Acts.
Acts 1.
1 Theófilos: In the first work I made about everything Jesus began to do and teach,
2 giving commands to his chosen apostles through the Holy Spirit, till the day he was raptured.
3 Jesus also stood before them, alive, after his suffering,
appearing to them 40 days, speaking about God’s kingdom.
4 While together with them, Jesus ordered them not to leave Jerusalem,
but “wait for the Father’s promise which you heard from me:
5 John baptized with water, and after not too many days,
you’ll all be baptized in the Holy Spirit.”
6 So when they came together, the apostles questioned Jesus:
“Master, is it at this time you’re restoring the Kingdom of Israel?”
7 Jesus told them, “It’s not for you to know times or timing.
That, the Father sets by his own free will.
8 But you’ll all get power: The Holy Spirit is coming upon you.
You’ll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the world.”
9 Saying this as they watched him, Jesus was raptured. A cloud concealed him from their eyes.
10 While they were watching him go up into the sky, look!—two men in white clothing stood by them.
11 The men said, “Galileans, why’d you stand looking at the sky?
This Jesus, raptured from you into the sky like this, will come back like you saw him go into the sky.”
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olive Grove,
which is a Sabbath’s trip away from Jerusalem.
13 When they entered, they went up into the upstairs room where they were living—
Simon Peter, Jacob, John, and Andrew;
Philip and Thomas, Bartholemew and Matthew,
Jacob bar Khalfai and Simon the Zealot and Judah bar Jacob.
14 All of them were persistently dedicated, as if one person, to prayer,
with their wives and Mary, Jesus’s mother, and his family.
15 In those days Peter stood up in the middle of the Christians—
the crowd of people was about 120.
He said, 16 “Brother Christians, we have to fulfill the scripture
which, through David’s mouth, the Holy Spirit predicted about Judah of Kerioth
becoming a guide to the arrest of Jesus—
17 that he was listed among us,
and threw his chip into this ministry.”
18 (Actually, he then got a field with the wrongful payoff,
and falling face-down, his middle burst open, and all his guts poured out.
19 This became known to everyone living in Jerusalem;
hence they call that field, in their own dialect, Hakél Damákh, blood field.)
20 “For it was written in the book of psalms,
‘His sheepfold must go wild. A settler mustn’t be in it,’ Ps 69.25
and ‘Another must take oversight of him.’ Ps 109.8
21 So it’s necessary for a man—who traveled with us the whole time,
who entered and exited with our master Jesus,
22 beginning with John’s baptism, till the day when he was raptured from us—
to become this witness of his resurrection with us.”
23 Two stood: Joseph bar Sabá, who was called Jústus; and Matay.
24 Those praying said, “You, Master, knower of every heart,
show us which one of these two you’ve chosen
25 to take the place of this ministry and apostleship
from which Judah stepped away… to go to his own place.”
26 They gave their lots, and the lot fell to Matay.
He was counted with the 11 apostles.
Acts 2.
1 When the 50th day after Passover drew near, all were together in one place.
2 Suddenly a roar came from heaven, like a mighty wind sounds,
and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Tongues, like fire, were seen distributed to them,
and sat on each one of them, 4 and all were filled with the Holy Spirit.
They began to speak in other tongues,
in whatever way the Spirit gave them the ability.
4 The Jews who inhabited Jerusalem at the time
were devout men from every nation under heaven.
5 When this sound came forth, the masses gathered, and were confused:
Each one of them was hearing their own dialect spoken to them.
6 They were astounded, and wondered aloud, “Look, aren’t all these speakers Galileans?
8 How is each of us hearing our own native dialect?
9 People from Iran, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Israel, eastern Turkey,
10 western Turkey, Egypt, the Cyrenian part of Libya, visitors from Rome,
11 Jews and Jewish converts, Cretans and Arabs
—we hear them speaking of God’s might in our own languages!”
12 All were astounded and stunned. Some asked one another, “What caused this?”
13 Others said, joking, “They’ve been drinking port.”
14 Simon Peter, standing with the Eleven, raised his voice and shouted to them,
“Jewish men! Residents of Jerusalem! All this is something you have to know!
Listen to my words, 15 for these people aren’t drunk.
You assume so, for it’s the third hour of the day,
16 but this is what the prophet Joel had said: 17 ‘God said this’ll happen in the last days:
“I’ll pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and daughters will give prophecies.
Your young ones will see visions. Your old ones will will dream dreams.
18 In those days I’ll pour out my Spirit even on my slaves, men and women.
And they’ll give prophecies!
19 I’ll show wonderful things in the skies above,
and signs on the earth below—blood and fire and smoke in the air.
20 The sun’ll be turned to darkness,
the moon to blood before the great Lord’s Day comes,
21 and everybody who calls on the Lord’s name will be saved.”’ Jl 2.28-32
22 Men of Israel, listen to these teachings about Jesus the Nazarene!
A man who’d been endorsed to you by God with power,
wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst—
as you know personally.
23 By the Judean senate’s plan, as foreknown by God, you killed Jesus:
Handed over, crucified by the hands of lawless Romans.
24 God raised Jesus, released him from the pains of death:
It’s impossible for Jesus to be held by death.
25 For King David said about him,
‘I always see the Lord before me:
He’s at my right, so I wouldn’t be shaken.
26 For this reason, my heart cheers and my tongue rejoices.
My flesh will still pitch its tent in hope:
27 You won’t leave my life behind in the afterlife,
nor give up your holy one to see decay.
28 You taught me the road of life.
You will fill me with joy with your face.’ Ps 16.8-11
29 Men, brothers, I must tell you about the patriarch David:
Bluntly, he’s gone. Buried. His tomb’s with us to this day.
30 So he was being a prophet—he knew God swore an oath to him:
From the fruit of his loins, a descendant was to sit on his throne.
31 Foreseeing it, David spoke of Messiah’s resurrection:
He won’t leave Messiah behind in the afterlife; his flesh didn’t decay.
32 God raised up this Jesus. All us Eleven are witnesses of it.
33 So, lifted up to God’s right, receiving the promised Holy Spirit from the Father,
Jesus poured him out. This is what you saw and heard.
34 It wasn’t David who went up to heaven. He said, ‘The Lord told my Lord,
“Sit at my right 35 till I can put your enemies under your feet.”’ Ps 110.1
36 So the whole house of Israel has to infallibly know:
God made his Lord and Messiah this Jesus—whom you crucified.”
37 Hearing this, they were stabbed in the heart.
They told Simon Peter and the other apostles, “What should we do, brothers?”
38 Peter told them, “Repent, confess, and each of you be baptized
into the name of Christ Jesus, for forgiveness of your sins.
You’ll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!
39 The promise is for you, your children, and everyone far away—
as many as our Lord God can summon!”
40 He testified and urged them with many other words,
saying, “Be saved from this twisted generation!”
41 So those who accepted his message were baptized.
On that day they added about 3,000 souls.
42 They were hewing close to the apostles’ teaching,
to community, to breaking bread, and to prayers.
43 Reverence came to every soul,
and many wonders and signs happened through the apostles.
44 Every believer looked out for one another, and put everything in common use:
45 They sold possessions and property, and divided proceeds among all,
just because some were needy.
46 Those who hewed close unanimously were in temple daily,
breaking bread at home, happily, generously, wholeheartedly sharing food,
47 praising God, showing grace to all people.
The Master added saved people to them daily.
Acts 3.
6 Simon Peter said, “I have no silver and gold on me. I’ll give you what I have:
In the name of Messiah Jesus of Nazareth, get up and walk.”
7 Grabbing him by the right hand at that very moment, Peter lifted him.
His feet and ankles were strengthened. 8 Jumping up, he stood, and was walking,
and went with them into temple—walking, jumping, and praising God.
19 “So repent! Turn around and get your sins wiped out,
20 so refreshing times can come from the Lord’s face.
He can send his chosen Messiah, Jesus, to you all,
21 who has to settle for heaven till the time everything gets restored.
So God said by the mouths of his saints in the prophetic age.
22 So Moses said: ‘Your Lord God will raise up a prophet for you.
Like me, out of your family: You will listen to him, to everything he might tell you.’ Dt 18.15
23 Every soul, when they don’t listen to that prophet, will be erased from the people.”
Acts 4.
8 Then Simon Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, told them, “Leaders of the people and elders:
9 If we’re investigated today about a good deed to a disabled man—how was he cured?—
10 it must be made known to you all, and all Israel’s people:
In the name of Messiah Jesus the Nazarene—whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—
by this Jesus, this disabled man stands before you, cured.
11 This Jesus is ‘the stone dismissed by you builders, who became the head cornerstone.’ Ps 118.22
12 Salvation isn’t found in anyone else, nor is there given to people
another name under heaven by whom it’s necessary for us to be saved.”
23 Once released, the apostles went to their own people
and brought news of whatever the head priests and elders told them.
24 Those who heard it unanimously lifted their voices to God and said, “Master,
you who made the heavens, earth, sea, and everything in them,
25 who said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our ancestor David your child,
‘Why are the nations furious?—the people practice stupidity?
26 The earth’s kings stand forth, and rulers gather themselves together,
against the Lord and against his Messiah.’ Ps 2.1-2
27 For truly they gathered together in this city against your holy child Jesus, whom you anointed—
Antipas Herod and Pontius Pilate, with gentiles and Israeli people—
28 to do whatever your hand and your will predecided to happen.”
32 The number of believers were one in thinking and lifestyle.
Not one of their possessions was said to be their own.
Instead, everything of theirs was commonly used.
33 The apostles gave their witness of Master Jesus’s resurrection in great power.
Great grace was upon them all, 34 for they had no needy:
Whoever among them owned land or houses were selling whatever was sellable
35 and placed them at the apostles’ feet. This was passed along to everyone—whoever had need.
Acts 6.
2 Summoning the crowds of students, the Twelve said, “The arrangement isn’t
that we set aside God’s message to serve at table.
3 Brothers, men, select seven witnesses from among you:
Full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we’ll put in charge of this need.
4 We will stay faithful to prayer, and serving people with the message.”
Acts 7.
55 Becoming full of the Holy Spirit, staring into the sky,
Stephen saw God’s glory, and Jesus standing at God’s right.
56 Stephen said, “Look! I see the skies opened, and the Son of Man standing at God’s right!”
Acts 8.
4 So the scattered Christians went around, proclaiming the word.
5 Philip went down into the Samaritan cities to proclaim Messiah to them.
Ac 8.6-8:
Joy.
6 The crowds were unanimously paying attention to Philip’s teachings,
listening to him and watching the miracles he performed,
7 for many had unclean spirits—and they came out, screaming with loud voices.
Philip cured many paraplegics and injured people, 8 and much joy came to that city.
9 A man named Simon was in the city, a magician who amazed the Samaritan people,
said to be a certain great person, 10 and everyone, small to great, paid him attention.
They were saying, “This is God’s power; it’s called great.”
11 They paid attention to Simon for as long as his magic amazed them.
12 When they believed Philip’s gospel about God’s kingdom, about Messiah Jesus’s name,
both men and women were baptized, 13 and Simon also believed and was baptized.
He was sticking with Philip, watching the miracles
and real “great power” being done. He was amazed.
14 Hearing Samaria received God’s word,
the apostles in Jerusalem sent them Simon Peter and John.
15 Coming down, Peter and John prayed for the Samaritans
so they’d receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he hadn’t yet fallen upon anyone.
The Samaritans had only begun to be baptized in Master Jesus’s name.
17 Then the apostles laid their hands on the Samaritans and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Simon, seeing the Spirit was given because the apostles laid their hands on people,
brought them valuables, 19 saying, “Give me this ability too!
Thus when I lay hands on anyone, they can receive the Holy Spirit!”
20 Peter told him, “Your silver and you can go to hell.
You think you obtain God’s gift through valuables!
21 No part nor lot in this word is for you: Your mind isn’t straight before God.
22 So turn away from this evil of yours and beg the Master forgiveness.
If so, he’ll forgive you the intent of your mind—
23 I see there’s bitter gall, a link to wrongness, in you.”
24 In reply Simon said, “Beg forgiveness for me to the Master,
so nothing comes upon me like you’ve said.”
25 So having solemnly declaring and speaking of the Master’s word,
the apostles returned to Jerusalem, evangelizing many Samaritan villages.
36 While they went along the road, they came to some water.
The eunuch declared, “Look! Water! What hinders me from baptism?”
37 [Philip said, “If you believe with your whole heart, it’s right.”
In reply the eunuch said, “I believe God’s son is Christ Jesus.”]
38 He commanded the chariot to stop.
Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
Acts 9.
10 There was a student in Damascus named Ananias, and the Master spoke to him in a vision: “Ananias!”
Ananias said, “Look at me, Master.”
11 The Master told him, “Get up and go to the street called Evtheían.
Look in Judah’s house for Saul, called ‘the Tarsean.’
Look, he’s praying: 12 He foresaw a man called Ananias who entered,
and laid hands on him so he might receive sight.”
13 Ananias replied, “Master, I heard from many people about this man—
so much evil he did in Jerusalem to your saints, 14 which is why he’s here:
He has power from the head priests to bind everybody who calls on your name.”
15 The Master told Ananias, “Go, because he’s my chosen vessel.
This man is to carry my name before gentiles, kings, and Israel’s descendants.
16 I’ll reveal to him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Ananias left, and entered Saul’s house. Placing his hands on him, he said, “Saul, brother,
the Master sent me—Jesus, whom you saw on the road you came down.
Thus you can receive sight, and can be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Quickly something fell from Saul’s eyes, like fishscales, and he received his sight.
Saul got up, and was baptized. 19 He took food, and was strengthened.
He stayed some days with the students in Damascus.
36 In Joppa was a student of Jesus named Tavidá, which is a translation of Dorkás.
She was full of good works, and acts of mercy.
37 In those days she became weak and died. Washing her, they put her in the attic.
38 Lýdda being near Joppa, the students heard Simon Peter was in Lýdda.
They sent two men to him, calling to him, “You can’t hold back from coming with us.”
39 Rising, Peter went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the attic.
All the widows stood by him, weeping,
showing the many tunics and robes Dorkás made when she was with them.
40 Peter threw everyone outside and took to his knees to pray.
Turning to the body, he said, “Tavidá, rise up.”
She opened her eyes. Seeing Peter, she sat up. 41 Giving her a hand, Peter raised her up.
Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
42 It became known to the whole of Joppa, and many believed in the Master.
Acts 10.
9 The next day as they were traveling, and coming near the city,
about the sixth hour past sunrise, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
10 He was hungry and wished to eat.
As food was prepared, he became ecstatic 11 and saw the sky opening,
and a container—something like a large sailcloth, lowered to the earth by its four corners.
12 In it was every four-legged animal and reptile and flying bird.
13 A voice came to him: “Get up, Peter: Kill and eat.”
14 Peter said, “Never, Master. I’ve never eaten anything treyf and unclean.”
15 The voice came to him a second time: “What God cleansed isn’t treyf for you.”
16 This happened thrice. Quickly, the container was taken back into the sky.
37 “You already know what happened throughout Judea,
starting in the Galilee, after the baptism John preached:
38 Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed in the Holy Spirit and power,
who went around doing good,
curing everyone oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.
39 We’re witnesses of everything he did,
both in the land of the Judeans, and in Jerusalem,
who hanged him up on a crosstree to die.
40 God raised him on the third day and made him visible,
41 not to everyone, but to the witnesses God pre-selected, us,
who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from the dead.”
44 While Simon Peter was saying these words,
the Holy Spirit fell upon everybody listening to the lesson.
45 The circumcised believers who came with Peter were astounded:
The Holy Spirit’s gift was also poured out on ethnics!
46 They heard them speaking in tongues and magnifying God.
Then Peter replied, 47 “Can anyone stop the water to baptize these people?
They received the Holy Spirit same as we did!”
48 He ordered them baptized in the name of Christ Jesus.
Then they asked him to stay for some days.
Acts 13.
48 Hearing this, the gentiles—many of whom were designated for life in the age to come—
were rejoicing, exalting the Master’s word, and believed.
Acts 16.
6 They went through Frygían and Galatian lands,
prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the word in Asia Minor.
7 Coming through Mysía, they attempted to pass through Bithynía, and Jesus’s Spirit didn’t permit them.
8 Going round Mysía, they went down to Troía.
9 Paul had a night vision: A certain Macedonian man stood and summoned him,
saying, “Help us by crossing over to Macedon.”
10 When he saw the vision, we quickly investigated about going to Macedon,
agreeing together: God called us to evangelize them.
Acts 17.
1 Traveling through Amfípolis and Apollonía, they came to Thessaloníki.
There, there was a Judean synagogue. 3 Following Paul’s usual custom they interacted with them.
For three Sabbaths he dialogued with them about the scriptures,
3 exegeting and presenting the fact Messiah had to suffer, and rise from the dead,
and that this is Messiah: “Jesus, whom I proclaim to you.”
4 Some of them were persuaded and threw in their lot with Paul and Silas:
A large number of devout Greeks, and not a few of the chief women.
5 Overzealous Judeans, certain troublemakers tagging along with them,
and a growing crowd were starting to riot in the city.
Approaching Jason’s house, they looked for the apostles to drag out before the citizens.
6 Not finding them, they dragged out Jason and certain Christians to the city council,
shouting this: “These people—here they are—stand civilization on its head.
7 Jason welcomed them. All of them practice the opposite of Caesar’s decrees.
They say Jesus is another king.”
8 They riled up the crowd and city leaders who heard this.
9 After taking enough from Jason and the others, they released them.
10A By night, the Christians quickly sent Paul and Silas to Béroia.
22 Standing in the middle of the Areopágos, Paul said,
“Athenians, from everything I’ve see, you’re very god- and demon-fearing.
23 For as I passed through the city and looked closely at your shrines,
I found an altar which was inscribed, ‘To God-Not-Known.’
So you worship him!… ignorantly. Well, I’ll proclaim him to you.
24 God is creator of the universe and everything in it.
He’s the master and possessor of heaven and earth.
He doesn’t live in handmade temples, 25 nor do human hands serve him.
Nor does he need anything. He gives life and breath to everything.
26 Out of one human, God made every human ethnicity dwelling upon all the face of the earth,
marking out placements, times, and borders of their nation,
27 to get them to seek God: Perhaps they’d sense him, and find him.
Really, he exists not far from every one of us.
28 ‘We live, move, and exist in him,’ Epimenides, Kritiká as one of your poets even said.
‘We’re his descendants too.’ ” Aratus, Fainómena
29 Since we’re God’s family, we don’t have to believe in gold or silver or stone,
stamped by craftsmen, esteemed by people to be divine images.
30 God really didn’t care for that ignorant behavior in the past.
So now, he commands every person, everywhere, to turn away from it:
31 He set a date when he, through the man he chose, will rightly judge society.
To prove it to everyone, he resurrected this man from the dead.”
Acts 19.
1 As Paul passed through upper Asia Minor enroute to Ephesus, Apollos was in Corinth.
Paul happened to find certain students.
2 He asked them, “When you believed, did you receive the Holy Spirit?”
They told him, “But we never heard there’s a Holy Spirit.”
3 Paul said, “So what were you baptized into?”
They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Paul said, “John baptized people into a repentance baptism,
speaking of the one coming after him, so they’d trust him. That’s Jesus.”
5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of Master Jesus.
When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them:
They spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 All the men numbered about 12.
11 Through Paul’s hands, God created power that hit anything,
12 so even things that had wiped his skin, once placed upon the sick, like bandannas or aprons,
were also freeing them from diseases,
and driving evil spirits out of them.
13 Certain traveling Judean exorcists tried to cite Master Jesus’s name
when they dealt with an evil spirit, saying, “I compel you by Jesus!—whom Paul proclaims.”
14 There was a certain Judean head priest, Skeva. His seven sons were doing this.
15 In reply the evil spirit told them, “I know Jesus and know of Paul. Who are you?”
16 The man in whom the evil spirit was, was strong enough to jump and defeat them all.
They escaped that house naked and wounded.
17 This became known by all the Judean and Grecian inhabitants of Ephesus.
Fear fell upon all of them, and Master Jesus’s name was exalted.
18 Many of the believers came to confess and tell of their deeds.
19 A considerable number of people who practiced superstition,
gathering together their books, burned them in front of everyone.
Estimating their value, they were found worth 50,000 drachmas.
20 Thus the Master’s word grew in power and strength.
Acts 22.
8 For Sadducees say there’s no resurrection, nor angels, nor Holy Spirit,
and Pharisees profess them all.
Acts 23.
11 Night fell. Coming to Paul, the Master said, “Courage.
For just as you testified about me in Jerusalem, so you have to testify in Rome.”
Acts 26.
13 “In midday on the road I saw, King, a light from heaven brighter than the sun
shining round me and those going with me. 14 We all fell down to the ground.
I heard a voice telling me in the Hebraic dialect, ‘Saul! Saul!
Why are you pursuing me? Isn’t it harsh of you to jab your spurs?’
15 I said, ‘Who are you, Master?’ and the Master said ‘I’m Jesus, whom you’re pursuing.
16 But get up and stand on your feet. You’re seeing me for this reason:
I’m taking charge of you, as my assistant and witness, who saw and will see me.
17 I separate you to myself from the people, from the gentiles to whom I’m sending you,
18 to open their eyes, turn them from darkness to light, from Satan’s power to God.
To take forgiveness from sin to them, a place among those made holy by trusting in me.‘
19 Therefore, King Agrippa, I wasn’t about to become disobedient to a heavenly vision,
20 but to the Damascenes first, then Jerusalemites, the whole province of Judea, and the gentiles,
I declared repentance and return to God,
and doing good works consistent with repentance.”
25 Paul: “I’m not a maniac, as you say, great Festus:
I’m uttering truthful and sober words.
26 The king knows about these things, and to him, I speak boldly.
I don’t persuade so I can hide things from him; things weren’t done in private.
27 —King Agrippa, have you faith in the prophets?
I know you have faith.”