Study Desk

for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And considerable numbers were added to the Lord.

And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul;

and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers of people; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

And to the extent that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brothers and sisters living in Judea.

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

Now when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."

When Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there.

Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one mind they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king's chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because their country was supported with grain from the king's country.

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

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

"Now, behold, 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.

After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it."

"For a period of about forty years He put up with them 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, recognizing neither Him nor the declarations of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him.

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

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

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

"For David, after he had served God's purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried among his fathers and underwent decay;