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Now there were ^(C1)prophets and ^(C2)teachers at ^(C3)Antioch, in the ^(C4)church that was there: ^(C5)Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of ^(C6)Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with ^(C7)Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

While they were ^(F1)serving the Lord and fasting, ^(C1)the Holy Spirit said, "Set ^(C2)Barnabas and Saul apart for Me for ^(C3)the work to which I have called them."

Then, when they had fasted, ^(C1)prayed, and ^(C2)laid their hands on them, ^(C3)they sent them away.

So, being ^(C1)sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to ^(C2)Cyprus.

When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in ^(C1)the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had ^(C2)John as their helper.

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a ^(C1)magician, a Jewish ^(C2)false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus,

who was with the ^(C1)proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.

But Elymas the ^(C1)magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the ^(C2)proconsul away from ^(C3)the faith.

But Saul, who was also known as Paul, ^(F1)(C1)filled with the Holy Spirit, stared at him,

and said, "^(F1)You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you ^(C1)son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not stop making crooked ^(C2)the straight ways of the Lord?

"Now, behold, ^(C1)the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.

Then the ^(C1)proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at ^(C2)the teaching of the Lord.

Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from ^(C1)Paphos and came to ^(C2)Perga in ^(C3)Pamphylia; but ^(C4)John left them and returned to Jerusalem.

But going on from Perga, they arrived at ^(C1)Pisidian ^(C2)Antioch, and on ^(C3)the Sabbath day they went into ^(C4)the synagogue and sat down.

After ^(C1)the reading of the Law and ^(C2)the Prophets, ^(C3)the synagogue officials sent word to them, saying, "^(F1)Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it."

Paul stood up, and ^(C1)motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and ^(C2)you who fear God, listen:

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"The God of this people Israel ^(C1)chose our fathers and ^(F1)(C2)made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm ^(C3)He led them out from it.

"For ^(C1)a period of about forty years ^(C2)He put up with them in the wilderness.

"^(C1)When He had destroyed ^(C2)seven nations in the land of Canaan, He ^(C3)distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took ^(C4)about 450 years.

"After these things He ^(C1)gave them judges until ^(C2)Samuel the prophet.

"Then they ^(C1)asked for a king, and God gave them ^(C2)Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.

"After He had ^(C1)removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, '^(C2)I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My ^(F1)will.'

"^(C1)From the descendants of this man, ^(C2)according to promise, God has brought to Israel ^(C3)a Savior, Jesus,

after ^(C1)John had proclaimed, before ^(F1)His coming, a ^(C2)baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

"And while John ^(C1)was completing his course, ^(C2)he kept saying, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, One is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'

"^(F1)Brothers, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of ^(C1)this salvation has been sent.

"For those who live in Jerusalem, and their ^(C1)rulers, ^(C2)recognizing neither Him nor the ^(F1)declarations of ^(C3)the prophets which are ^(C4)read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him.

"And though they found no grounds for putting Him to death, they ^(C1)asked Pilate that He be executed.

"When they had ^(C1)carried out everything that was written concerning Him, ^(C2)they took Him down from the ^(F1)(C3)cross and ^(C4)laid Him in a tomb.

"But God ^(C1)raised Him from the dead;

and for many days ^(C1)He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now ^(C2)His witnesses to the people.

"And we ^(C1)preach to you the good news of ^(C2)the promise made to the fathers,

that God has fulfilled this promise to those of us who are the descendants by ^(C1)raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm: '^(C2)YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE FATHERED YOU.'

"As for the fact that He ^(C1)raised Him from the dead, never again to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: '^(C2)I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY AND FAITHFUL MERCIES OF DAVID.'

"Therefore, He also says in another Psalm: '^(C1)YOU WILL NOT ^(F1)ALLOW YOUR ^(F2)HOLY ONE TO ^(F3)UNDERGO DECAY.'

"For ^(C1)David, after he had ^(F1)served God's ^(C2)purpose in his own generation, ^(C3)fell asleep, and was ^(F2)buried among his fathers and ^(F3)underwent decay;

but He whom God ^(C1)raised did not ^(F1)undergo decay.

"Therefore let it be known to you, ^(F1)brothers, that ^(C1)through ^(F2)Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

and ^(F1)through Him ^(C1)everyone who believes is ^(F2)freed from all things, from which you could not be ^(F2)freed ^(F3)through the Law of Moses.

"Therefore, see that the thing spoken of ^(C1)in the Prophets does not come upon you:

'^(C1)LOOK, YOU SCOFFERS, AND BE ASTONISHED, AND ^(F1)PERISH; FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.'"

As ^(F1)Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people repeatedly begged to have these ^(F2)things spoken to them the next ^(C1)Sabbath.

Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the ^(C1)God-fearing ^(F1)(C2)proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them and urging them to continue in ^(C3)the grace of God.

The next ^(C1)Sabbath nearly all the city assembled to hear the word of ^(F1)the Lord.

But when ^(C1)the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were ^(F1)blaspheming.

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you ^(C1)first. Since you repudiate it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, ^(C2)we are turning to the Gentiles.

"For so the Lord has commanded us, '^(C1)I HAVE APPOINTED YOU AS A ^(C2)LIGHT ^(F1)TO THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY ^(F2)BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'"

When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying ^(C1)the word of ^(F1)the Lord; and all who ^(C2)had been appointed to eternal life believed.

And ^(C1)the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.

But ^(C1)the Jews incited the ^(F1)(C2)devout women ^(C3)of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their ^(F2)region.

But ^(C1)they shook off the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to ^(C2)Iconium.

And the disciples were continually ^(C1)filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

In ^(C1)Iconium ^(C2)they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a way ^(C3)that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of ^(C4)Greeks.

But ^(C1)the ^(F1)(C2)unbelieving Jews stirred up the ^(F2)minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against ^(C3)the brothers.

Therefore they spent a long time there ^(C1)speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that ^(F1)(C2)signs and wonders be performed by their hands.

^(C1)But the ^(F1)people of the city were divided; and some ^(F2)sided with ^(C2)the Jews, while others, with ^(C3)the apostles.

And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and ^(C1)the Jews with their rulers, to treat them abusively and to ^(C2)stone them,

they became aware of it and fled to the cities of ^(C1)Lycaonia, ^(C2)Lystra and ^(C3)Derbe, and the surrounding region;

and there they continued to ^(C1)preach the gospel.

In ^(C1)Lystra ^(C2)a man was sitting whose feet were incapacitated. He had been disabled from his mother's womb, and had never walked.

This man was listening to Paul as he spoke. Paul ^(C1)looked at him intently and saw that he had ^(C2)faith to be ^(F1)made well,

and he said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet!" ^(C1)And the man leaped up and began to walk.

When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the ^(C1)Lycaonian language, "^(C2)The gods have become like men and have come down to us!"

And they began calling Barnabas, ^(F1)Zeus, and Paul, ^(F2)Hermes, since he was ^(F3)the chief speaker.

Moreover, the priest of Zeus, whose temple was ^(F1)just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and ^(C1)wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

But when ^(C1)the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they ^(C2)tore their ^(F1)robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out

and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We are also ^(C1)men, of the same nature as you, ^(C2)preaching the gospel to you, to turn from these ^(F1)(C3)useless things to a ^(C4)living God, who ^(C5)MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND EVERYTHING THAT IS IN THEM.

"^(F1)In past generations He ^(C1)permitted all the ^(F2)nations to ^(C2)go their own ways;

yet ^(C1)He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and ^(C2)gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, ^(F1)satisfying your hearts with food and gladness."

And even by saying these things, only with difficulty did they restrain the crowds from offering sacrifices to them.

But ^(C1)Jews came from ^(C2)Antioch and ^(C3)Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they ^(C4)stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking that he was dead.

But while ^(C1)the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for ^(C2)Derbe.

And after they had ^(C1)preached the gospel to that city and had ^(C2)made a good number of disciples, they returned to ^(C3)Lystra, to ^(C4)Iconium, and to ^(C5)Antioch,

strengthening the souls of ^(C1)the disciples, encouraging them to continue in ^(C2)the faith, and saying, "^(C3)It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God."

When ^(C1)they had appointed ^(C2)elders for them in every church, having ^(C3)prayed with fasting, they ^(C4)entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

They passed through ^(C1)Pisidia and came into ^(C2)Pamphylia.

When they had spoken the word in ^(C1)Perga, they went down to Attalia.

From there they sailed to ^(C1)Antioch, ^(C2)where they had been ^(C3)entrusted to the grace of God for the work that they had ^(F1)accomplished.

When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to ^(C1)report all the things that God had done with them and ^(F1)how He had opened a ^(C2)door of faith to the Gentiles.

And they spent ^(F1)a long time with ^(C1)the disciples.

^(C1)Some men came down from Judea and began teaching ^(C2)the brothers, "Unless you are ^(C3)circumcised according to ^(C4)the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

And after Paul and Barnabas had ^(F1)a heated argument and ^(C1)debate with them, ^(C2)the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the ^(C3)apostles and elders concerning this issue.

Therefore, after being ^(C1)sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both ^(C2)Phoenicia and Samaria, ^(C3)describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all ^(C4)the brothers and sisters.

When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, ^(C1)the apostles, and the elders, and they ^(C2)reported all that God had done with them.

But some of ^(C1)the sect of the ^(C2)Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, "It is necessary to ^(C3)circumcise ^(F1)them and to direct them to keep the Law of Moses."

^(C1)The apostles and the elders came together to ^(F1)look into this ^(F2)matter.

After there had been much ^(C1)debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "^(F1)Brothers, you know that ^(F2)in the early days ^(C2)God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of ^(C3)the gospel and believe.

"And God, ^(C1)who knows the heart, testified to them ^(C2)giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

and ^(C1)He made no distinction between us and them, ^(C2)cleansing their hearts by faith.

"Since this is the case, why are you ^(C1)putting God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which ^(C2)neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear?

"But we believe that we are saved through ^(C1)the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are."

All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were ^(C1)relating all the ^(C2)signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.

After they stopped speaking, ^(F1)(C1)James responded, saying, "^(F2)Brothers, listen to me.

"^(C1)Simeon has described how God first concerned Himself about taking a people for His name from among the Gentiles.

"The words of ^(C1)the Prophets agree with this, just as it is written:

'^(C1)AFTER THESE THINGS ^(C2)I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE FALLEN ^(F1)TABERNACLE OF DAVID, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT,

^(C1)SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES ^(F1)(C2)WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,'

^(C1)SAYS THE LORD, WHO ^(F1)(C2)MAKES THESE THINGS known from long ago.

"Therefore, it is ^(C1)my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God,

but that we write to them that they abstain from ^(F1)(C1)things contaminated by idols, from ^(C2)acts of sexual immorality, from ^(C3)what has been ^(F2)strangled, and from blood.

"For ^(C1)from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since ^(F1)he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath."

Then it seemed good to ^(C1)the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to ^(C2)Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and ^(C3)Silas, leading men among ^(C4)the brothers,

and they ^(F1)sent this letter with them: "^(C1)The apostles and the brothers who are elders, to ^(C2)the brothers and sisters in ^(C3)Antioch, ^(C4)Syria, and ^(C5)Cilicia who are from the Gentiles: ^(C6)Greetings.

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Since we have heard that ^(C1)some ^(F1)of our number to whom we gave no instruction have ^(C2)confused you by their ^(F2)teaching, upsetting your souls,

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^(C1)it seemed good to us, having ^(F1)become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

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men who have ^(F1)(C1)risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Therefore, we have sent ^(C1)Judas and ^(C2)Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth.

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For ^(C1)it seemed good to ^(C2)the Holy Spirit and to ^(C3)us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

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that you abstain from ^(C1)things sacrificed to idols, from ^(C1)blood, from ^(C1)things strangled, and from ^(C1)acts of sexual immorality; ^(F1)if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell."

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So when they were sent away, ^(C1)they went down to Antioch; and after gathering the ^(F1)congregation together, they delivered the letter.

When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its ^(F1)encouragement.

^(C1)Judas and ^(C2)Silas, also being ^(C3)prophets themselves, ^(F1)encouraged and strengthened ^(C4)the brothers and sisters with a lengthy message.

After they had spent time there, they were sent away from the brothers and sisters ^(C1)in peace to those who had ^(C2)sent them out.^(F1)

But ^(C1)Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and ^(C2)preaching ^(C3)the word of the Lord, with many others also.

After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's return and visit the brothers and sisters in ^(C1)every city in which we proclaimed ^(C2)the word of the Lord, and see how they are."

Barnabas wanted to take ^(C1)John, called Mark, along with them also.

But Paul was of the opinion that they should not take along with them this man who had ^(C1)deserted them ^(F1)in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.

Now it turned into such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took ^(C1)Mark with him and sailed away to ^(C2)Cyprus.

But Paul chose ^(C1)Silas, and left after being ^(C2)entrusted by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.

And he was traveling through ^(C1)Syria and ^(C2)Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Now Paul also came to ^(C1)Derbe and to ^(C1)Lystra. And a disciple was there, named ^(C2)Timothy, the son of a ^(C3)Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek,

and he was well spoken of by ^(C1)the brothers and sisters who were in ^(C2)Lystra and ^(C3)Iconium.

Paul wanted this man to leave with him; and he ^(C1)took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

Now while they were passing through the cities, they were delivering ^(C1)the ordinances for them to follow which had been determined by ^(C2)the apostles and ^(C3)elders in Jerusalem.

So ^(C1)the churches were being strengthened ^(F1)in the faith, and were ^(C2)increasing in number daily.

They passed through the ^(F1)(C1)Phrygian and ^(C2)Galatian region, after being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in ^(F2)(C3)Asia;

and after they came to ^(C1)Mysia, they were trying to go into ^(C2)Bithynia, and the ^(C3)Spirit of Jesus did not allow them;

and passing by ^(C1)Mysia, they went down to ^(C2)Troas.

^(C1)And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of ^(C2)Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."

When he had seen ^(C1)the vision, ^(C2)we immediately sought to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to ^(C3)preach the gospel to them.

So after setting sail from ^(C1)Troas, we ran ^(C2)a straight course to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis;

and from there to ^(C1)Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of ^(C2)Macedonia, ^(C3)a Roman colony; and we were spending some days in this city.

And on ^(C1)the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were thinking that there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.

A woman named Lydia was listening; she was a seller of purple fabrics from the city of ^(C1)Thyatira, and ^(C2)a worshiper of God. ^(F1)The Lord ^(C3)opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.

Now when she and ^(C1)her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

It happened that as we were going to ^(C1)the place of prayer, a slave woman who had ^(C2)a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing great profit to her masters by fortune-telling.

She followed Paul and us and cried out repeatedly, saying, "These men are bond-servants of ^(C1)the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation."

Now she continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and he turned and said to the spirit, "I command you ^(C1)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out at that very ^(F1)moment.

But when her masters saw that their hope of ^(C1)profit was suddenly gone, they seized ^(C2)Paul and Silas and ^(C3)dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities,

and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men, Jews as they are, are causing our city trouble,

and they ^(C1)are proclaiming customs that are not lawful for us to accept or to practice, since we are ^(C2)Romans."

The crowd joined in an attack against them, and the chief magistrates tore their ^(F1)robes off them and proceeded to order ^(F2)them to be ^(C1)beaten with rods.

When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding ^(C1)the jailer to guard them securely;

^(F1)and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in ^(C1)the ^(F2)stocks.

Now about midnight ^(C1)Paul and Silas were praying and ^(C2)singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;

and suddenly ^(C1)there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately ^(C2)all the doors were opened, and everyone's ^(C3)chains were unfastened.

When ^(C1)the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about ^(C2)to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped.

But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!"

And the jailer asked for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear, he fell down before ^(C1)Paul and Silas;

and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, ^(C1)what must I do to be saved?"

They said, "^(C1)Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and ^(C2)your household."

And they spoke the word of God to him together with all who were in his house.

And he took them ^(C1)that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.

And he brought them into his house and set ^(F1)food before them, and was ^(F2)overjoyed, since he had become a believer in God together with ^(C1)his whole household.

Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their officers, saying, "Release those men."

And ^(C1)the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The chief magistrates have sent word that you be released. So come out now and go ^(C2)in peace."

But Paul said to them, "After beating us in public without due process—^(C1)men who are Romans—they threw us into prison; and now they are releasing us secretly? No indeed! On the contrary, let them come ^(F1)in person and lead us out."

The officers reported these words to the chief magistrates. ^(C1)And they became fearful when they heard that they were Romans,

and they came and pleaded with them, and when they had led them out, they repeatedly asked them ^(C1)to leave the city.

They left the prison and entered the house of ^(C1)Lydia, and when they saw ^(C2)the brothers and sisters, they ^(F1)encouraged them and departed.