Study Desk

The angel said to him, "Prepare yourself and strap on your sandals [to get ready for whatever may happen]." And he did so. Then the angel told him, "Put on your robe and follow me."

When they had passed the first guard and the second, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city. Of its own accord it swung open for them; and they went out and went along one street, and at once the angel left him.

When Peter came to his senses, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting [to do to me]."

When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he interrogated the guards and commanded that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea [Maritima] and spent some time there.

Now Herod [Agrippa I] was extremely angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and their delegates came to him in a united group, and after persuading Blastus, the king's chamberlain [to support their cause], they asked for peace, because their country was fed by [imports of grain and other goods from] the king's country.

While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them."

who was [closely associated] with the proconsul [of the province], Sergius Paulus, an intelligent and sensible man. He called for Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].

But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is how his name is translated) opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul away from accepting the faith.

"Now, watch! The hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, [so blind that you will be] unable to see the sun for a time." Immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him, and he groped around, seeking people to lead him by the hand.

After the reading of the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, "Brothers (kinsmen), if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it."

"For a period of about forty years He put up with their behavior in the wilderness.

"Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.

"For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, who failed to recognize or understand both Jesus and the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled these [very prophecies] by condemning Him.

and for many days (forty) He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people.

"And [as for the fact] that He raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay [in the grave], He has spoken in this way: 'I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY AND SURE blessings OF DAVID [those blessings and mercies that were promised to him].'

"For this reason He also says in another Psalm, 'YOU WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO SEE DECAY.'

"For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was buried among his fathers and experienced decay [in the grave];

'LOOK, YOU MOCKERS, AND MARVEL, AND PERISH and VANISH AWAY; FOR I AM DOING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, even IF SOMEONE DESCRIBES IT TO YOU [telling you about it in detail].'"

"For that is what the Lord has commanded us, saying, 'I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, SO THAT YOU MAY BRING [the message of eternal] SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'"

When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying [praising and giving thanks for] the word of the Lord; and all those who had been appointed (designated, ordained) to eternal life [by God] believed [in Jesus as the Christ and their Savior].