regard thou not as common.', 10 And this was done thrice: and the whole was drawn up again into heaven. none but to Jews only. 20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrené; who, when they came to Antioch, spake to the Greeks;* preaching the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great 11 "And, behold, immediately three men, sent to me from Cesarea, stood at the house where I was. 12 And the spirit bade me go with them, [with-number believed, and turned to out scruple:] moreover, these the Lord. 22 Then the report six brethren accompanied me; of these things came to the and we entered into a man's knowledge of the church which house 13 and he related to us was in Jerusalem : and they that he had seen an angel in his sent forth Barnabas, that he house, who stood and said to might go as far as Antioch: 23 him, 'Send to Joppa, and bring who, when he came, and had hither Simon, whose surname seen the favour of God, was is Peter; 14 who will declare glad; and exhorted them all, a doctrine to thee, by which that with a firm purpose of thou and all thy household will heart they would cleave to the be saved.' 15 And as I began Lord; 24 for he was a good to speak, the holy spirit fell on man, and full of a holy spirit, them; as on us at the beginning. and of faith and a great multi16 Then I remembered the tude was added to the Lord. word of the Lord, as he said, 'John indeed baptized in water; but ye shall be baptized in a holy spirit.' 17 If therefore God gave to them the like gift as he did to us, after having believ-pass that, during a whole year, ed on the Lord Jesus Christ; who was I, that I should be able to withstand God?" 18 And having heard these things, they ceased, and glorified God, saying, "Then God hath granted to the gentiles also, repentance unto life." were : 25 Then [Barnabas] departed to Tarsus, that he might seek Saul: and having found [him,] he brought [him] to Antioch. 26 And it came to they assembled themselves with the church; and taught a great multitude; and in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. 27 NOW in those days, prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them, 19 NOW those that named Agabus, rose up, and scattered abroad by the per-made known, through the spirit, secution which arose about that there should be a great faStephen, travelled as far as mine over the whole land:. Phenicia, and Cyprus, and An- which came to pass in the tioch, preaching the word to days of Claudius. 29 Then the * The received text is 'Exλnvoтas Hellenists, which is probably the true reading. See ver. 19. Bishop Pearce. Griesbach reads. 'Exλnvas, Greeks, or gentiles. to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren who dwelt in Judea: 30 which they also did; and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas out, disciples, every one according | low me." 9 And Peter went and followed him; and knew not, that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision. 10 And having past the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leadeth to the city; which opened to them of its own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel departed from him. and Saul. CH. XII. 1 NOW about that time, king Herod stretched forth his hands to afflict some of the church. 2 And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. 3 And because he perceived it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to sixteen soldiers to keep him, intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people. 5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but earnest prayer to God, was made for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him forth, on that night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains; and keepers before the door guarded the prison. 7 And, behold, an angel of the Lord came upon 'him, and a light shone in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and awoke him, say. ing, "Rise up quickly." 8 And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said to him, "Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals." And he did so. Then the angel said to him, "Cast thy mantle about thee, and fol 11 And Peter, on coming to himself, said, "Now I certainly know that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me from the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the Jewish people." 12 And having considered the matter, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together, and were praying. 13 And on his knocking at the door of the porch, a damsel came to attend, named Rhoda: 14 and knowing Peter's voice, she opened not the porch for gladness; but ran in, and told that Peter stood before the porch. 15 And they said to her, "Thou art mad." But she confidently affirmed that it was so. 16 Then they said, "It is his angel." Peter continued knocking. And when they had opened the door, they saw him, and were amazed. 17 But he beckoned to them with his hand to keep silence; and related to them how the But * Or, messenger. N. m." A Jewish opinion about guardian angels, or the souls of men converted into ministering spirits, may be here referred to, without establishing its truth. See Doddridge." Newcome. Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said also," Report these things to James, and to the brethren." Then he departed, and went to another place. 18 Now when it was day, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers, concerning what was become of Peter. 19 And Herod having sought for him, and not finding him, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Cesarea, and abode there. 20 NOW he was highly ineensed against the Tyrians and Sidonians. But they came to him, with one consent, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by that of the king. 21 And on a day appointed, Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne, and made an oration to them.* 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man." 23 And immediately, an angel of the Lord smote him,f because he gave not glory to God: and he was eaten by worms, and expired. 24 And the word of God grew and multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their office; and brought with them John, whose surname was Mark. CH. XIII. 1 NOW in the church that was at Antioch, there were [certain] prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrené, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 And while they were publicly ministering to the Lord and fasting, the holy spirit said, Separate for me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them." 3 And having fasted and prayed, and put their hands on them, they sent them away. 4 So these, having been sent forth by the holy spirit, departed to Seleucia; and from thence, they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also for their attendant. 6 And having gone through the whole island to Paphos, they found a certain Magian, a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Barjesus, 7 who was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a wise man. This deputy called to him Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas, that is, the Magian, (for so is his name by interpretation,) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the deputy from the faith. 9 Then Saul (who is also called Paul,) being filled with a holy spirit, [and] looking earnestly on him, 10 said, “O full of all subtilty, "This history is remarkably confirmed by Josephus, Ant. xix. viii, 2. Bishop Pearce has quoted the passage." Newcome. "This is the Jewish mode of expressing, that God inflicted a disease on him." Newcome. naan, he gave our fathers their land for an inheritance. 20 And after that, he appointed to them judges, for about four hun and of all mischief, thou son of an impostor, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11 And now, be-dred and fifty years, until the hold, the hand of the Lord is prophet Samuel. 21 And afterupon thee; and thou shalt be ward they desired a king: and blind, not seeing the sun, for a God appointed to them Saul time." And immediately there the son of Kish, a man of the fell on him a mist and a dark- tribe of Benjamin, during forty ness and he went about seek- years. 22 And when God had ing some to lead him by the removed him, he raised up for hand. 12 Then the deputy, them David to be their king: when he saw what had been to whom he gave his testimony done, believed; being astonish- also, and said, I have found ed at the doctrine of the Lord. David, the son of Jessé, [a man] according to mine own heart, who will perform all my plea 13 NOW when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphy-sure.' lia. But John departed from them, and returned to Jerusalem. 14 And having passed through from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia; and went into the synagogue, on the sabbath day, and sat down. 15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Men, brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation to the people, speak.” and 16 Then Paul stood up, beckoned with his hand, said, "Men of Israel, and ye of the gentiles who fear God, hearken. 17 The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people, when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and brought them out of it with a high arm. 18 And for about the space of forty years, he nourished them in the desert. 19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Ca 23"Of this man's race, God, according to his promise, hath brought forth to Israel a Saviour, Jesus; 24 before whose appearance John first preached a baptism of reformation, to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John was fulfilling his course, he said, 'Whom think ye that I am? I am not the Christ. But, behold, one cometh after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to unloose.' 26" Men, brethren, sons of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever of the gentiles among you fear God; to you the doctrine of this salvation hath been sent. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem and their rulers, not understanding this doctrine, nor the words of the prophets, which are read on every sabbath, have fulfilled them by condemning Christ. 28 And though they found no just cause of death in him, yet they besought Pilate phets, 41' Behold, ye scorners, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, [a work] which ye will in no wise believe, though it be declared to you." 42 AND as they were going out, the people desired that [these] words might be spoken to them on the next sabbath. 43 And when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews, and of the proselytes who worshipped God, followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking [to them,] persuaded them to continue in the favour of God. that he might be put to death. | 29 And having fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the cross, and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead: 31 and he was seen many days, by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem; who are his witnesses to the people. 32 And we declare to you glad tidings, concerning the promise which was made to the fathers; 33 that God hath fulfilled it to us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus; as it is written also in the first psalm;* Thou art my son, this day I have begotten thee.' 34 And, that God raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he speaketh thus, I will give you the sure mercies promised to David.' 35 Where-tradicted those things which fore it is also said in another psalm, 'Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption.' 36 For after David had served his own generation, according to the counsel of God, he fell asleep, and was gathered to his fathers, and saw corruption : 37 but he whom God raised did not see corruption. 38" Be it therefore known to you, brethren, that through this Jesus, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 And through him, all who believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40 Beware therefore lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the pro 44 And on the following sabbath, almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. 45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with indignation, and con were spoken by Paul, [contradicting and] speaking evil. 46 Then Paul and Barnabas speaking freely, said, "It was necessary that the word of God should have been spoken first to you; but since ye put it from you, and do not judge yourselves worthy of aionian life, behold, we turn to the gentiles. 47 For so the Lord hath commanded us, saying, I have set thee for a light to the gentiles, that thou shouldst be for salvation, to the ends of the earth.'" 48 And when the gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were disposed to aionian life, believ "The two first psalms, as they stand in our editions, were anciently joined together. See Wetstein. Or the first psalm, was originally a kind of preface. Michaelis by Marsh, i. 515." New come. |