Study Desk

At that time King Herod used his power to make it hard for the Christians in the church.

So Peter was held in prison. But the church kept praying to God for him.

The night before Herod was to bring him out for his trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers. He was tied with two chains. Soldiers stood by the door and watched the prison.

Herod looked for him but could not find him. He asked the soldiers who watched the prison about Peter. Herod said that the soldiers must be killed because Peter got away. Then Herod went down from the country of Judea to the city of Caesarea to stay for awhile.

Herod was very angry with the people of the cities of Tyre and Sidon. They went to him and asked for peace to be made between them and the king. They asked this because their country got food from the king's country. The people made friends with Blastus, the king's helper.

While they were worshiping the Lord and eating no food so they could pray better, the Holy Spirit said, "Let Barnabas and Saul be given to Me for the work I have called them to."

And now look! The hand of the Lord is on you. You will become blind. For a time you will not be able to see the sun." At once it became dark to Elymas, and he could not see. He asked people to take him by the hand to lead him from place to place.

After the leaders had read from the Jewish Law and the writings of the early preachers, they sent to them saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of comfort and help for the people, say it now."

For about forty years He took care of them in the desert.

For about 450 years He let them have special leaders. They had these leaders until the time of Samuel.

Before Jesus came, John had preached to all the Jews that they should be baptized because they were sorry for their sins and turned from them.

For many days He was seen by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These are the ones who tell the people about Him.

God has finished this for us who are their children. He did this by raising Jesus from the dead. It is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father.'

David was a good leader for the people of his day. He did what God wanted. Then he died and was put into a grave close to his father's grave. His body went back to dust.

Paul and Barnabas said to the people in plain words, "We must preach the Word of God to you first. But because you put it aside, you are not good enough for life that lasts forever. So we will go to the people who are not Jews.

The people who were not Jews were glad when they heard this. They were thankful for the Word of God. Those who were chosen for life that lasts forever believed.

Even with these words it was hard for Paul and Barnabas to keep the people from burning cattle in an act of worship to them.

In every church they chose leaders for them. They went without food during that time so they could pray better. Paul and Barnabas prayed for the leaders, giving them over to the Lord in Whom they believed.

From there they went by ship to Antioch where they had been given to the Lord for His work. The work of this trip was done.

When they got there, they called the church together. They told them everything God had done for them. They told how God had opened the door for the people who were not Jews to have faith.