in the congregation in the wilderness, with the angel that conversed with him and with our fathers at mount Sinai; and he it was, received the living words to give [them] to us.
  39 And our fathers would not hearken to him, but forsook him, and in their hearts returned again to Egypt; 
  40 when they said to Aaron: Make us gods who may go before us; because, as for this Moses who brought us from the land of Egypt, we know not what hath become of him. 
  41 And he made them a calf in those days; and they offered sacrifices to idols, and were voluptuous with the work of their hands.
  42 And God turned away, and gave them up to worship the hosts of heaven: as it is written in the book of the prophets: Did ye, for forty years, in the wilderness, present to me a slain animal or a sacrifice, ye sons of Israel?
  43 But ye bore the tabernacle of Malchum, and the star of the god Rephon, images which ye had made, that ye might bow down to them. I will transport you beyond Babylon. 
  44 Lo, the tabernacle of the testimony of our fathers, was in the wilderness; as he who talked with Moses, commanded to make it after the form which he showed him.
  45 And this same tabernacle, our fathers, with Joshua, actually brought into the land which God gave to them for an inheritance from those nations which he drove out before them; and it was borne about, until the days of David.
  46 He found favor before God; and he requested, that he might find a residence for the God of Jacob. 
  47 But Solomon built the house.
  48 Yet the most High lodgeth not in a work of [human] hands; as saith the prophet:
  49 Heaven is my throne, and earth the footstool under my feet. What is the house, ye will build for me ? saith the Lord: or, what is the place of my repose?
  50 Lo, hath not my hand made all these things?
  51 O ye stiff of neck, and uncircumcised in their heart, and in their hearing; ye do always set yourselves against the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, so also ye.
  52 For, which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute and kill, [even] them, who foretold the coming of the Just One, whom ye delivered up and slew ?
  53 And ye have received the law by the ordination of angels, and have not kept it.
  54 And when they heard these things, they were filled with rage in their souls; and they gnashed their teeth against him.
  55 And he, as he was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, looked towards heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
  56 And he said: Lo, I see heaven open, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
  57 And they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and all rushed upon him.
  58 And they seized him, and hurried him out of the city, and stoned him. And they who testified against him, laid their clothes at the feet of a certain young man who was called Saul.
  59 And they stoned Stephen, while he prayed and said: Our Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
  60 And when he had kneeled down, he cried with a loud voice, and said: Our Lord, establish not this sin against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 

VIII.

  01 And Saul was consenting and participating in his death. And there was, in that day, a great persecution against the church that was at Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed, except the legates, among the villages of Judaea and likewise among the Samaritans.
  02 And believing men gathered up and buried Stephen. And they lamented over him greatly.
  03 And Saul persecuted the church of God, entering houses, and dragging forth men and women and committing them to prison.
  04 And they who were dispersed, travelled about and preached the word of God.
  05 And Philip went down to a city of the Samaritans, and preached concerning the Messiah.
  06 And when the people who were there heard his discourse, they gave ear to him, and acquiesced in all that he said; because they saw the signs which he wrought.
  07 For many who were possessed by unclean spirits, cried with a loud voice, and came out of them: and others, who were paralytic and lame, were healed.
  08 And there was great joy in that city.
  09 And there was a certain man there, whose name was Simon, who had resided in that city a long time, and who seduced the people of the Samaritans by his sorceries, magnifying himself, and saying, I am a great personage. 
  10 And they all inclined towards him, great and small; and they said, This is the mighty power of God. 
  11 And they acquiesced in him, because for a long time he had astonished them by his sorceries.
  12 But when they gave credence to Philip, as he preached the kingdom of God, in the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah; they were baptized, both men and women.
  13 And Simon himself also believed, and was baptized, and adhered to Philip. And when he saw the signs and mighty deeds which were wrought by his hand, he was surprised and astonished.
  14 And when the legates at Jerusalem, heard that the people of the Samaritans had received the word of God, they sent out to them Simon Cephas and John.
  15 And they went down, and prayed over them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
  16 For he was not yet on any one of them; and they had only been baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus. 
  17 Then they laid the hand on them; and they received the Holy Spirit.
  18 And when Simon saw that, by the imposition of a hand of the legates, the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
  19 saying: Give me also this prerogative, that he on whom I impose a hand, may receive the Holy Spirit. 
  20 Simon Cephas said to him: Thy money go with thee to perdition ! because thou hast supposed, that the gift of God may be purchased by a worldly substance. 
  21 Thou hast no part nor lot in this faith; because thy heart is not right before God.
  22 Nevertheless, repent of this thy wickedness, and entreat of God, if perhaps the guile of thy heart may be forgiven thee.
  23 For I perceive that thou art in the bitter gall and in the bonds of iniquity.
  24 Simon answered and said: Intercede ye with God for me, that nothing of which ye have mentioned may come upon me.
  25 And Simon and John, when they had testified, and had taught them the word of God, returned to Jerusalem. And they had preached in many villages of the Samaritans.
  26 And the angel of the Lord spake with Philip, and said to him: Arise, go to the south, along the desert way that leadeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza.
  27 And he arose and went. And there met him a eunuch, who had come from Cush, an officer of Candace, queen of the Cushites, who had charge of all her treasure; and he had come to worship at Jerusalem.
  28 And as he turned to go, he was sitting in his chariot, and was reading in Isaiah the prophet.
  29 And the Holy Spirit said to Philip: Go near, and join thyself to the chariot.
  30 And when he came near, he heard him reading in Isaiah the prophet; and he said to him: Understandest thou what thou readest ?
  31 And he said: How can I understand, unless some one instruct me ? And he requested of Philip, that he would come up and sit with him.
  32 And the section of scripture in which he was reading, was this: As a lamb to the slaughter he was led away, and as a sheep before the shearer is silent, so also he in his humility opened not his mouth.
  33 From prison and from judgment he was carried: and his generation, who will declare? for his life is taken away from the earth.
  34 And the eunuch said to Philip: I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this ? of himself, or of some other person ?
  35 Then Philip opened his mouth and, from that scripture, began to preach to him concerning our Lord Jesus. 
  36 And as they proceeded on the way, they came to a certain place in which there was water. And the eunuch said: Lo, [here is] water; what doth forbid, that I should be baptized?
  37 [And Philip said: If thou believest with all thy heart, it is allowable. And he answered, and said: I believe that Jesus Messiah is the Son of God.]*
  38 And he commanded the chariot to stop; and they both went down to the water, and Philip baptized the eunuch. 
  39 And when they came up from the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more; but he went on his way rejoicing.
  40 And Philip was found at Azotus; and from there he travelled about, and preached in all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.

* This 37th verse is not in any of the earlier editions, and is excluded from the text of the London editions of 1816 and 1826.

IX.

  01 And Saul was still full of threats and deadly hatred against the disciples of our Lord.
  02 And he requested that a letter from the high priest might be given him unto Damascus to the synagogues; that if he should find persons pursuing this course, men or women, he might bind and bring them to Jerusalem. 
  03 And as he was going, and began to approach Damascus, suddenly there was poured upon him a light from heaven. 
  04 And he fell to the ground; and he heard a voice which said to him: Saul! Saul! why persecutest thou me? It will be hard for thee to kick against the goads.
  05 He replied, and said: Who art thou, my Lord? And our Lord said: I am Jesus the Nazarean, whom thou persecutest. 
  06 But arise and go into the city, and there it will be told thee what thou oughtest to do.
  07 And the men who travelled with him in the way, stood amazed; for they heard merely the voice, and no one was visible to them.
  08 And Saul arose from the ground; and nothing was visible to him, with his eyes opened. And they took him by the hand, and led him into Damascus.
  09 And he had no sight for three days; and he neither ate nor drank.
  10 And there was in Damascus a certain disciple, whose name was Ananias. And the Lord said to him, in a vision: Ananias ! And he said: Lo, I [am here], my Lord. 
  11 And our Lord said to him: Arise, go to the street which is called Straight; and inquire in the house of Judas, for Saul who is from the city of Tarsus: for, lo, while he prayed,
  12 he saw in vision a man named Ananias, who came and laid his hand upon him, that his eyes might be opened. 
  13 And Ananias said: My Lord, I have heard of this man, from many, how much evil he hath perpetrated towards thy saints at Jerusalem.
  14 And, lo, here also, he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind all them that call on thy name. 
  15 The Lord said to him: Arise and go; for he is to me a chosen vessel, to carry my name to the Gentiles, and to kings, and among the sons of Israel.
  16 For I will show him, how much he is to suffer on account of my name.
  17 Then Ananias went to the house to him; and he laid his hand upon him, and said to him: Saul, my brother, our Lord Jesus, he who appeared to thee by the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thy eyes might be opened, and thou be filled with the Holy Spirit.
  18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like a scab; and his eyes were opened. And he arose and was baptized.
  19 And he took food, and was invigorated. And he was [some] days with the disciples of Damascus.
  20 And forthwith he announced Jesus, in the synagogues of the Jews, that he is the Son of God.
  21 And all they that heard him were amazed; and they said: Is not this he, who persecuted all them that call on this name in Jerusalem ? And lo, for this very thing also, was he sent hither, that he might bind and carry them to the chief priests.
  22 But Saul was the more strengthened; and he confounded those Jews who dwelt at Damascus, while be demonstrated that this is the Messiah.
  23 And when he had been there many days, the Jews formed a conspiracy against him, to kill him.
  24 And the plot which they sought to execute upon him, was made known to Saul: and they watched the gates of the city by day and by night, in order to kill him. 
  25 Then the disciples placed him in a basket, and let him down from the wall by night.
  26 And he went to Jerusalem; and he wished to join himself with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.
  27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the legates, and related to them how the Lord appeared to him in the way, and how he conversed with him; and how, in Damascus, he had discoursed openly in the name of Jesus.
  28 And he went in and out with them, at Jerusalem. 
  29 And he spoke openly in the name of Jesus and disputed with those Jews who understood Greek. But they wished to kill him:
  30 and when the brethren knew [it], they conducted him by night to Caesarea, and from there they sent him to Tarsus.
  31 Moreover the church, in all Judaea, and in Galilee, and in Samaria, had peace and was edified; and it walked in the fear of God, and abounded in the consolation of the Holy Spirit.
  32 And it occurred, that, as Simon travelled about the cities, he came down to the saints also who dwelt in the city of Lydda.
  33 And he found a certain man whose name was 'neas, who had lain on a bed and been paralytic eight years. 
  34 And Simon said to him: 'neas, Jesus the Messiah doth heal thee; arise, and spread thy bed. And he rose up immediately. 
  35 And all they that dwelt at Lydda and Saron, saw him; and they turned to God.
  36 And there was in the city of Joppa, a certain female disciple named Tabitha; [and] she was rich in good works, and in the alms which she did.
  37 And she fell sick in those days, and died; and they washed her, and laid her in an upper room.    38 And the disciples heard that Simon was in the city of Lydda, which is near to Joppa; and they sent two men to him, to request of him that he would not delay to come to them.
  39 And Simon arose and went with them. And when he arrived, they conducted him to the chamber; and there were assembled around her all the widows, weeping, and showing him the tunics and the cloaks which Tabitha had given them when alive.
  40 And Simon put all the people out, and fell on his knees and prayed; and he turned to the corpse and said: Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Simon, she sat up.    41 And he reached to her his hand, and raised her up: and he called the saints and the widows, and presented her to them alive.
  42 And this became known throughout the city; and many believed on our Lord.
  43 And he tarried in Joppa not a few days: and he lodged in the house of Simon a tanner.

X.

  01 And there was a certain man in Caesarea, whose name was Cornelius, a centurion of the regiment called the Italian.
  02 And he was righteous, and feared God, he and all his house; [and] he did much alms among the people, and prayed to God at all times.
  03 This man distinctly saw, in a vision, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God, who came in to him and said to him: Cornelius!
  04 And he looked upon him, and was afraid; and he said: What, my Lord? And the angel said to him: Thy prayers and thy alms have come up in remembrance before God. 
  05 And now, send men to the city of Joppa, and bring Simon who is called Cephas.
  06 Lo, he lodgeth in the house of Simon the tanner, which is by the side of the sea.
  07 And when the angel that talked with him was gone, he called two of his household, and a soldier who feared God and was obedient to him.
  08 And he related to them all that he had seen, and sent them to Joppa.
  09 And the next day, as they travelled the road and approached the city, Simon ascended the roof to pray, at the sixth hour.
  10 And he became hungry, and desired to eat. And while they were providing for him, he fell into a trance.
  11 And he saw the heavens opened, and a certain vessel fastened at the four corners, and it was like a great sheet; and it descended from heaven to the a earth. 
  12 And there were in it all fourfooted animals, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of heaven. 
  13 And a voice came to him, which said: Simon, arise, slay and eat.
  14 And Simon said: Far be it, my Lord: for never have I eaten any thing unclean and polluted.
  15 And again the second time, there was a voice to him: What God hath cleansed, make thou not unclean.
  16 And this was done three times; and the vessel was taken up to heaven.
  17 And while Simon was wondering with himself, what the vision he had seen could denote, the men who were sent by Cornelius arrived; and they inquired for the house in which Simon lodged, and came and stood at the gate of the court.
  18 And there they called out, and asked if Simon who is called Cephas lodged there ?
  19 And while Simon was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him: Lo, three men are inquiring for thee. 
  20 Arise, go down, and accompany them; and let not thy mind hesitate, for I have sent them.
  21 Then Simon went down to the men, and said to them: I am he for whom ye inquire: what is the cause for which ye have come?
  22 They say to him: A certain man whose name is Cornelius, a centurion fearing God, and of whom all the people of the Jews bear good report, was told in vision, by a holy angel, to send and bring thee to his house, that he might hear discourse from thee.
  23 And Simon led them in, and entertained them where he lodged. And the following day, he arose, departed, and went with them: and some of the brethren of Joppa also went with them.
  24 And the next day, they entered Caesarea. And Cornelius was expecting them: and all the kindred of his family, and also such intimate friends as he had, were assembled with him.
  25 And as Simon came up, Cornelius met him, and fell down worshipping at his feet.
  26 And Simon raised him up, and said to him: Arise; I also am a man.
  27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found that many had come there.
  28 And he said to them: Ye know, that it is not lawful for a Jewish man, to associate with an alien who is not of his race: but God hath showed me, that I should not say of any one, that he is defiled or unclean.
  29 Therefore I came readily, when ye sent for me. But, I ask you, for what cause did ye send for me?
  30 And Cornelius said to him: It is four days ago, that, lo, I was fasting; and at the ninth hour, while I was praying in my house, a certain man stood before me, clothed in white,
  31 and said to me: Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and there remembrance of thy alms before God.
  32 But send to the city of Joppa, and bring Simon who is called Cephas: lo, he lodgeth in the house of Simon the tanner, which is by the side of the sea. And he will come and converse with thee.
  33 And immediately I sent to thee; and thou hast done well to come: and lo, we are all of us before thee, and desirous to hear whatever is commanded thee from God.
  34 And Simon opened his mouth, and said: Truly I discover that God is no respecter of persons.
  35 but, among all the nations, he who feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable with him.
  36 For [this is] the word, which he sent to the sons of Israel, announcing to them peace and rest by Jesus Messiah, He is Lord of all;
  37 and ye also know the word, which was in all Judaea, which commenced from Galilee, after the baptism that John preached,
  38 concerning Jesus, who was of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power. And he it was, who went about and healed those that were suffering from evil, because God was with him.
  39 And we [are] his witnesses, as to whatever he did in all the region of Judaea and in Jerusalem. This same person the Jews hanged on a tree, and slew him. 
  40 And him did God raise up, on the third day; and caused him to be seen with naked eyes;
  41 not indeed by all the people, but by us, who were chosen of God to be his witnesses, [and] who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from the dead.
  42 And he commanded us to proclaim and testify to the people, that he is appointed of God to be judge of the living and of the dead.
  43 And of him all the prophets testify, that whoever believeth in his name, will receive remission of sins.
  44 And while Simon was uttering these things, the Holy Spirit overshadowed all them that were hearing the word. 
  45 And the circumcised brethren who came with him, were amazed and astonished, that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Gentiles also.
  46 For they heard them speak with diverse tongues, and magnify God.
  47 And Simon said: Can any one forbid water, that those should not be baptized, they who have received, lo, the Holy Spirit, as well as we ?
  48 Then he commanded them to be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah. And they requested him to remain with them [some] days.

XI.

  01 And it was reported to the legates and the brethren in Judaea, that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
  02 And when Simon went up to Jerusalem, they who were of the circumcision contended with him,
  03 saying; that he had gone in to be with uncircumcised persons, and had eaten with them.
  04 And Simon began to address them methodically: 
  05 As I was in Joppa, praying, I saw in vision, that a certain vessel descended, which was like a sheet, and it was tied at its four corners; and it descended from heaven and came to me.
  06 And I looked upon it, and I saw that in it were fourfooted animals, and reptiles of the earth, and fowls of heaven. 
  07 And I heard a voice, which said to me: Simon, arise slay and eat.
  08 And I said: Far be it, my Lord. For never hath any thing polluted or unclean entered my mouth.
  09 And again, a voice from heaven said to me: What God hath cleansed, make thou not unclean.
  10 And this was done three times: and the whole was taken up to heaven.
  11 And at the same instant, three men, who were sent to me by Cornelius from Caesarea, came and stood at the gate of the court where I lodged.
  12 And the Spirit said to me: Go with them, without hesitation. And these six brethren went also with me, and we entered the man's house.
  13 And he related to us, how he had seen an angel in his house, who stood and said to him: Send to the city of Joppa, and bring Simon who is called Cephas; 
  14 and he will utter to thee discourses, by which thou wilt live, thou and all thy house.
  15 And when I there commenced speaking, the Holy Spirit overshadowed them, as it did us from the beginning. 
  16 And I remembered the word of our Lord, when he said: John baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
  17 If then God equally gave the gift to the Gentiles that believed in our Lord Jesus Messiah, as he did to us: who was I, that I could forbid God?
  18 And when they heard these words, they desisted; and they glorified God and said: Now to the Gentiles also doth God give repentance unto life.
  19 And they who were dispersed, by the oppression which occurred on account of Stephen, travelled as far as Phenicia, and even to the country of Cyprus, and to Antioch, speaking the word to none except to Jews only.
  20 And there were some of them from Cyprus and from Cyrene, who went up to Antioch, and spoke to the Greeks, and preached concerning our Lord Jesus.
  21 And the hand of the Lord was with them; and many believed, and turned to the Lord.
  22 And this came to the ears of the sons of the church at Jerusalem: and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 
  23 And when he came there, and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced: and he entreated them, that with all their heart, they would adhere to our Lord.
  24 For he was a good man, and was full of the Holy Spirit, and of faith. And many people were added to our Lord.
  25 And he went away to Tarsus, to seek for Saul. 
  26 And when he had found him, he brought him with him to Antioch. And a whole year they met together in the church, and instructed many people. From that time forth, the disciples were first called CHRISTIANS, at Antioch.
  27 In those days came prophets thither from Jerusalem. 
  28 And one of them whose name was Agabus, stood up and informed them, by the Spirit, that there would be a great famine in all the country. And that famine occurred in the days of Claudius Caesar.
  29 And moreover the disciples, each of them according to his several ability, determined to send to the relief of the brethren who dwelt in Judaea.
  30 And they sent, by the hand of Barnabas and Saul, unto the Elders there.

XII.

  01 And at that time Herod the king, who was surnamed Agrippa, laid hands on some of the church, to maltreat them.
  02 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 
  03 And when he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded also to arrest Simon Cephas. And the days of unleavened bread were then passing.
  04 He seized him and cast him into prison, and delivered him to sixteen soldiers, who were to guard him; that he might, after the passover, deliver him up to the people of the Jews.
  05 And while Simon was in custody in the prison, continual prayer to God in his behalf, was offered to God by the church.
  06 And on the night before the morning in which he was to be delivered up, while Simon was sleeping between two soldiers, and was bound with two chains, and others were guarding the doors of the prison;
  07 an angel of the Lord stood over him, and a light shone in all the building; and he pricked his side, and awaked him, and said to him: Arise, instantly. And the chains fell from his hands.
  08 And the angel said to him: Gird thy loins, and put on thy sandals. And he did so. And again he said to him: Wrap thyself in thy cloak, and come after me.
  09 And he went out and followed him, not knowing that what had been done by the angel was a reality; for he supposed, that he saw a vision.
  10 And when the first ward was passed and the second, they came to the iron gate, and it opened to them of its own accord. And when they had gone out, and had passed one street, the angel departed from him.
  11 Then Simon recognized [where he was]; and he said: Now I know, in reality, that God hath sent his angel, and delivered me from the hand of Herod the king, and from what the Jews were devising against me.
  12 And when he had considered, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John surnamed Mark; because many brethren were assembled there and praying.
  13 And he knocked at the gate of the court; and a maid named Rhoda came to reply to him.
  14 And she recognized the voice of Simon: and, In her joy, she did not open to him the gate, but ran back, and told them: Lo, Simon is standing at the gate of the court. 
  15 They said to her: Thou art delirious. But she maintained that it was a fact. They said to her: Perhaps it is his ghost.
  16 And Simon was knocking at the gate; and they went out, saw him, and were astonished.
  17 And he beckoned to them with the hand to be still; and he went in, and related to them how the Lord had released him from the prison. And he said to them: Tell these things to James and to the brethren. And he went out, and departed to another place.
  18 And when it was morning, there was a great dispute among the soldiers concerning Simon, what had become of him.
  19 And Herod, when he sought him, and could not find him, arraigned the keepers, and sentenced them to die. And he went from Judaea, and resided at Caesarea.
  20 And because he was angry against the Tyrians and Sidonians, they assembled and came to him in a body; and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they begged of him that they might have peace; because the supplies of their country were derived from the kingdom of Herod.
  21 And on a day appointed, Herod was arrayed in royal apparel, and sat on a tribunal, and made a speech to the assembly.
  22 And all the people shouted, and said: These are the utterances of a God, and not of a mortal.
  23 And, because he gave not the glory to God, immediately the angel of God smote him; and he was eaten of worms, and died.
  24 And the gospel of God was proclaimed, and made progress.
  25 And Barnabas and Saul, after they had completed their ministration, returned from Jerusalem to Antioch. And they took with them John, who was surnamed Mark.

XIII.

  01 Now there were in the church at Antioch, [several] prophets and teachers; Barnabas, and Simon called Niger, and Lucius who was from the city Cyrene, and Menaen, a son of the guardians of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. 
  02 And while they were fasting and making supplication to God, the Holy Spirit said to them: Separate to me Saul and Barnabas, for the work to which I have called them. 
  03 And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid the hand on them, and sent them away.
  04 And they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there they went by sea as far as Cyprus.
  05 And when they entered the city of Salamis, they announced the word of our Lord in the synagogues of the Jews. And John ministered to them.
  06 And when they had travelled over the whole island as far as the city Paphos, they found a certain man, a sorcerer, a Jew, who was a false prophet, and whose name was Bar-Suma.
  07 He adhered to a wise man, who was the proconsul, and was called Sergius Paulus. And the proconsul sent for Saul and Barnabas, and requested to hear from them the word of God.
  08 And this sorcerer, Bar-Suma, (whose name is interpreted, Elymas,) withstood them; because he wished to divert the proconsul from the faith.
  09 And Saul who is called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit; and he looked upon him,
  10 and said: O thou full of all subtilties, and all mischiefs, thou child of the calumniator, and enemy of all righteousness; wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
  11 And now, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, and shalt not see the sun for a time. And immediately there fell upon him a mist and darkness; and he went about, inquiring who would take him by the hand.
  12 And when the proconsul saw what occurred, he was astonished; and he believed the doctrine of the Lord. 
  13 And Paul and Barnabas went by sea, from the city of Paphos, and came to Perga, a city of Pamphylia. And John separated from them, and went away to Jerusalem. 
  14 And they departed from Perga, and came to Antioch, a city of Pisidia: and they entered the synagogue, on the sabbath day, and sat down.
  15 And after the law had been read, and the prophets, the Elders of the synagogue sent to them, and said: Men, brethren, if ye have a word of exhortation, address the people.
  16 And Paul arose, and waved his hand, and said: Men, sons of Israel, and ye that fear God, hear ye.
  17 The God of this people chose our fathers, and raised them up, and multiplied them, when they resided in the land of Egypt; and, with a high arm, he brought them out of it.
  18 And he fed them in the wilderness forty years. 
  19 And he extirpated seven nations in the land of Canaan, and gave them their land for an inheritance.
  20 And for four hundred and fifty years he gave  them judges, until Samuel the prophet.
  21 And then they asked for themselves a king: and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, during forty years.
  22 And he removed him, and raised up to them David as king: and he testified of him, and said: I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart: he will do all my pleasure.
  23 From the seed of this man, hath God raised up to Israel, as he promised, Jesus a deliverer.
  24 And, before his advent, he sent John to proclaim the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 
  25 And while John was fulfilling his ministry, he said: Who, suppose ye, that I am ? I am not he. But lo, he cometh after me; of whom I am not worthy to untie his shoe-strings. 
  26 Men, brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and all who, with you, fear God, to you is this word of life sent.
  27 For, those inhabitants of Jerusalem and their chiefs, did not apprehend it; neither [did they apprehend] also the writings of the prophets, which are read every sabbath; but they condemned him, and fulfilled all the things written. 
  28 And while they found no ground for [his] death, they desired of Pilate that they might kill him.
  29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning him, they took him down from the cross, and laid him in a sepulchre.
  30 But God raised him from the dead.
  31 And he was seen many days, by them who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem; and they are now his witnesses to the people.
  32 And lo, we also announce to you, that the promise, which was made to our fathers,
  33 lo, God hath fulfilled it to us their children, in that he raised up Jesus; as it is written in the second psalm: Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 
  34 And God hath so raised him from the dead, that he will not return again and see corruption; as he said: I will give to you the sure grace of David.
  35 And again he said, in another place: Thou hast not given thy devout one to see corruption.
  36 For David, in his generation, served the pleasure of God, and went to rest, and was added to his fathers, and saw corruption.
  37 But this person, whom God raised up, did not see corruption.
  38 Know therefore, brethren, that through this man remission of sins is proclaimed to you.
  39 And every one that believeth in this man, is made just from all things, from which ye could not be made just by the law of Moses.
  40 Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you, which is written in the prophets:
  41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though a man relate it to you.
  42 And when they had gone from them, they besought them to speak the same things to them the next sabbath day. 
  43 And when the synagogue was dismissed, many Jews went after them, and likewise proselytes who feared God. And they conversed with them, and persuaded them to adhere to the grace of God.
  44 And the next sabbath, the whole city assembled to hear the word of God.
  45 And when the Jews saw the great assembly, they were filled with envy, and set them selves against the words which Paul spoke, and blasphemed.
  46 And Paul and Barnabas said openly: To you first, ought the word of God to be spoken; but because ye repel it from you, and decide, against yourselves, that ye are not worthy of life eternal, lo, we turn ourselves to the Gentiles.
  47 For so hath our Lord commanded us; as it is written: I have set thee a light to the Gentiles; that thou shouldst be for life unto the ends of the earth.
  48 And when the Gentiles heard [this], they rejoiced and glorified God. And those believed, who were appointed to life eternal.
  49 And the word of the Lord was talked of in all that region.
  50 But the Jews stirred up the chiefs of the city, and the opulent women who with them feared God, and set up a persecution against Paul and against Barnabas, and expelled them from their borders.
  51 And when they went out, they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and went to the city of Iconium. 
  52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Spirit.

XIV.

  01 And they came and entered into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke with them, that many of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.
  02 But Jews of the class of unbelievers, excited the Gentiles, to maltreat the brethren.
  03 And they continued there a long time, and spoke openly concerning the Lord; and he gave testimony to the word of his grace, by the signs and prodigies which he wrought by their hands.
  04 And the whole multitude of the city was divided; and a part were with the Jews, and a part adhered to the legates. 
  05 And an assault was made on them, by the Gentiles, and by the Jews and their chiefs, to insult them, and to stone them with stones.
  06 And when they knew [it], they departed and fled to the cities of Lycaonia and Lystra and Derbe, and to the villages around them;
  07 and there they preached.
  08 And a certain man dwelt in the city Lystra, who was afflicted in his feet, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked.
  09 He heard Paul speak: and when Paul saw him, and knew that he had faith to live;
  10 he said to him, with a loud voice: In the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah, I say to thee, Rise upon thy feet. And he sprang up, stood, and walked.
  11 And the assembly of people, when they saw what Paul had done, raised their voice, and said, in the language of the country: The gods have assumed the likeness of men, and have come down to us.
  12 And they named Barnabas the Lord of the Gods; and Paul Hermes, because he commenced the speaking. 
  13 And the priest of the Lord of the Gods, who was without the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gate of the court where they lodged, and was disposed to offer sacrifices to them.
  14 But Barnabas and Paul, when they heard [it], rent their garments, and sprang and went among the throng, 
  15 and called out, and said: Men, what do ye ? We also are frail mortals like yourselves, who preach to you, that ye should turn from these useless things, unto the living God, who made heaven and earth and seas, and whatever is in them.
  16 He, in former ages, left all the nations to go in their own ways:
  17 although he did not leave himself without testimony, while he did them good from heaven, and sent down the rain, and made the fruits to grow in their seasons, and filled their hearts with food and pleasure.
  18 And, by saying these things, they with difficulty prevented the people from offering sacrifice to them.
  19 But Jews came hither from Iconium and Antioch, and excited the people against them. And they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.
  20 And the disciples assembled around him; and he arose, and went into the city. And the next day, he departed from there, with Barnabas; and they came to the city of Derbe.
  21 And while they were preaching to the inhabitants of that city, they made many disciples. And turning back, they came to the city Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch, 
  22 confirming the souls of the disciples, and entreating them to persevere in the faith; and they told them, that it was necessary, through much affliction, to enter into the kingdom of God.
  23 And they established for them Elders in each church, while they fasted with them, and prayed, and commended them to our Lord in whom they believed.
  24 And when they had travelled over the region of Pisidia they came to Pamphylia.
  25 And when they had spoken the word of the Lord in the city of Perga, they went down to Attalia.
  26 And thence they proceeded by sea, and came to Antioch; because from there they had been commended to the grace of the Lord, for that work which they had accomplished. 
  27 And when they had collected together the whole church, they narrated all that God had wrought with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 
  28 And they remained there a long time with the disciples.

XV.

  01 And certain men came down from Judaea, and taught the brethren, that unless ye be circumcised, in accordance with the rite of the law, ye cannot have life.
  02 And Paul and Barnabas had much trouble and disputation with them. And it resulted, that Paul and Barnabas, and others with them, went up to the legates and Elders at Jerusalem, because of this matter.
  03 And the church waited on them, and sent them away; and they travelled through all Phenicia and the territory of the Samaritans, narrating the conversion of the Gentiles, and causing great joy to all the brethren.
  04 And when they came to Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and by the Elders, and by the legates; and they recounted all that God had wrought by them. 
  05 And some who from the sect of the Pharisees had believed, rose up and said: It is necessary for you to circumcise them, and to command them to observe the law of Moses.
  06 And the legates and Elders assembled, to look into this matter.
  07 And when there had been much discussion, Simon arose and said to them: Men, brethren, ye know that, from the earlier days, God chose that from my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and should believe.
  08 And God, who knoweth what is in hearts, bore testimony concerning them, and gave the Holy Spirit to them, even as to us.
  09 And he made no distinction between them and us; because he purified their hearts by faith.
  10 And now, why tempt ye God, by putting a yoke on the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we could bear?
  11 But we believe, that we as well as they, are to have life by the grace of our Lord Jesus Messiah.
  12 And the whole assembly were silent, and listened to Paul and Barnabas, who related how God by their hands had wrought signs and prodigies among the Gentiles. 
  13 And after they ceased, James arose and said: Men, brethren, hearken to me.
  14 Simon hath related to you, how God hath begun to elect a people for his name from among the Gentiles. 
  15 And with this the words of the prophets accord, as it is written:
  16 After these things I will return, and will set up the tabernacle of David that had fallen; and will build that which was in ruins in it, and will raise it up: 
  17 so that the residue of men may seek the Lord, and all the nations on whom my name is called; saith the Lord, who doth all these things.
  18 Known, from of old, are the works of God.
  19 Therefore I say to you, let them not crush those who from among the Gentiles have turned unto God. 
  20 But let word be sent to them, that they keep aloof from the defilement of a sacrifice [to idols], and from whoredom, and from what is strangled, and from blood. 
  21 For in every city, from former ages, Moses hath heralds in the synagogues, who read him every sabbath.
  22 Then the legates and Elders, with all the church, chose men from among themselves, and sent them to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas; [namely], Jude, who was called Barsabas, and Silas, men who were chiefs among the brethren. 
  23 And they wrote a letter by them, thus: The legates and Elders and brethren, to them that are in Antioch, and in Syria, and in Cilicia, brethren who are from the Gentiles, greeting:
  24 We have heard, that some have gone from us and disquieted you, by discourses, and have subverted your minds, by saying, That ye must be circumcised and keep the law; things which we have not commanded them.
  25 Therefore we all have thought fit, when assembled, to choose and send men to you, with our beloved Paul and Barnabas,
  26 men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah.
  27 And we have sent with them Jude and Silas, that they may tell you the same things orally.
  28 For it was pleasing to the Holy Spirit, and to us, that there should not be laid upon you any additional burden, besides these necessary things:
  29 that ye keep aloof from a sacrifice [to idols], and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from whoredom. And if ye keep yourselves from these, ye will do well. Be ye steadfast in the Lord.
  30 And they who were sent, came to Antioch, and assembled all the people, and delivered the letter.
  31 And when they had read [it], they rejoiced and were comforted.
  32 And with abundant discourse they strengthened the brethren; and the associates of Jude and Silas established them, because they also were prophets.
  33 And when, they had been there some time, the brethren dismissed them in peace to the legates.
  34 * But it was the pleasure of Silas to remain there.] 
  35 Paul also and Barnabas remained at Antioch; and they taught and proclaimed, with many others, the word of God.
  36 And after [some] days, Paul said to Barnabas: Let us return, and visit the brethren in every city, in which we have preached the word of God; and let us see what they are doing.
  37 And Barnabas was disposed to take John, who was surnamed Mark.
  38 But Paul was not willing to take him with them; because he left them when they were in Pamphylia, and went not with them.
  39 In, consequence of this strife, they separated from each other: and Barnabas took Mark, and they travelled by sea and went to Cyprus.
  40 But Paul chose Silas for his companion, and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 
  41 And he travelled through Syria, and through Cilicia, and strengthened the churches.

* This verse is removed to the margin in the editions of the British and Foreign Bible Society.

XVI.

  01 And he came to the city Derbe, and to Lystra. And there was a certain disciple there, whose name was Timothy, the son of a believing Jewess, but his father was a Gentile. 
  02 And all the disciples of Lystra and Iconium gave good testimony of him.
  03 Him Paul was disposed to take with him: and he took him, and circumcised him, because of the Jews that were in that region; for they all knew that his father was a Gentile.
  04 And as they went among the cities, they preached and taught them, that they should observe those injunctions which the legates and Elders at Jerusalem had written. 
  05 And so were the churches established in the faith, and were increased in number daily.
  06 And they travelled through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia; and the Holy Spirit forbid them to speak the word of God in Asia.
  07 And when they came into the region of Mysia, they were disposed to go from there into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus permitted them not.
  08 And when they departed from Mysia, they came down to the region of Troas.
  09 And in a vision of the night, there appeared unto Paul, a man of Macedonia, who stood and besought him, saying: Come to Macedonia and help us.
  10 And when Paul had seen this vision, immediately we were desirous to depart for Macedonia; because we inferred, that our Lord called us to preach to them.
  11 And we sailed from Troas, and came direct to Samothrace; and from there, on the following day, we came to the city Neapolis.
  12 And from there to Philippi, which is the chief [city] of Macedonia, and is a colony. And we remained in that city certain days.
  13 And on the sabbath day, we went without the gate of the city to the side of a river, because a house of prayer was seen there. And when we were seated, we conversed with the women who there assembled.
  14 And a certain woman who feared God, a seller of purple, whose name was Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, [was there]. Her heart our Lord opened, and she hearkened to what Paul spake.
  15 And she was baptized, and her household. And she entreated us, saying: If ye are really persuaded that I have believed in our Lord, come and take lodging in my house. And she urged us much.
  16 And it occurred that, as we were going to the house of prayer, a certain maid met us, who had a spirit of divination, and who procured for her lords great gain by the divination which she performed.
  17 And she followed after Paul and us, and cried, saying: These men are the servants of the Most High God, and they announce to you the way of life.
  18 And this she did many days. And Paul was indignant; and he said to that spirit, I command thee, in the name of Jesus Messiah, that thou come out of her. And it came out the same hour.
  19 And when her lords saw that the prospect of their gain from her was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragging them along brought them to the market-place, 
  20 and set them before the prefects and chiefs of the city, and said: These men disturb our city; for they are Jews,
  21 and they preach to us customs, which it is not lawful for us to receive and to practise, because we are Romans. 
  22 And a great company was collected against them. Then the prefects rent their garments, and commanded to scourge them.
  23 And when they had scourged them much, they cast them into the prison, and commanded the keeper of the prison to keep them with care.
  24 And he, having received this command, carried and immured them in the inner part of the prison, and confined their feet in the stocks.
  25 And at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and glorifying God: and the prisoners heard them.
  26 And suddenly there was a great shaking, and the foundations of the prison were moved; and at once all the doors opened, and the bands of all were loosed.
  27 And when the keeper of the prison awoke, and saw that the doors of the prison were open, he took a sword and sought to kill himself; because he supposed the prisoners had escaped.
  28 But Paul called to him, in a loud voice, and said: Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.
  29 And he lighted for himself a lamp, and sprang and came in, trembling, and fell at the feet of Paul and Silas. 
  30 And he brought them out, and said to them: My lords, what must I do, that I may have life ?
  31 And they said to him: Believe on the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah, and thou wilt have life, thou and thy house.
  32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all the members of his house.
  33 And the same hour of the night, he took and washed them from their stripes; and he was baptized immediately, he and all the members of his house.
  34 And he took them and brought them into his house, and set a table for them; and he rejoiced in the faith of God, he and all the members of his house.
  35 And when it was morning, the prefects sent rod-bearers to say to the superior of the prison: Let those men loose. 
  36 And when the superior of the prison heard [it], he went in, and said the same thing to Paul; [namely], that . the prefects have sent [word] that ye be set free. And now, [said he,] Go ye out, and depart in peace. 
  37 But Paul said to him: They have scourged us, unoffending men, and Romans, before all the world, and have cast us into prison; and now, do they secretly let us out? No, surely: but let them come themselves and bring us out. 
  38 And the rod-bearers went and told to the prefects the words which were told to them: and when they heard that they were Romans, they were afraid,
  39 and came to them, and entreated of them that they would come out, and that they would leave the city. 
  40 And when they came out from the prison, they entered the house of Lydia; and there they saw the brethren, and comforted them, and departed.

XVII.

  01 And they passed through the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia, and came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews.
  02 And Paul, as was his custom, went in to them; and during three sabbaths he discoursed with them from the scriptures;
  03 expounding and showing, that the Messiah was to suffer, and to arise from the dead, and that this Jesus whom I announce to you is the Messiah.
  04 And some of them believed, and adhered to Paul and Silas; and of those Greeks who feared God, a great many; and also of noted women, not a few.
  05 But the Jews were indignant, and gathered to themselves evil men from the marketplace of the city, and formed a great mob; and they alarmed the city, and came and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to draw them from it, and to deliver them up to the mob.
  06 And when they found them not there, they drew Jason and the brethren who were there, and brought them before the chiefs of the city, crying out: These are they who have terrified all the country; and lo, they have come hither also:
  07 and this Jason is their entertainer: and they all resist the commands of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
  08 And the chiefs of the city and all the people, were alarmed when they heard these things.
  09 And they took sureties from Jason, and also from the brethren, and then released them.
  10 And the brethren immediately, on the same night, sent away Paul and Silas to the city of Berea. And when they came there, they entered into the synagogue of the Jews.
  11 For the Jews there were more liberal than the Jews of Thessalonica; and they gladly heard the word from them daily, and searched from the scriptures whether these things were so.
  12 And many of them believed; and so likewise of the Greeks, many men, and women of note.
  13 And when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached by Paul in the city of Berea, they came thither also, and they ceased not to excite and alarm the people.
  14 And the brethren sent away Paul, that he might go down to the sea. But Silas and Timothy abode in that city.
  15 And they who conducted Paul, went with him to the city of Athens. And when they departed from him, they received an epistle from him to Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him speedily.
  16 And while Paul was waiting [for them] at Athens, he was pained in his spirit; because he saw that the whole city was full of idols.
  17 And in the synagogue he spoke with the Jews, and with those that feared God, and in the market-place with them who daily assembled there.
  18 And also philosophers of the sect of Epicureans, and others who were called Stoics, disputed with him. And one and another of them said: What doth this word-monger mean ? Others said: He announceth foreign deities; because he preached to them Jesus and his resurrection. 
  19 And they took him and brought him to the place of judgments called Areopagus, and said to him: May we know what this new doctrine which thou preachest is ? 
  20 For thou scatterest in our ears strange words; and we wish to know what they are.
  21 For all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there, cared for nothing else but to tell or to hear something new.
  22 And as Paul stood in the Areopagus, he said: Men, Athenians, I perceive that in all things ye are excessive in the worship of demons.
  23 For, as I was rambling about, and viewing the temples of your worship, I met with an altar, on which was inscribed, TO THE HIDDEN GOD. Him, therefore, whom ye worship while ye know him not, the very same I announce to you. 
  24 For the God who made the world and all that is in it, and who is Lord of heaven and of earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands.
  25 Nor is he ministered to by human hands, neither hath he any wants; for he it is giveth life and breath to every man.
  26 And of one blood hath he made the whole world of men, that they might dwell on the face of all the earth: and he hath separated the seasons by his ordinance; and hath set bounds to the residence of men:
  27 that they might inquire and search after God, and, by means of his creations, might find him; because he is not afar off from each one of us:
  28 for in him it is we live, and move, and exist: as one of your own wise men hath said: From him is our descent. 
  29 Therefore we, whose descent is from God, ought not to suppose that the Deity hath the likeness of gold, or silver, or stone, sculptured by the art and skill of men 
  30 And the times of this error God hath made to pass away; and at the present time, he commandeth all men, that each individual, in every place, should repent. 
  31 Because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge all the earth, with righteousness, by the man whom he hath designated: and he turneth every man to faith in him, in that he raised him from the dead.
  32 And when they heard of the resurrection from the dead, some of them ridiculed, and others of them said: At another time, we will hear thee on this matter. 
  33 And so Paul departed from among them.
  34 And some of them adhered to him, and believed; one of these was Dionysius from among the judges of Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

XVIII.

  01 And when Paul departed from Athens, he went to Corinth. 
  02 And he found there a man, a Jew, whose name was Aquila, who was from the region of Pontus, and had just then arrived from the country of Italy, he and Priscilla his wife, because Claudius Caesar had commanded that all Jews should depart from Rome. And he went to them
  03 and, because he was of a their trade, he took lodgings with them, and worked with them; for by their trade they were tent-makers.
  04 And he spoke in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and Gentiles.
  05 And when Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was impeded in discourse, because the Jews stood up against him, and reviled, as he testified to them that Jesus is the Messiah.
  06 And he shook his garments, and said to them: Henceforth I am clean; I betake myself to the Gentiles.
  07 And he went away, and entered into the house of a certain man named Titus, one who feared God, and whose house adjoined the synagogue.
  08 And Crispus, the president of the synagogue, believed on our Lord, he and all the members of his house. And many Corinthians gave ear, and believed in God and were baptized.
  09 And the Lord said to Paul in a vision: Fear not, but speak and be not silent:
  10 for I am with thee, and no one is able to harm thee; and I have much people in this city.
  11 And he resided in Corinth a year and six months, and taught them the word of God.
  12 And when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews assembled together against Paul; and they brought him before the judgment-seat,
  13 saying: This man persuadeth the people to worship God contrary to the law.
  14 And when Paul requested that he might open his mouth and speak, Gallio said to the Jews: If your accusation, O Jews, related to any wrong done, or any fraud, or base act, I would listen to you suitably.
  15 But if the contests are about words, and about names, and concerning your law, ye must see to it among yourselves, for I am not disposed to be a judge of such matters. 
  16 And he repelled them from his judgment-seat. 
  17 And all the Gentiles laid hold of Sosthenes an Elder of the synagogue, and smote him before the judgment-seat. And Gallio disregarded these things.
  18 And when Paul had been there many days, he bid adieu to the brethren, and departed by sea to go to Syria. And with him went Priscilla and Aquila, when he had shaved his head at Cenchrea, because he had vowed a vow. 
  19 And they came to Ephesus; and Paul entered the synagogue, and discoursed with the Jews.
  20 And they requested him to tarry with them: but he could not be persuaded.
  21 For he said: I must certainly keep the approaching feast at Jerusalem. But, if it please God, I will come again to you.
  22 And Aquila and Priscilla he left at Ephesus, and he himself proceeded by sea and came to Caesarea. And he went up and saluted the members of the church, and went on to Antioch.
  23 And when he had been there some days, he departed, and travelled from place to place in the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, establishing all the disciples.
  24 And a certain man named Apollos, a Jew, a native of Alexandria, who was trained to eloquence, and well taught in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
  25 He had been instructed in the ways of the Lord, and was fervent in spirit; and he discoursed and taught fully respecting Jesus, while yet he knew nothing except the baptism of John.
  26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. And when Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him to their house, and fully showed him the way of the Lord. 
  27 And when he was disposed to go to Achaia, the brethren anticipated him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. And, by going, through grace, he greatly assisted all them that believed.
  28 For he reasoned powerfully against the Jews, before the congregation; and showed from the scriptures, respecting Jesus, that he is the Messiah.

XIX.

  01 And while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul travelled over the upper countries to Ephesus. And he inquired of the disciples whom he found there,
  02 Have ye received the Holy Spirit, since ye believed? They answered and said to him: If there be a Holy Spirit, it hath not come to our hearing.
  03 He said to them: Into what then were ye baptized ? They say: Into the baptism of John.
  04 Paul said to them: John baptized the people with the baptism of repentance, while he told them to believe in him who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus the Messiah. 
  05 And when they heard these things, they were baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah.
  06 And Paul laid [his] hand on them; and the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in various tongues, and prophesied.
  07 And all the persons were twelve.
  08 And Paul entered into the synagogue, and spoke boldly three months, persuading in regard to the kingdom of God. 
  09 And some of them were hardened, and disputatious, and reviled the way of God before the assembly of the people. Then Paul withdrew himself, and separated the disciples from them. And he discoursed with them daily in the school of a man named Tyrannus.
  10 And this continued for two years, until all who resided in [Proconsular] Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard the word of the Lord.
  11 And God wrought very  great miracles by the hand of Paul:
  12 so that, from the clothes on his body, napkins and rags were carried and laid upon the sick, and the diseases left them, and demons also went out.
  13 And moreover certain Jews, who went: about exorcising demons, were disposed to exorcise in the name of our Lord Jesus over those who had unclean spirits, by saying: We adjure you, in the name of that Jesus whom Paul announceth. 
  14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, who did this.
  15 And the evil demon answered and said to them: Jesus I well know, and Paul I know, but as for you, who are ye?
  16 And the man in whom was the evil demon leaped upon them, and overpowered them, and threw them down: and they fled out of the house denuded and bruised.
  17 And this became known to all the Jews and Gentiles, who resided at Ephesus. And fear fell on them all, and the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah was exalted.
  18 And many of them that believed, came and narrated their faults, and confessed what they had done. 
  19 And also many magicians collected their books, and brought and burned them before every body: and they computed the cost of them, and it amounted to fifty thousand [pieces] of silver.
  20 And thus with great power was the faith of God strengthened and increased.
  21 And when these things had been accomplished, Paul purposed in his mind, to make the circuit of all Macedonia and Achaia, and [then] go to Jerusalem. And he said: After I have gone thither, I must also see Rome.
  22 And he sent two persons, of those that ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia; but he himself remained for a time in Asia.
  23 And at that time there was great commotion respecting the way of God.
  24 For a certain silversmith was there, named Demetrius, who made silver shrines for Diana, and afforded great profits to the artisans of his trade.
  25 He assembled all the artisans of his trade, and those who labored with them, and said to them: Gentlemen, ye know that our gains are all from this manufacture. 
  26 And ye also know and see, that not only the citizens of Ephesus, but also the mass of all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and enticed away, by saying, that those are not gods, which are made by the hands of men.
  27 And not only is this occupation slandered and impeded, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana is accounted as nothing; and likewise the goddess herself of all Asia, and whom all nations worship, is contemned.
  28 And when they heard these things they were filled with wrath; and they cried out, and said: Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
  29 And the whole city was in commotion; and they ran together, and entered the theatre. And they caught, and bore along with them, Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, and associates of Paul.
  30 And Paul was disposed to go into the theatre: but the disciples restrained him.
  31 And likewise the chiefs of Asia, because they were his friends, sent and requested of him, that he would not expose himself by going into the theatre.
  32 And the multitudes that were in the theatre were in great confusion, and cried, some one thing, and some another: and many of them knew not for what cause they had come together.
  33 And the Jewish people who were there, brought forward one of their men, a Jew, named Alexander. And he, rising up, waved his hand, and wished to make a defence before the people.
  34 But they knowing him to be a Jew, all cried out with one voice, about two hours: Great is Diana of the Ephesians. 
  35 But the chief of the city tranquillized them, by saying: Men of Ephesus, What person is there, among men, who doth not know the city of the Ephesians to be devoted to the worship of the great Diana, and of her image that descended from heaven?
  36 Since therefore no one can gainsay this, ye ought to be tranquil, and to do nothing with precipitancy. 
  37 For ye have brought forward these men, when they have robbed no temples, and have not reviled our goddess. 
  38 But if Demetrius and the men of his trade have a controversy with any one, lo, there is a proconsul in the city, they are men of dexterity, let them approach and litigate with one another.
  39 Or if you desire any other thing, it may be determined in the place assigned by law for an assembly.
  40 Because too we are now in danger of being accused as seditious, since we cannot give a reason for the meeting of this day, because we have assembled needlessly, and been tumultuous without a cause. And having said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

XX.

  01 And after the tumult had subsided, Paul called the disciples to him, and comforted them, and kissed them, and departed, and went into Macedonia.
  02 And when he had travelled over those regions, and had comforted them with many discourses, he proceeded to the country of Greece.
  03 And he was there three months. And the Jews formed a plot against him, when he was about to go to Syria: and he contemplated returning to Macedonia.
  04 And there departed with him, as far as Asia, Sopater of the city Berea, and Aristarchus and Secundus who were of Thessalonica, and Gaius who was of the city of Derbe, and Timothy of Lystra, and of Asia Tychicus and Trophimus. 
  05 these proceeded on before us, and waited for us at Troas.
  06 And we departed from Philippi, a city of the Macedonians, after the days of unleavened bread; and proceeded by water and arrived at Troas in five days, and remained there seven days.
  07 And on the first day of the week, when we assembled to break the eucharist, Paul discoursed with them, because he was to depart the next day; and he continued his discourse till midnight.
  08 And there were many lamps burning in the chamber where we were assembled.
  09 And a young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window and listening. And while Paul prolonged his discourse, he sunk into a deep sleep; and, in his sleep, he fell from the third loft, and was taken up as dead.
  10 And Paul went down, and bent over him and embraced him, and said: Be not agitated, for his soul is in him. 
  11 And when he had gone up, he broke the bread and tasted [it], and discoursed until the morning dawned. And then he departed to go by land.
  12 And they brought the young man alive, and rejoiced over him greatly.
  13 And we went on board the ship, and sailed to the port of Thesos; because, there we were to take in Paul: for so had he bidden us, when he proceeded on by land. 
  14 And when we had received him at Thesos, we took him on board ship and proceeded to Mitylene.
  15 And from there, the next day, we sailed over against the island Chios; and again, the next day we arrived at Samos, and stopped at Trogyllium; and on the following day we arrived at Miletus.
  16 For Paul had determined with himself to pass by Ephesus, lest he should be delayed there; because he hasted on, if possible, to keep the day of pentecost in Jerusalem. And from Miletus, he sent and called the Elders of the church at Ephesus.
  18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: Ye yourselves know, how, at all times, since the first day that I entered Asia, I have been with you;
  19 laboring for God, in great humility, and with tears, amid the trials which beset me from the plottings of Jews: 
  20 and I shunned not that which was advantageous to your souls, that I might preach to you, and teach in the streets and in houses,
  21 while I testified to Jews and to Gentiles, as to repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Messiah. 
  22 And now I am bound in spirit, and I go to Jerusalem; and I know not what will befall me there;
  23 except that the Holy Spirit in every city, testifieth to me and saith: Bonds and afflictions await thee. 
  24 But my life is accounted by me as nothing, so that I may but finish my course, and the ministration which I have received from our Lord Jesus, to bear testimony to the gospel of the grace of God.
  25 And now, I know that ye will see my face no more, all of you among whom I have travelled and preached the kingdom of God.
  26 I therefore protest to you, this day, that I am pure from the blood of you all.
  27 For I have not shunned to acquaint you with all the will of God.
  28 Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit hath established you bishops;* that ye feed the church of God, which he hath acquired by his blood.
  29 For I know, that after I am gone, fierce wolves will come in among you, and will have no mercy on the flock. 
  30 And also, from among yourselves, there will rise up men speaking perverse things, that they may turn away the disciples to go after them.
  31 Therefore be ye vigilant; and remember, that for three years I ceased not to admonish each one of you, by day and by night, with tears.
  32 And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all the saints.
  33 Silver, or gold, or garments, I have not coveted. 
  34 And ye yourselves, know, that these hands ministered to my wants, and to them that were with me.
  35 And I have showed you all things; that thus it is a duty to labor, and to care for the infirm, and to remember the words of our Lord Jesus; for he hath said, That he is more blessed who giveth, than he who receiveth.
  36 And when he had said these things, he fell on his knees and prayed, and all the people with him.
  37 And there was great weeping among them all. And they embraced him, and kissed him.
  38 And they had the most anguish, because of the word he uttered, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.

* This is the only place in this version of the New Testament in which the word Bishop occurs.

XXI.

  01 And we separated from them, and proceeded in a straight course to the island of Coos: and the next day, we reached Rhodes, and from there Patara.
  02 And we found there a ship going to Phenicia; and we entered it, and proceeded on.
  03 And we came up with the island of Cyprus, and leaving it on the left we came to Syria; and from there we went to Tyre, for there the ship was to discharge her cargo. 
  04 And, as we found disciples there, we tarried with them seven days: and they, by the Spirit, told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
  05 And after those days, we departed and went on [our] way; and they all clung to us, they and their wives and their children, until [we were] without the city; and they fell on their knees by the seaside, and prayed. 
  06 And we kissed one another: and we embarked in the ship, and they returned to their homes.
  07 And we sailed from Tyre, and arrived at the city Acco; and we saluted the brethren there, and stopped with them one day.
  08 And the next day, we departed and came to Cesarea; and we went in and put up in the house of Philip the Evangelist, who was one of the seven.
  09 He had four virgin daughters, who were prophetesses.
  10 And as we were there many days, a certain prophet came down from Judaea, whose name was Agabus.
  11 And he came in to us, and took the girdle of Paul's loins, and bound his own feet and hands, and said: Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man, who owns this girdle; and they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
  12 And when we heard these words, we and the residents of the place begged of him, that he would not go to Jerusalem. 
  13 Then Paul answered and said: What do ye, weeping and crushing my heart ? For I am prepared, not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah.
  14 And as he was not to be persuaded by us, we desisted; and we said: Let the pleasure of our Lord take place. 
  15 And after those days, we prepared ourselves and went up to Jerusalem.
  16 And some disciples of Caesarea went along with us, taking with them a brother from among the earlier disciples, whose name was Mnason, and who was from Cyprus; that he might entertain us at his house.
  17 And when we arrived at Jerusalem, the brethren received us joyfully.
  18 And the next day, with Paul, we went unto James, when all the Elders were with him.
  19 And we gave them salutation: and Paul narrated to them, with particularity what God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
  20 And when they heard [it] they glorified God. And they said to him: Our brother, Thou seest how many myriads there are in Judaea who have believed: and these are all zealous for the law.
  21 And it hath been told them, of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews that are among the Gentiles to depart from Moses, by telling them not to circumcise their children, and not to observe the rites of the law.
  22 Now, because they have heard that thou hast arrived here,
  23 do thou what we tell thee. We have four men, who have vowed to purify themselves.
  24 Take them, and go and purify thyself with them, and pay the expenses along with them, as they shall shave their heads; that every one may know, that what is said against thee is false, and that thou fulfillest and observest the law.
  25 As to those of the Gentiles who have believed, we have written, that they should keep themselves from [an idol's] sacrifice, and from whoredom, and from what is strangled, and from blood.
  26 Then Paul took those men, on the following day, and was purified with them; and he entered and went into the temple, manifesting to them the completion of the days of the purification, up to the presentation of the offering by each of them.
  27 And when the seventh day arrived, the Jews from Asia saw him in the temple: and they excited all the people against him, and laid hands on him,
  28 crying out and saying: Men, sons of Israel; help. This is the man, who teacheth in every place, against our people, and against the law, and against this place; and he hath also brought Gentiles into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
  29 For they had previously seen with him in the city Trophimus the Ephesian; and they supposed, that he had entered the temple with Paul.
  30 And the whole city was in commotion; and all the people assembled together, and laid hold of Paul, and dragged him out of the temple: and instantly the gates were closed.
  31 And while the multitude were seeking to kill him, it was reported to the Chiliarch of the cohort, that the whole city was in uproar.
  32 And immediately he took a centurion and many soldiers, and they ran upon them. And when they saw the Chiliarch and the soldiers, they desisted from beating Paul. 
  33 And the Chiliarch came up to him, and seized him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains: and he inquired respecting him, who he was, and what he had done. 
  34 And persons from the throng vociferated against him this thing and that. And, because he could not, on account of their clamor, learn what the truth was, he commanded to conduct him to the castle.
  35 And when Paul came to the stairs, the soldiers bore him along, because of the violence of the people.
  36 For a great many people followed after him, and cried out, saying: Away with him.
  37 And when he came near to entering the castle, Paul said to the Chiliarch: Wilt thou permit me to speak with thee ? And he said to him: Dost thou know Greek? 
  38 Art not thou that Egyptian who, before these days, madest insurrection, and leadest out into the desert four thousand men, doers of evil ?
  39 Paul said to him: I am a Jew, a man of Tarsus, a noted city in Cilicia, in which I was born: I pray thee, suffer me to speak to the people.
  40 And when he permitted him, Paul stood upon the stairs, and waved to them his hand; and when they were quiet, he addressed them in Hebrew, and said to them:

XXII.

  01 Brethren, and fathers, hearken to my defence before you.
  02 And when they perceived that he addressed them in Hebrew, they were the more quiet: and he said to them: 
  03 I am a man who am a Jew; and I was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but was brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, and instructed perfectly in the law of our fathers; and I was zealous for God, as ye also all are. 
  04 And I persecuted this way, even to death; for I bound, and delivered up to prison, [both] men and women.
  05 As the high priest is my witness, and likewise all the Elders ; from whom I received letters, that I might go to the brethren in Damascus, and bring those who were there prisoners to Jerusalem, to receive capital punishment. 
  06 And as I travelled and began to approach Damascus, at noonday, from amidst tranquillity, a great light from heaven burst upon me.
  07 And I fell to the earth: and I heard a voice, which said to me: Saul, Saul ! why persecutest thou me? 
  08 And I answered and said: Who art thou, my Lord? And he  said to me: I am Jesus the Nazarean, whom thou persecutest.
  09 And the men who were with me, saw the light, but heard not the voice that talked with me.
  10 And I said: My Lord, what must I do ? And our Lord said to me: Arise, go to Damascus; and there will be told thee, all that it is commanded thee to do.
  11 And as I could see nothing, because of the glory of that light, those with me took me by the hand, and I entered Damascus.
  12 And a certain man, Ananias, who was upright according to the law, as all the Jews there testified concerning him, came to me.
  13 And he said to me: My brother Saul ! open thine eyes. And instantly my eyes were opened; and I looked upon him. 
  14 And he said to me: The God of our fathers hath ordained thee to know his will, and to behold the Just One, and to hear the voice of his mouth.
  15 And thou shalt be a witness for him before all men, concerning all that thou hast seen and heard.
  16 And now, why delayest thou? Arise, be baptized, and be cleansed from thy sins, while thou invokest his name. 
  17 And I returned and came hither to Jerusalem. And I prayed in the temple.
  18 And I saw him in a vision, when he said to me: Make haste, and get thee out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
  19 And I said: My Lord, they well know that I have delivered up to prison, and have scourged in all synagogues, those who believed in thee.
  20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing with them, and performed the pleasure of his slayers, and took charge of the garments of those that stoned him.
  21 But he said to me: Depart; for I send thee afar, to preach to the Gentiles.
  22 And when they had heard Paul as far as this sentence, they raised their voice, and cried out: Away with such a man from the earth ! for he ought not to live ! 
  23 And as they vociferated, and cast off their garments, and threw dust into the air,
  24 the Chiliarch gave orders, to carry him into the castle: and he commanded, that he should be examined with stripes; that he might know, for what cause they cried out against him.
  25 And as they were stretching him with ropes, Paul said to the centurion who stood over him: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, who is a Roman, and not yet found guilty ?
  26 And when the centurion heard [it], he went to the Chiliarch, and said to him: What doest thou? For this man is a Roman.
  27 And the Chiliarch came to him, and said to him: Tell me; Art thou a Roman ? And he said to him: Yes. 
  28 The Chiliarch replied and said to him: With much money I acquired Roman citizenship. Paul said to him: And I was born in it.
  29 And immediately they who were intending to scourge him, fled from him: and the Chiliarch was afraid, when he learned that he was a Roman, because he had stretched him [for scourging].
  30 And the next day, he wished to know truly what the accusation was, which the Jews brought against him: and he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests, and the whole company of their head-men, to assemble; and he took Paul, and brought him down, and placed him among them.

XXIII.

  01 And when Paul had looked on the assembly of them, he said: Men, my brethren; I have lived in all good conscience before God up to this day.
  02 And Ananias, the priest, commanded those who stood by his side, to smite Paul on the mouth.
  03 And Paul said to him: God is here-after to smite thee, [thou] Whited Wall ! For, sittest thou judging me agreeably to law, while thou transgressest the law, and commandest to smite me?
  04 And those standing by, said to him: Dost thou reproach the priest of God !
  05 Paul said to them: I was not aware, my brethren, that he was the priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not curse the ruler of thy people.
  06 And, as Paul knew that a part of the people were of the Sadducees, and a part of the Pharisees, he cried out, in the assembly: Men, my brethren; I am a Pharisee the son of a Pharisee; and for the hope of the resurrection of the dead, I am judged.
  07 And when he had said this, the Pharisees and Sadducees fell upon one another, and the people were divided 
  08 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angels, nor a spirit: but the Pharisees confess all these.
  09 And there was great vociferation. And some Scribes of the party of the Pharisees rose up, and contended with them, and said. We have found nothing evil in this man: for if a spirit or an angel hath conversed with him, what is there in that ?
  10 And, as there was great commotion among them, the Chiliarch was afraid lest they should tear Paul in pieces. And he sent Romans, to go and pluck him from their midst, and bring him into the castle.
  11 And when night came, our Lord appeared to Paul, and said to him: Be strong; for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so also art thou to testify at Rome. 
  12 And when it was morning, several of the Jews assembled together, and bound themselves by imprecations that they would neither eat nor drink until they had slain Paul. 
  13 And they who had established this compact by oath, were more than forty persons.
  14 And they went to the priests and Elders, and said: We have bound ourselves by imprecations, that we will taste of nothing, until we shall have slain Paul. 
  15 And now, do ye and the chiefs of the congregation request of the Chiliarch, that he would bring him unto you, as if ye were desirous to investigate truly his conduct: and we are prepared to slay him, ere he shall come to you.
  16 And the son of Paul's sister, heard of this plot: and he went into the castle, and informed Paul.    17 And Paul sent and called one of the centurions, and said to him: Conduct this youth to the Chiliarch; for he hath something to tell him.
  18 And the centurion took the young man, and introduced him to the Chiliarch, and said: Paul the prisoner called me, and requested me to bring this youth to thee, for he hath something to tell thee.
  19 And the Chiliarch took the young man by his hand, and led him one side, and asked him: What hast thou to tell me ?
  20 And the young man said to him: The Jews have projected to ask thee to bring down Paul to-morrow to their assembly, as if wishing to learn something more from him. 
  21 But be not thou persuaded by them: for, lo, more than forty persons of them watch for him in ambush, and have bound themselves by imprecations, that they will neither eat nor drink until they shall have slain him: and lo, they are prepared, and are waiting for thy promise
  22 And the Chiliarch dismissed the young man, after charging him: Let no man know, that thou hast showed me these things.
  23 And he called two centurions, and said to them: Go and prepare two hundred Romans to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and shooters with the right hand two hundred; and let them set out at the third hour of the night.
  24 And provide also a saddle beast, that they may set Paul on it, and carry him safely to Felix the governor. 
  25 And he wrote a letter and gave them, in which was, thus:
  26 Claudius Lysias to the excellent governor Felix; greeting.
  27 The Jews seized this man, in order to kill him; but I came with Romans, and rescued him, when I learned that he was a Roman.
  28 And as I wished to know the offence, for which they criminated him, I brought him to their assembly.
  29 And I found, that it was about questions of their law they accused him, and that an offence worthy of bonds or of death, was not upon him.
  30 And when the wiles of a plot formed by the Jews against him came to my knowledge, I forthwith sent him to thee. And I have directed his accusers, to go and contend with him, before thee. Farewell.
  31 Then the Romans, as they had been commanded, took Paul by night, and brought him to the city of Antipatris. 
  32 And the next day, the horsemen dismissed the footmen their associates, that they might return to the castle. 
  33 And they brought him to Caesarea: and they delivered the letter to the governor, and set Paul before him. 
  34 And when he had read the letter, he asked him of what province he was? And when he learned that he was of Cilicia,
  35 he said to him: I will give thee audience, when thy accusers arrive. And he ordered him to be kept in the Praetorium of Herod.

XXIV.

  01 And after five days, Ananias the high priest, with the Elders, and with Tertullus the orator, went down, and made a communication to the governor against Paul. 
  02 And when he had been called, Tertullus began to accuse him, and to say:
  03 Through thee, we dwell in much tranquillity; and many reforms have come to this nation, under thy administration; and we all, in every place, receive thy grace, excellent Felix.
  04 But, not to weary thee with numerous [particulars], I pray thee to hear our humbleness, in brief.
  05 For we have found this man to be an assassin, and a mover of sedition among all Jews in the whole land: for he is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazareans. 
  06 And he was disposed to pollute our temple. And having seized him we wished to judge him according to our law. 
  07 But Lysias the Chiliarch came, and with great violence took him out of our hands, and sent him to thee. 
  08 And he commanded his accusers to come before thee. And if thou wilt interrogate him, thou canst learn from him respecting all these things of which we accuse him. 
  09 And the Jews also pleaded against him, saying that these things were so.
  10 Then the governor made signs to Paul, that he should speak. And Paul answered and said: I know thee to have been a judge of this nation for many years, and I therefore cheerfully enter upon a defence of myself.
  11 Because thou canst understand, that there have been but twelve days, since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 
  12 And they did not find me talking with any person in the temple, nor collecting any company, either in their synagogues, or in the city.
  13 Nor have they the power to prove, before thee, the things of which they now accuse me.
  14 But this indeed I acknowledge, that in that same doctrine of which they speak, I do serve the God of my fathers, believing all the things written in the law and in the prophets.
  15 And I have a hope in God, which they also themselves expect, that there is to be a resurrection of the dead, both of the righteous and the wicked. 
  16 And for this reason, I also labor to have always a pure conscience before God, and before men.
  17 And, after many years, I came to the people of my own nation, to impart alms, and to present an offering. 
  18 And when I had purified myself, these men found me in the temple; not with a throng, nor with a tumult. But certain Jews, who came from Asia, were tumultuous; 
  19 who ought, with me, to stand before thee, and make accusation of their own affair.
  20 Or let these here present say, whether they found any offence in me, when I stood before their assembly; 
  21 except this one thing, that I cried, while standing in the midst of them: Concerning the resurrection of the dead, am I this day on trial before you.
  22 And Felix, because he understood that way fully, deferred them, saying: When the Chiliarch shall come, I will give hearing between you.
  23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, at rest; and that no one of his acquaintances should be forbidden to minister to him.
  24 And after a few days, Felix, and Drusilla his wife who was a Jewess, sent and called for Paul; and they heard him concerning faith in the Messiah.
  25 And while he was discoursing with them on righteousness, and on holiness, and on the future judgment, Felix was filled with fear; and he said: For the present time, go: and when I have opportunity, I will send for thee. 
  26 He hoped, moreover, that a present would be given him by Paul; [and] therefore, he often sent for him, and conversed with him.
  27 And when two years were fulfilled to him, another governor, whose name was Porcius Festus, came into his place. And Felix, that he might do the Jews a favor, left Paul a prisoner.

XXV.

  01 And when Festus arrived at Caesarea, he, after three days, went up to Jerusalem.
  02 And the chief priests and the head men of the Jews made representations to him concerning Paul.
  03 And they petitioned him, asking of him the favor, that he would send for him to come to Jerusalem; they placing an ambush to slay him by the way.
  04 But Festus made answer: Paul is in custody at Caesarea, whither I am in haste to go.
  05 Therefore, let those among you who are able, go down with us, and make presentment of every offence there is in the man.
  06 And when he had been there eight or ten days, he came down to Caesarea. And the next day, he sat on the tribunal, and commanded Paul to be brought.
  07 And when he came, the Jews who had come from Jerusalem surrounded him, and preferred against him many and weighty charges, which they were unable to substantiate. 
  08 Meanwhile Paul maintained, that he had committed no offence, either against the Jewish law, or against the temple, or against Caesar.
  09 But Festus, because he was disposed to conciliate the favor of the Jews, said to Paul: Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be tried before me for these things? 
  10 Paul replied, and said: I stand before Caesar's tribunal: here I ought to be tried. Against the Jews I have committed no offence, as thou also well knowest.
  11 If I had committed any crime, or done any thing worthy of death, I would not refuse to die. But if none of the things of which they accuse me, is upon me, no one may sacrifice me to their pleasure. I announce an appeal to Caesar.
  12 Then Festus conferred with his counsellors, and said: Hast thou declared an appeal to Caesar ? Unto Caesar shalt thou go.
  13 And when [some] days had passed, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came down to Caesarea to salute Festus. 
  14 And when they had been with him: [some] days, Festus related to the king the case of Paul, saying: A certain man was left a prisoner by Felix:
  15 And when I was at Jerusalem, the: chief priests and the Elders of the Jews informed me respecting him, and desired that I would pass judgment upon him in their favor. 
  16 And I told them, It is not the custom of the Romans, to give up a man gratuitously to be slain; until his accuser appeareth and chargeth him to his face, and opportunity is afforded him to make defence respecting what is charged upon him.
  17 And: when I had come hither, without delay, I the next day sat on the tribunal, and commanded the man to be brought before me.
  18 And his accusers stood up with him; and they were not able to substantiate any criminal charge against him, as I had expected;
  19 but they had certain controversies with him respecting their worship, and respecting one Jesus, who died, but who, as Paul said, was alive.
  20 And because I was not well established in regard to these questions, I said to Paul: Dost thou ask to go to Jerusalem, and there be judged concerning these matters ?
  21 But he requested to be reserved for a trial before Caesar: and I ordered him to be kept, till I could send him to Caesar.
  22 And Agrippa said: I should like to hear that man. And Festus said: To-morrow thou shalt hear him. 
  23 And the next day, came Agrippa and Bernice, with great pomp, and entered the house of trials, with the Chiliarchs and chiefs of the city: and Festus commanded, and Paul came.
  24 And Festus said: King Agrippa, and all persons present with us; concerning this man whom ye see, all the people of the Jews applied to me, at Jerusalem and also here, crying out, that he ought no longer to live.
  25 Yet on investigation, I found that he hath done nothing deserving death. But, because he requested to be reserved for the hearing of Caesar, I have ordered him to be sent. 
  26 And I know not what I can write to Caesar, in regard to him: and therefore I wished to bring him before you, and especially before thee, king Agrippa; that when his case shall have been heard, I may find what to write.
  27 For it is unsuitable, when we send up a prisoner, not to designate his offence.

XXVI.

  01 And Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak in thy own behalf. Then Paul extended his hand, and made defence, saying:
  02 In regard to all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, king Agrippa, I consider myself highly favored, that I may this day make defence before thee:
  03 especially, as I know thee to be expert in all the controversies and laws of the Jews. I therefore request thee to hear me with indulgence.
  04 The Jews themselves, if they would testify, know well my course of life from my childhood, which from the beginning was among my nation and in Jerusalem.
  05 For they have long been persuaded of me, and have known, that I lived in the princely doctrine of the Pharisees. 
  06 And now, for the hope of the promise which was made by God to our fathers, I stand and am judged.
  07 To this hope, our twelve tribes hope to come, with earnest prayers by day and by night: and for this same hope, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.
  08 How judge ye ? Are we not to believe, that God will raise the dead ?
  09 For I myself, at first, resolved in my own mind, that I would perpetrate many adverse things against the name of Jesus the Nazarean.
  10 Which I also did at Jerusalem; and by the authority I received from the chief priests, I cast many of the saints into prison and when they were put to death by them, I took part with those that condemned them. 
  11 And in every synagogue I tortured them, while I pressed them to become revilers of the name of Jesus. And in the great wrath, with which I was filled against them, I also went to other cities to persecute them.
  12 And, as I was going for this purpose to Damascus, with the authority and license of the chief priests, 
  13 at mid-day, on the road, I saw, O king, a light exceeding that of the sun, beaming from heaven upon me, and upon all those with me.
  14 And we all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice, which said to me, in Hebrew: Saul, Saul ! why persecutest thou me ? It will be a hard thing for thee to kick against the goads.
  15 And I said: My Lord, who art thou ? And our Lord said to me: I am Jesus the Nazarean, whom thou persecutest. 
  16 And he said to me: Stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared to thee, for this purpose, to constitute thee a minister and a witness of this thy seeing me, and of thy seeing me hereafter.
  17 And I will deliver thee from the people of the Jews, and from other nations; to whom I send thee,
  18 to open their eyes; that they may turn from darkness to the light, and from the dominion of Satan unto God; and may receive remission of sins, and a portion with the saints, by faith in me.
  19 Wherefore, king Agrippa, I did not contumaciously withstand the heavenly vision:
  20 but I preached from the first to them in Damascus, and to them in Jerusalem and in all the villages of Judaea; and I preached also to the Gentiles, that they should repent, and should turn to God, and should do the works suitable to repentance.
  21 And on account of these things, the Jews seized me in the temple, and sought to kill me.
  22 But unto this day God hath helped me; and lo, I stand and bear testimony, to the small and to the great; yet saying nothing aside from Moses and the prophets, but the very things which they declared were to take place: 
  23 [namely,] that Messiah would suffer, and would become the first fruits of the resurrection from the dead; and that he would proclaim light to the people and to the Gentiles.
  24 And when Paul had extended his defence thus far, Festus cried, with a loud voice: Paul, thou art deranged: much study hath deranged thee.
  25 Paul replied to him: I am not deranged, excellent Festus; but speak words of truth and rectitude. 
  26 And king Agrippa is also well acquainted with these things; and I therefore speak confidently before him, because I suppose not one of these things hath escaped his knowledge; for they were not done in secret. 
  27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
  28 King Agrippa said to him: Almost, thou persuadest me to become a Christian.
  29 And Paul said: I would to God, that not only thou, but likewise all that hear me this day, were almost, and altogether, as I am, aside from these bonds.
  30 And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.
  31 And when they had gone out, they conversed with one another, and said: This man hath done nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
  32 And Agrippa said to Festus: The man might be set at liberty, if he had not announced an appeal to Caesar.

XXVII.

  01 And Festus commanded, respecting him, that he should be sent to Italy, unto Caesar. And he delivered Paul, and other prisoners with him, to a certain man, a centurion of the Augustan cohort, whose name was Julius.
  02 And when we were to depart, we embarked in a ship which was from the city of Adramyttium, and was going to the country of Asia. And there embarked with us in the ship, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of the city of Thessalonica. 
  03 And the next day, we arrived at Zidon. And the centurion treated Paul with kindness, and permitted him to visit his friends and be refreshed.
  04 And on sailing from there, because the winds were against us, we sailed around to Cyprus.
  05 And we passed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, and arrived at Myra, a city of Lycia.
  06 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria, which was going to Italy; and he set us on board of it. 
  07 And as it was hard navigating, we had scarcely arrived, after many days, over against the isle of Cnidos. And, because the wind would not allow us to pursue a straight course, we sailed around by Crete, [and came] opposite the city of Salmone.
  08 And with difficulty, after sailing about it, we arrived at a place called the Fair Havens, near to which was the city called Lassa.
  09 And we were there a long time, and till after the day of the Jewish fast. And it was hazardous [then] for any one to go by sea; and Paul counselled them, 
  10 and said: Men, I perceive that our voyage will be [attended] with peril, and with much loss, not only of the cargo of our ship, but also of our lives.
  11 But the centurion listened to the pilot, and to the owner of the ship, more than to the words of Paul. 
  12 And, because that harbor was not commodious for wintering in, many of us were desirous to sail from it, and if possible, to reach and to winter in a certain harbor of Crete, which was called Phenice, and which opened towards the south.
  13 And when the south wind breezed up, and they hoped to arrive as they desired, we began to sail around Crete. 
  14 And shortly after, a tempest of wind arose upon us, called Typhonic Euroclydon.
  15 And the ship was whirled about by the wind, and could not keep head to it; and we resigned [the ship] to its power.
  16 And when we had passed a certain island, called Cyra, we could hardly retain the boat.
  17 And after hoisting it [on board], we girded the ship around [the waist], and made it strong. And, because we were afraid of falling upon a precipice of the sea, we pulled own the sail; and so we drifted.
  18 And as the storm raged violently upon us, we the next day threw goods into the sea.
  19 And on the third day, with our own hands, we threw away the tackling of the ship.
  20 And as the storm held on for many days, and as no sun was visible, nor moon, nor stars, all hope of our surviving was wholly cut off.
  21 And as no one had taken a meal of food, Paul now stood up in the midst of them, and said: If ye had given heed to me, O men, we should not have sailed from Crete, and we should have been exempt from this loss and peril. 
  22 And now, I counsel you to be without anxiety; for not a soul of you will be lost, but only the ship.    23 For there appeared to me this night, the angel of that God whose I am, and whom I serve;
  24 and he said to me: Fear not, Paul; for thou art yet to stand before Caesar; and, lo, God hath made a gift to thee of all them that sail with thee.
  25 Therefore, men, be ye courageous; for I confide in God, that it will be as was told to me.
  26 Yet we are to be cast upon a certain island. 
  27 And after the fourteen days of our roaming and tossing on the Adriatic sea, at midnight, the sailors conceived that they approached land.
  28 And they cast the lead, and found twenty fathoms. And again they advanced a little, and they found fifteen fathoms.
  29 And as we feared lest we should be caught in places where were rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern of the ship, and prayed for the morning.
  30 And the sailors sought to flee out of the ship. And from it they lowered down the boat into the sea, under pretence that they were going in it to make fast the ship to the land.
  31 And when Paul saw [it], he said to the centurion and to the soldiers: Unless these remain in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
  32 Then the soldiers cut the boat rope from the ship, and let the boat go adrift.
  33 And while it was not yet morning, Paul advised them all to take food, saying to them: In consequence of the peril, it is now the fourteenth day that ye have tasted nothing.
  34 Therefore I entreat you, to take food for the sustenance of your life; for not a hair from the head of any of you, will perish.
  35 And having said these things, he took bread, and gave glory to God before them all; and he broke [it], and began to eat.
  36 And they were all consoled; and they took nourishment. 
  37 And there were of us in the ship two hundred and seventy-six souls.
  38 And when they were satisfied with food, they lightened the ship, and took the wheat and cast it into the sea.
  39 And when it was day, the sailors knew not what land it was: but they saw on the margin of the land an inlet of the sea; whither, if possible they intended to drive the ship.
  40 And they cut away the anchors from the ship, and left them in the sea. And they loosened the bands of the rudder, and hoisted a small sail to the breeze, and made way towards the land.
  41 And the ship struck upon a shoal between two channels of the sea, and stuck fast upon it. And the forward part rested upon it, and was immovable; but the after part was shattered by the violence of the waves.
  42 And the soldiers were disposed to slay the prisoners; lest they should resort to swimming, and escape from them. 
  43 But the centurion kept them from it, because he was desirous to preserve Paul. And those who were able to swim, he commanded to swim off first, and pass to the land.
  44 And the rest, he made to transport themselves on planks, and on other timbers of the ship. And so they all escaped safe to land.

XXVIII.

  01 And we afterwards learned, that the island was called Melita.
  02 And the barbarians who inhabited it, showed us many kindnesses. And they kindled a fire, and called us all to warm ourselves, because of the great rain and cold at that time.
  03 And Paul took up a bundle of fagots and laid them on the fire: and a viper, [driven] by the heat, came out of them, and bit his hand. 
  04 And when the barbarians saw it hanging on his hand, they said: Doubtless, this man is a murderer; whom, though delivered from the sea, justice will not suffer to live. 
  05 But Paul shook his hand, and threw the viper into the fire: and he received no harm.
  06 And the barbarians expected, that he would suddenly swell, and fall dead on the ground. And when they had looked a long time, and saw that he received no harm; they changed their language, and said, that he was a god. 
  07 And there were lands in that quarter, belonging to a man named Publius, who was the chief man of the island: and he cheerfully received us at his house three days. 
  08 And the father of Publius was sick with a fever and dysentery. And Paul went in to him, and prayed, and laid his hand on him, and healed him.
  09 And after this event, others also in the island who were sick, came to him and were healed.
  10 And they honored us with great honors: and when we left the place, they supplied us with necessaries.
  11 And after three months we departed, sailing in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the island, and which bore the signal of the Twins.
  12 And we came to the city of Syracuse; and remained there three days.
  13 And from there we made a circuit, and arrived at the city Rhegium. And, after one day, the south wind blew [favorably] for us, and in two days we came to Puteoli, a city of Italy.
  14 And there we found brethren; and they invited us, and we remained with them seven days: and then we proceeded towards Rome.
  15 And the brethren there, hearing [of our approach], came out to meet us as far as the village called Appii Forum, and as far as the Three Taverns. And when Paul saw them, he gave thanks to God, and was encouraged. 
  16 And we went on to Rome. And the centurion allowed Paul to reside where he pleased, with a soldier who guarded him.
  17 And after three days, Paul sent and called for the principal Jews. And when they were assembled, he said to them: Men, my brethren, although I had in nothing risen up against the people or the law of my fathers, I was at Jerusalem delivered over in bonds to the Romans:
  18 and they, when they had examined me, were disposed to release me, because they found in me no offence deserving death.
  19 And, as the Jews withstood me, I was compelled to utter an appeal to Caesar; but not because I had any thing of which to accuse the people of my nation.
  20 For this reason I sent for you to come, that I might see you, and might state these things to you: for it is on account of the hope of Israel, that I am bound with this chain.
  21 They said to him: We have received no epistle from Judaea against thee; and none of the brethren who have come from Jerusalem, have told us any evil thing of thee. 
  22 But we are desirous to hear from thee what thou thinkest; for this doctrine, we know, is not received by any one. 
  23 And they appointed him a day; and many assembled, and came to him at his lodgings. And he explained to them respecting the kingdom of God, testifying and persuading them concerning Jesus, out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
  24 And some of them assented to his discourses, and others did not assent.
  25 And they went out from him, disagreeing among themselves. And Paul addressed to them this speech: Well did the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of Isaiah the prophet, speak concerning your fathers,
  26 saying: Go unto this people, and say to them, Hearing ye will hear, and will not understand; and ye will see, and will not comprehend.
  27 For the heart of this people is stupefied, and their hearing they have made heavy, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and be converted unto me, and I should forgive them. 
  28 Therefore, be this known to you, that to the Gentiles is this redemption of God sent: and, moreover, they will hear it.
  29 And when he had thus said, the Jews retired; and there were great disputations among them.*   30 And Paul hired a house, at his own cost, and resided in it two years; and there he received all that came to him.
  31 And he preached concerning the kingdom of God, and taught boldly concerning our Lord Jesus Messiah, without hinderance.

Completion of the Acts of the blessed Legates; that is, their Histories.

* This verse   29 is not in the MSS., nor in any of the earlier editions: and the later editions place it in the margin.