The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Part 31

(50)But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out from their borders. (51)And they, having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium.

(52)And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Spirit.

XIV.

AND it came to pa.s.s in Iconium, that they went together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke, that a great mult.i.tude both of Jews and Greeks believed. (2)But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up and embittered the minds of the Gentiles against the brethren. (3)They spent a long time, therefore, speaking boldly in the Lord, who gave testimony to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

(4)But the mult.i.tude of the city was divided; and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. (5)And when a movement was made, both of the Gentiles and Jews with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, (6)they, being aware of it, fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the region around; (7)and there they were publis.h.i.+ng the good news.

(8)And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being lame from his mother's womb, who never walked. (9)This man was listening to Paul as he spoke; who, fixing his eyes on him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, (10)said with a loud voice: Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped up, and walked.

(11)And the mult.i.tudes, seeing what Paul did, lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia: The G.o.ds are come down to us in the likeness of men. (12)And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercury, because he was the chief speaker. (13)And the priest of Jupiter, that was before the city, having brought oxen and garlands to the gates, would have offered sacrifice with the people. (14)But the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, hearing of it, rent their clothes, and rushed forth to the mult.i.tude; crying out, (15)and saying: Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like nature with you, bringing you glad tidings, that ye should turn from these vanities to the living G.o.d, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein; (16)who, in the ages past, suffered all nations to walk in their own ways; (17)although he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, giving you rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.

(18)And with these sayings they hardly restrained the people from sacrificing to them.

(19)But there came thither Jews from Antioch and Iconium; and having persuaded the people, and stoned Paul, they drew him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. (20)But the disciples having gathered around him, he rose up, and came into the city; and on the morrow he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. (21)And having published the good news to that city, and made many disciples, they turned back to Lystra, and Iconium, and Antioch; (22)confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much affliction enter into the kingdom of G.o.d.

(23)And having appointed for them elders in every church, they commended them, with prayer and fasting, to the Lord, on whom they believed. (24)And after pa.s.sing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. (25)And having spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia; (26)and thence they sailed away to Antioch, from whence they had been commended to the grace of G.o.d for the work which they accomplished.

(27)And having come, and gathered the church together, they reported how great things G.o.d wrought with them, and that he opened to the Gentiles a door of faith. (28)And they spent no little time with the disciples.

XV.

AND certain men, coming down from Judaea, taught the brethren: Except ye are circ.u.mcised after the custom of Moses, ye can not be saved.

(2)Paul and Barnabas having therefore had no little dissension and discussion with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders, about this question.

(3)They therefore, having been sent forward by the church, pa.s.sed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. (4)And having come to Jerusalem, they were gladly received by the church, and the apostles and elders; and they reported how great things G.o.d wrought with them. (5)But there arose some of those from the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying: It is necessary to circ.u.mcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

(6)And the apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter. (7)And when there had been much discussion, Peter arose, and said to them: Men, brethren, ye know that a long time ago G.o.d made choice among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the glad tidings and believe. (8)And G.o.d who knows the heart bore them witness, giving to them the Holy Spirit, as also to us; (9)and made no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

(10)Now therefore why do ye tempt G.o.d, by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

(11)But, through the grace of the Lord Jesus, we believe that we shall be saved, in the same manner as they also.

(12)And all the mult.i.tude became silent, and listened to Barnabas and Paul, narrating how great signs and wonders G.o.d wrought among the Gentiles through them.

(13)And after they were silent, James answered, saying: Men, brethren, hearken to me. (14)Simeon narrated how at first G.o.d visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. (15)And with this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written:

(16)After this I will return, And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; And I will rebuild the ruins thereof, and will set it up again; (17)that the rest of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name has been called, Saith the Lord, who does these things[15:17].

(18)Known to G.o.d are all his works from the beginning of the world.

(19)Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not those who from among the Gentiles are turning to G.o.d; (20)but that we write to them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. (21)For Moses of old time has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.

(22)Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, resolved, having chosen men from themselves, to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren. (23)And they wrote by them thus:

The apostles and the elders and the brethren, to the brethren from the Gentiles throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting: (24)Forasmuch as we heard, that some who went out from us troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying that ye must be circ.u.mcised and keep the law[15:24], to whom we gave no commandment; (25)it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to choose men and send them to you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, (26)men who have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(27)We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who will themselves also by word tell you the same things. (28)For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no further burden except these necessary things; (29)that ye abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye will do well. Farewell.

(30)They therefore, being dismissed, came to Antioch; and a.s.sembling the mult.i.tude they delivered the letter. (31)And having read it, they rejoiced for the consolation. (32)And Judas and Silas, also themselves being prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

(33)And having remained a while, they were dismissed with peace from the brethren to the apostles. (34)But it pleased Silas to abide there still[15:34]. (35)Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and publis.h.i.+ng the glad tidings of the word of the Lord, with many others also.

(36)And some days after, Paul said to Barnabas: Let us return now, and visit the brethren in every city where we preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. (37)And Barnabas determined to take with them John, who was surnamed Mark. (38)But Paul thought it proper not to take with them him who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. (39)And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark, and sailed to Cyprus. (40)And Paul, having chosen Silas, went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of G.o.d. (41)And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

XVI.

AND he came down to Derbe and Lystra. And, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but whose father was a Greek; (2)who was well reported of by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium. (3)Him Paul wished to go forth with him, and took and circ.u.mcised him on account of the Jews who were in those places; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

(4)And as they journeyed through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, that were ordained by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. (5)The churches, therefore, were established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

(6)And having gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, and being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia, (7)they came to Mysia, and attempted to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them. (8)And pa.s.sing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

(9)And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood a man, a Macedonian, beseeching him, and saying: Come over into Macedonia and help us. (10)And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to publish the good news to them. (11)Therefore setting sail from Troas, we ran with a straight course to Samothrace, and on the following day to Neapolis; (12)and from thence to Philippi, which is a chief city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we continued in that city certain days.

(13)And on the sabbath, we went forth out of the gate by a river side, where was wont to be a place of prayer; and we sat down, and spoke to the women who came together.

(14)And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, who wors.h.i.+ped G.o.d, was listening; whose heart the Lord opened to attend to the things spoken by Paul. (15)And when she was immersed and her household, she besought us, saying: If ye have judged me to be a believer in the Lord, come into my house, and abide. And she constrained us.

(16)And it came to pa.s.s, as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain bondmaid having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. (17)She, having followed Paul and us, cried, saying: These men are the servants of the most high G.o.d, who announce to us the way of salvation.

(18)And this she did many days. But Paul, being indignant[16:18], turned and said to the spirit: I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out from her. And he came out the same hour.

(19)And her masters, seeing that the hope of their gain departed, laid hold of Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market-place before the rulers. (20)And having brought them to the magistrates, they said: These men, being Jews, greatly disturb our city; (21)and teach customs, which it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans.

(22)And the mult.i.tude rose up together against them; and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them with rods. (23)And having laid many stripes on them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely; (24)who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

(25)And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises to G.o.d; and the prisoners listened to them. (26)And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and the chains of all were loosed. (27)And the jailer, awaking out of sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword, and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had fled. (28)But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying: Do thyself no harm; for we are all here. (29)And calling for lights, he sprang in, and trembling fell down before Paul and Silas; (30)and having brought them out, he said: Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (31)And they said: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (32)And they spoke to him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

(33)And taking them along, the same hour of the night, he washed their stripes; and was immersed, himself and all his, immediately. (34)And having brought them up into his house, he set food before them, and rejoiced, with all his house, believing in G.o.d.

(35)And when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying: Let those men go. (36)And the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul: The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore depart, and go in peace.

(37)But Paul said to them: They beat us openly, uncondemned, being Romans, and cast us into prison; and now do they send us forth secretly? Nay verily; but let them come themselves and bring us out.

(38)And the sergeants reported these words to the magistrates; and they were afraid, when they heard that they were Romans. (39)And they came and besought them, and bringing them out, entreated them to depart out of the city.

(40)And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia; and seeing the brethren they exhorted them, and departed.

XVII.