Study Desk

to such an extent that they even carried their sick out into the streets and put them on cots and sleeping pads, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on one of them [with healing power].

"He shrewdly exploited our race and mistreated our fathers, forcing them to expose their [male] babies so that they would die.

saying, "Give me this authority and power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

But Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me both of you, so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me."

and he asked for letters [of authority] from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any men or women there belonging to the Way [believers, followers of Jesus the Messiah], men and women alike, he could arrest them and bring them bound [with chains] to Jerusalem.

and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him, so that he may regain his sight."

So Ananias left and entered the house, and he laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came [to Damascus], has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit [in order to proclaim Christ to both Jews and Gentiles]."

and he said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your acts of charity have been remembered before God [so that He is about to help you].

"Therefore be careful, so that the thing spoken of in the [writings of the] Prophets does not come upon you:

"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.'"

"Men, why are you doing these things? We too are only men of the same nature as you, bringing the good news to you, so that you turn from these useless and meaningless things to the living God, WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND EVERYTHING THAT IS IN THEM.

SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES UPON WHOM MY NAME HAS BEEN INVOKED,'

"This was so that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grasp for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

This continued for two years, so that all the inhabitants of [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor], Jews as well as Greeks, heard the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].

so that even handkerchiefs or face-towels or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out [of them].

Then the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they ran out of that house [in terror, stripped] naked and wounded.

Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus so that he would not end up spending time [unnecessarily] in [the province of] Asia (modern Turkey); for he was in a hurry to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

"But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the good news of God's [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life].

take these men and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses [for the temple offerings] so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the things they have been told about you, but that you yourself also follow and keep the Law.

"But so that I do not weary you further, I beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing.