(6

ful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.

And the apostles and the elders were gathered together (7) to consider of this matter. "And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them,

Brethren, ye know how that 1a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles 8 should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. "And God, which knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving 9 them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; "and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their To hearts by faith. "Now therefore why tempt ye God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which (11) neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? "But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.

IO

12

And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and won(13 ders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. "And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying,

(14)

Brethren, hearken unto me: "Symeon hath rehearsed how first God did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them 15 a people for his name. "And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

(16

+(17

*(18

"After these things I will return,

And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which

is fallen;

And I will build again the ruins thereof,

And I will set it up:

"That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, Saith the Lord, "who maketh these things known. from the beginning of the world.

1 Gr. from early days.

2
? Or, who doeth these things which were known

A. V.-command; 6 came.. (for); 7 disputing |..(Men and).. | us |; 8 hearts; 9 put.. difference.. purifying; 10 to; 11 [Christ]..even; 12 Then.. gave audience to.. declaring..miracles; 13 (Men and); 14 Simeon..declared..(at the); 16 this..(down); 17 might.. doeth [all]; 18 [unto God are all his works].

19 "Wherefore my judgement is, that we trouble not them 20 which from among the Gentiles turn to God; "but that

we 'write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, (21 and from blood. "For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.

(22)

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men (23) among the brethren: "and they wrote thus by them, The apostles and the elder brethren unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, (24 greeting: "Forasmuch as we have heard that certain 2 which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no command(25) ment; "it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with 26 our beloved Barnabas and Paul, "men that have hazarded 27) their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. "We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also 28 shall tell you the same things by word of mouth. "For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon 29 you no greater burden than these necessary things; "that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.

(30)

So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they 31 delivered the epistle. "And when they had read it, they

1 Or, enjoin them

2 Some ancient authorities omit which went out.

A.V.-19 sentence.. are turned; 20 things; 21 time..(day); 22 pleased..(to)..chosen ..(own).. | surnamed Barsabas | ; 23 (letters).. [after this manner].. elders [and]..(send); 24 [saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law]..(such); 25 being assembled with ..(to)..chosen ; 29 meats offered..ye..do; 30 (when they) had; 31 Which.

33

32) rejoiced for the 'consolation. "And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many many words, and confirmed them. "And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth.3 "But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

35

(36)

And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they 37 fare. "And Barnabas was minded to take with them John 38) also, who was called Mark. "But Paul thought not good

to take with them him who withdrew from them from (39) Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. "And

there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with 40 him, and sailed away unto Cyprus; "but Paul chose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the

41 grace of the Lord. "And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

16(1)

2

And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess which believed; but his father was a Greek. "The same was well reported of by the brethren that were 3) at Lystra and Iconium. "Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those parts: for they all knew 4 that his father was a Greek. "And as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees. for to keep, which had been ordained of the apostles and

'Or, exhortation

2 Or, comforted

3 Some ancient authorities insert, with

variations, ver. 34 But it seemed good unto Silas to abide there.

A. V.—33 tarried.. a space..let go.. | the apostles | ; 34 [Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.]; 35 also.. continued; 36 go again.. [our] . . where .. have preached..do; 37 | determined |..whose surname; 38 departed; 39 the..was..(between them)..departed..(so); 40 And..departed..recommended..unto..| God |.CH. XVI. I Then.. Timotheus..(a) [certain] (woman, which was).. (and); 2 Which; 3 which.. quarters; 4 that were.

(5) elders that were at Jerusalem. "So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

7

(6) And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Ghost to speak the word in Asia; "and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit 8) of Jesus suffered them not; "and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia, (10 and help us. "And when he had seen the vision, straight

II

way we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis; (12) "and from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Macedo

nia, the first of the district, a Roman colony: and we 13 were in this city tarrying certain days. "And on the sabbath day we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which were come 14 together. "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul. "And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

15

16

And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having 1a spirit of divination

1 Gr. a spirit, a Python.

A. V.-which; (And)..established; 6 Now (when). . | had gone | throughout..(and) were.. preach; 7 After..to.. but; 9 stood.. prayed; 10 after.. immediately.. endeavoured ..assuredly gathering..(the) | Lord |; 11 loosing..came with.. Samothracia. .next; 12 chief..that part..(and)..that....abiding; 13 out of..| city |..| was wont | to be made..resorted thither; 14 which..that she attended..of; 16 went..damsel possessed with.

met us, which brought her masters much gain by sooth(17 saying. "The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, These men are 'servants of the Most High God, 18) which proclaim unto you 'the way of salvation. "And

19

this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour.

But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they laid hold on Paul and Silas, and dragged 20 them into the marketplace before the rulers, "and when they had brought them unto the 'magistrates, they said, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21 "and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to re22) ceive, or to observe, being Romans. "And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent their garments off them, and commanded to beat them 23 with rods. "And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to 24 keep them safely: "who, having received such a charge,

cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast. 25 in the stocks. "But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God, and the prisoners 26 were listening to them; "and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken : and immediately all the doors were opened; (27 and every one's bands were loosed. "And the jailor being roused out of sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword, and was about to kill himself, supposing 28 that the prisoners had escaped. "But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all "And he called for lights, and sprang in, and,

(29 here.

1 Gr. bondservants.

2 Or, a way

3 Gr. come out.

4 Gr. prætors.

A. V.-17 | followed |.. (and).. (the).. shew.. us; 18 grieved..command..he..the same; 19 And..gains..caught..drew..unto; 20 to..saying; 21 teach..are.. neither; 22 clothes; 24 thrust; 25 And at.. prayed..sang praises..heard; 26 prison; 27 keeper of the prison awaking..(he)..(out).. would have killed.. been fled; 29 Then..a light.