Study Desk

"In the past God let all the nations do what they wanted.

But God was always there doing the good things that prove he is real. He gives you rain from heaven and good harvests at the right times. He gives you plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

In those cities they helped the followers grow stronger in their faith and encouraged them to continue trusting God. They told them, "We must suffer many things on our way into God's kingdom."

They told people the message of God in the city of Perga, and then they went down to the city of Attalia.

When Paul and Barnabas arrived, they gathered the church together. They told them everything God had used them to do. They said, "God opened a door for the non-Jewish people to believe!"

The church helped them get ready to leave on their trip. The men went through the countries of Phoenicia and Samaria, where they told all about how the non-Jewish people had turned to the true God. This made all the believers very happy.

When the men arrived in Jerusalem, the apostles, the elders, and the whole church welcomed them. Paul, Barnabas, and the others told about all that God had done with them.

After a long debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "My brothers, I am sure you remember what happened in the early days. God chose me from among you to tell the Good News to those who are not Jewish. It was from me that they heard the Good News and believed.

God knows everyone, even their thoughts, and he accepted these non-Jewish people. He showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit the same as he did to us.

To God, those people are not different from us. When they believed, God made their hearts pure.

So now, why are you putting a heavy burden around the necks of the non-Jewish followers of Jesus? Are you trying to make God angry? We and our fathers were not able to carry that burden.

Then the whole group became quiet. They listened while Paul and Barnabas told about all the miraculous signs and wonders that God had done through them among the non-Jewish people.

Simon Peter has told us how God showed his love for the non-Jewish people. For the first time, God accepted them and made them his people.

Then the rest of the world will look for the Lord God— all those of other nations who are my people too. The Lord said this. And he is the one who does all these things.'

"So I think we should not make things hard for those who have turned to God from among the non-Jewish people.

After Paul had seen the vision, we immediately prepared to leave for Macedonia. We understood that God had called us to tell the Good News to those people.

There was a woman there named Lydia from the city of Thyatira. Her job was selling purple cloth. She was a worshiper of the true God. Lydia was listening to Paul, and the Lord opened her heart to accept what Paul was saying.

She started following Paul and the rest of us around. She kept shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God! They are telling you how you can be saved!"

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God. The other prisoners were listening to them.

After this the jailer took Paul and Silas home and gave them some food. All the people were very happy because they now believed in God.