Esther’s Legacy: Embracing Your Role in God’s Sovereign Plan

Desperate Prayers for Hope in Hard Times

Sound of Heaven: A 6-Day Devotional by Danny Gokey

Always Near: 14 Days of Discovering God’s Presence Every Day

Building Wealth God’s Way: Biblical Keys to Increase Your Net-Worth

A Family of Prayer

Fervent Still

In Her Image: Character Study of the Proverbs 31 Woman

Mandates for Men: Serve Others

The Familiar Stranger

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="ACT.8">
 <div class="label">8</div><div class="p">1And Saul approved of their killing him.</div><div class="s1">The Church Persecuted and Scattered</div><div class="p">On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.</div><div class="s1">Philip in Samaria</div><div class="p">4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.</div><div class="s1">Simon the Sorcerer</div><div class="p">9Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, &#8220;This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.&#8221; 11They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.</div><div class="p">14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.</div><div class="p">18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles&#8217; hands, he offered them money 19and said, &#8220;Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.&#8221;</div><div class="p">20Peter answered: &#8220;May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.&#8221;</div><div class="p">24Then Simon answered, &#8220;Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.&#8221;</div><div class="p">25After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.</div><div class="s1">Philip and the Ethiopian</div><div class="p">26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, &#8220;Go south to the road&#8212;the desert road&#8212;that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.&#8221; 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian#8:27 That is, from the southern Nile region eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means &#8220;queen of the Ethiopians&#8221;). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, &#8220;Go to that chariot and stay near it.&#8221;</div><div class="p">30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. &#8220;Do you understand what you are reading?&#8221; Philip asked.</div><div class="p">31&#8220;How can I,&#8221; he said, &#8220;unless someone explains it to me?&#8221; So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.</div><div class="p">32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,</div><div class="q2">and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,</div><div class="q2">so he did not open his mouth.</div><div class="q1">33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.</div><div class="q2">Who can speak of his descendants?</div><div class="q2">For his life was taken from the earth.&#8221;#8:33 Isaiah 53:7,8 (see Septuagint)</div><div class="p">34The eunuch asked Philip, &#8220;Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?&#8221; 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.</div><div class="p">36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, &#8220;Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?&#8221; [37]#8:37 Some manuscripts include here Philip said, &#8220;If you believe with all your heart, you may.&#8221; The eunuch answered, &#8220;I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.&#8221; 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="ACT.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="s1">Saul&#8217;s Conversion</div><div class="p">1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord&#8217;s disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, &#8220;Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?&#8221;</div><div class="p">5&#8220;Who are you, Lord?&#8221; Saul asked.</div><div class="p">&#8220;I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,&#8221; he replied. 6&#8220;Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.&#8221;</div><div class="p">7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.</div><div class="p">10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, &#8220;Ananias!&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Yes, Lord,&#8221; he answered.</div><div class="p">11The Lord told him, &#8220;Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.&#8221;</div><div class="p">13&#8220;Lord,&#8221; Ananias answered, &#8220;I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.&#8221;</div><div class="p">15But the Lord said to Ananias, &#8220;Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.&#8221;</div><div class="p">17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, &#8220;Brother Saul, the Lord&#8212;Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here&#8212;has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.&#8221; 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul&#8217;s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.</div><div class="s1">Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem</div><div class="p">Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All those who heard him were astonished and asked, &#8220;Isn&#8217;t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn&#8217;t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?&#8221; 22Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.</div><div class="p">23After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.</div><div class="p">26When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,#9:29 That is, Jews who had adopted the Greek language and culture but they tried to kill him. 30When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.</div><div class="p">31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.</div><div class="s1">Aeneas and Dorcas</div><div class="p">32As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord&#8217;s people who lived in Lydda. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34&#8220;Aeneas,&#8221; Peter said to him, &#8220;Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.&#8221; Immediately Aeneas got up. 35All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.</div><div class="p">36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, &#8220;Please come at once!&#8221;</div><div class="p">39Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.</div><div class="p">40Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, &#8220;Tabitha, get up.&#8221; She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch10" data-usfm="ACT.10">
 <div class="label">10</div><div class="s1">Cornelius Calls for Peter</div><div class="p">1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, &#8220;Cornelius!&#8221;</div><div class="p">4Cornelius stared at him in fear. &#8220;What is it, Lord?&#8221; he asked.</div><div class="p">The angel answered, &#8220;Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.&#8221;</div><div class="p">7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.</div><div class="s1">Peter&#8217;s Vision</div><div class="p">9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13Then a voice told him, &#8220;Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.&#8221;</div><div class="p">14&#8220;Surely not, Lord!&#8221; Peter replied. &#8220;I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.&#8221;</div><div class="p">15The voice spoke to him a second time, &#8220;Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.&#8221;</div><div class="p">16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.</div><div class="p">17While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon&#8217;s house was and stopped at the gate. 18They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.</div><div class="p">19While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, &#8220;Simon, three#10:19 One early manuscript two; other manuscripts do not have the number. men are looking for you. 20So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.&#8221;</div><div class="p">21Peter went down and said to the men, &#8220;I&#8217;m the one you&#8217;re looking for. Why have you come?&#8221;</div><div class="p">22The men replied, &#8220;We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.&#8221; 23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.</div><div class="s1">Peter at Cornelius&#8217;s House</div><div class="p">The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. 24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26But Peter made him get up. &#8220;Stand up,&#8221; he said, &#8220;I am only a man myself.&#8221;</div><div class="p">27While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: &#8220;You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?&#8221;</div><div class="p">30Cornelius answered: &#8220;Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, &#8216;Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.&#8217; 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.&#8221;</div><div class="p">34Then Peter began to speak: &#8220;I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached&#8212; 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.</div><div class="p">39&#8220;We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen&#8212;by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.&#8221;</div><div class="p">44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues#10:46 Or other languages and praising God.</div><div class="p">Then Peter said, 47&#8220;Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.&#8221; 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch11" data-usfm="ACT.11">
 <div class="label">11</div><div class="s1">Peter Explains His Actions</div><div class="p">1The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3and said, &#8220;You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.&#8221;</div><div class="p">4Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: 5&#8220;I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. 6I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. 7Then I heard a voice telling me, &#8216;Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.&#8217;</div><div class="p">8&#8220;I replied, &#8216;Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.&#8217;</div><div class="p">9&#8220;The voice spoke from heaven a second time, &#8216;Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.&#8217; 10This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.</div><div class="p">11&#8220;Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man&#8217;s house. 13He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, &#8216;Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.&#8217;</div><div class="p">15&#8220;As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered what the Lord had said: &#8216;John baptized with#11:16 Or in water, but you will be baptized with#11:16 Or in the Holy Spirit.&#8217; 17So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God&#8217;s way?&#8221;</div><div class="p">18When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, &#8220;So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Church in Antioch</div><div class="p">19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord&#8217;s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.</div><div class="p">22News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.</div><div class="p">25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.</div><div class="p">27During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="ACT.12">
 <div class="label">12</div><div class="s1">Peter&#8217;s Miraculous Escape From Prison</div><div class="p">1It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.</div><div class="p">5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.</div><div class="p">6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. &#8220;Quick, get up!&#8221; he said, and the chains fell off Peter&#8217;s wrists.</div><div class="p">8Then the angel said to him, &#8220;Put on your clothes and sandals.&#8221; And Peter did so. &#8220;Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,&#8221; the angel told him. 9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.</div><div class="p">11Then Peter came to himself and said, &#8220;Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod&#8217;s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.&#8221;</div><div class="p">12When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14When she recognized Peter&#8217;s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, &#8220;Peter is at the door!&#8221;</div><div class="p">15&#8220;You&#8217;re out of your mind,&#8221; they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, &#8220;It must be his angel.&#8221;</div><div class="p">16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. &#8220;Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,&#8221; he said, and then he left for another place.</div><div class="p">18In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.</div><div class="s1">Herod&#8217;s Death</div><div class="p">Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 20He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king&#8217;s country for their food supply.</div><div class="p">21On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22They shouted, &#8220;This is the voice of a god, not of a man.&#8221; 23Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.</div><div class="p">24But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.</div><div class="s1">Barnabas and Saul Sent Off</div><div class="p">25When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from#12:25 Some manuscripts to Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch13" data-usfm="ACT.13">
 <div class="label">13</div><div class="nb">1Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, &#8220;Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.&#8221; 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.</div><div class="s1">On Cyprus</div><div class="p">4The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.</div><div class="p">6They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10&#8220;You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.&#8221;</div><div class="p">Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.</div><div class="s1">In Pisidian Antioch</div><div class="p">13From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, &#8220;Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.&#8221;</div><div class="p">16Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: &#8220;Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country; 18for about forty years he endured their conduct#13:18 Some manuscripts he cared for them in the wilderness; 19and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance. 20All this took about 450 years.</div><div class="p">&#8220;After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. 22After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: &#8216;I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.&#8217;</div><div class="p">23&#8220;From this man&#8217;s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. 24Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. 25As John was completing his work, he said: &#8216;Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.&#8217;</div><div class="p">26&#8220;Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.</div><div class="p">32&#8220;We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;You are my son;</div><div class="q2">today I have become your father.&#8217;#13:33 Psalm 2:7</div><div class="m">34God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.&#8217;#13:34 Isaiah 55:3</div><div class="m">35So it is also stated elsewhere:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;You will not let your holy one see decay.&#8217;#13:35 Psalm 16:10 (see Septuagint)</div><div class="p">36&#8220;Now when David had served God&#8217;s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. 37But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.</div><div class="p">38&#8220;Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. 40Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:</div><div class="q1">41&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;Look, you scoffers,</div><div class="q2">wonder and perish,</div><div class="q1">for I am going to do something in your days</div><div class="q2">that you would never believe,</div><div class="q2">even if someone told you.&#8217;#13:41 Hab. 1:5&#8221;</div><div class="p">42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. 43When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.</div><div class="p">44On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.</div><div class="p">46Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: &#8220;We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47For this is what the Lord has commanded us:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;I have made you#13:47 The Greek is singular. a light for the Gentiles,</div><div class="q2">that you#13:47 The Greek is singular. may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.&#8217;#13:47 Isaiah 49:6&#8221;</div><div class="p">48When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.</div><div class="p">49The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="chapter ch14" data-usfm="ACT.14">
 <div class="label">14</div><div class="s1">In Iconium</div><div class="p">1At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7where they continued to preach the gospel.</div><div class="s1">In Lystra and Derbe</div><div class="p">8In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10and called out, &#8220;Stand up on your feet!&#8221; At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.</div><div class="p">11When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, &#8220;The gods have come down to us in human form!&#8221; 12Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.</div><div class="p">14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15&#8220;Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 16In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.&#8221; 18Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.</div><div class="p">19Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.</div><div class="s1">The Return to Antioch in Syria</div><div class="p">21They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. &#8220;We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,&#8221; they said. 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders#14:23 Or Barnabas ordained elders; or Barnabas had elders elected for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.</div><div class="p">26From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.</div>
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