Study Desk

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it!

"See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven constantly see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a certain man has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that wandered away? And if he happens to find it, truly I say to you that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not wander away. In the same way it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish. "Now if your brother sins against you, go correct him between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take with you in addition one or two others, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses to listen to the church also, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. "Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will be released in heaven. Again, truly I say to you that if two of you agree on earth about any matter that they ask, it will be done for them from my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them." Then Peter came up to him and said, "Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven! "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man—a king—who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. And when he began to settle them, someone was brought to him who owed ten thousand talents. And because he did not have enough to repay it, the master ordered him to be sold, and his wife and his children and everything that he had, and to be repaid. Then the slave threw himself to the ground and began to do obeisance to him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay back everything to you!' So the master of that slave, because he had compassion, released him and forgave him the loan. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and taking hold of him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back everything that you owe!' Then his fellow slave threw himself to the ground and began to implore him, saying, ‘Be patient with me and I will repay you!' But he did not want to, but rather he went and threw him into prison until he would repay what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed, and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘Wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you implored me! Should you not also have shown mercy to your fellow slave as I also showed mercy to you?' And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the merciless jailers until he would repay everything that was owed. So also my heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from your hearts!"

And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses to listen to the church also, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

And great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard about these things.

And Saul was agreeing with his murder. Now there happened on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

But Saul was attempting to destroy the church. Entering house after house, he dragged off both men and women and delivered them to prison.

Saul Attempts to Destroy the Church And Saul was agreeing with his murder. Now there happened on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul was attempting to destroy the church. Entering house after house, he dragged off both men and women and delivered them to prison. Now those who had been scattered went about proclaiming the good news of the word. And Philip came down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them. And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was being said by Philip, as they heard him and saw the signs that he was performing. For many of those who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them, crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. Now a certain man named Simon had been in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great. They were all paying attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.'" And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized. And Simon himself also believed, and after he was baptized he was keeping close company with Philip. And when he saw the signs and great miracles that were taking place, he was astonished. Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. (For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then they placed their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money, saying, "Give to me also this power, so that whomever I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit!" But Peter said to him, "May your silver be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could acquire the gift of God by means of money! You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and ask the Lord if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you!" For I see you are in a state of bitter envy and bound by unrighteousness." But Simon answered and said, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me." So when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they turned back toward Jerusalem, and were proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans. Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Get up and go toward the south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.) And he got up and went, and behold, there was a man, an Ethiopian eunuch (a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury) who had come to worship in Jerusalem and was returning and sitting in his chariot, and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Approach and join this chariot." So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet and said, "So then, do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "So how could I, unless someone will guide me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of scripture that he was reading aloud was this: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his descendants? For his life was taken away from the earth." And the eunuch answered and said to Philip, "I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this—about himself or about someone else?" So Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, proclaimed the good news to him about Jesus. And as they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"

Then the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being strengthened. And living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it was increasing in numbers.

And the report came to the attention of the church that was in Jerusalem about them, and they sent out Barnabas as far as Antioch,

And when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it happened to them also that they met together for a whole year with the church and taught a large number of people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

Now at that time, Herod the king laid hands on some of those from the church to harm them.

Thus Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer was fervently being made to God by the church for him.

Now there were prophets and teachers in Antioch in the church that was there: Barnabas, and Simeon (who was called Niger), and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.

And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, after praying with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.

And when they arrived and called the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.

So they were sent on their way by the church, and passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

And when they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and reported all that God had done with them.

Then it seemed best to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to send men chosen from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas who was called Barsabbas and Silas, men who were leaders among the brothers—

The Jerusalem Council And some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved." And after there was no little strife and debate by Paul and Barnabas against them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this issue. So they were sent on their way by the church, and passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers. And when they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and reported all that God had done with them. But some of those who had believed from the party of the Pharisees stood up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to observe the law of Moses!" Both the apostles and the elders assembled to deliberate concerning this matter. And after there was much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Men and brothers, you know that in the early days God chose among you through my mouth that the Gentiles should hear the message of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us. And he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way those also are." And the whole group became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. And after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, "Men and brothers, listen to me! Simeon has described how God first concerned himself to take from among the Gentiles a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: ‘After these things I will return and build up again the tent of David that has fallen, and the parts of it that had been torn down I will build up again and will restore it, so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.' Therefore I conclude we should not cause difficulty for those from among the Gentiles who turn to God, but we should write a letter to them to abstain from the pollution of idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood. For Moses has those who proclaim him in every city from ancient generations, because he is read aloud in the synagogues on every Sabbath." Then it seemed best to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to send men chosen from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas who was called Barsabbas and Silas, men who were leaders among the brothers— writing this letter to be delivered by them: The apostles and the elders, brothers. To the brothers who are from among the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. Greetings! Because we have heard that some have gone out from among us—to whom we gave no orders—and have thrown you into confusion by words upsetting your minds, it seemed best to us, having reached a unanimous decision, and having chosen men, to send them to you together with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives on behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, and they will report the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us to place on you no greater burden except these necessary things: that you abstain from food sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these things you will do well. Farewell. So when they were sent off, they came down to Antioch, and after calling together the community, they delivered the letter. And when they read it aloud, they rejoiced at the encouragement. Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers by a long message. And after spending some time, they were sent away in peace from the brothers to those who had sent them.

And when he arrived at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and went down to Antioch.