Listening to Acts of the Apostles [Holy Bible Audio]

Acts 1 in my old book Theophilus I wrote about everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken to heaven after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the

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he had chosen after his suffering he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive he appeared to them over a period of 40 days and spoke to them about the kingdom of God on one occasion while he was eating with them he gave them this order not to leave Jerusalem but wait for the gift my father promised me You have heard about why John was baptized with water but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit so they gathered around him and asked him Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel at this moment?

It is not for you to know the times or the dates that the father has set by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends. . of the Earth, after saying this, he was lifted up before his very eyes and a cloud hid him from his sight. They were staring up at the sky as he walked when suddenly two men dressed in white stood next to them, men from Galilee, they said why are you here looking at the sky?

This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will return in the same way you have seen him go to heaven. Then the

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returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives on the Sabbath. a day's walk from the city when they arrived they went up to the room where they were staying those present were Peter John James and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartholomew and Matthew James son of Alphus and Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James all joined constantly in prayer together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers in those days Peter stood up among the believers a group of about 120 and said brothers and sisters the scripture in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David about Judas who served as a guide for those who arrested Jesus he was one of us and participated in our ministry with the payment he received for his wickedness Judas bought a field there he fell on his head his body burst and all his intestines fell out They poured out everyone in Jerusalem, they heard about this and they called that field in their language Aela, which is a field of blood because Peter said it is written in the Book of Psalms that their place will be deserted, that there will be no one to live in it and that another take your place. of leadership therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the entire time that the Lord Jesus was living among us beginning from the baptism of John until the time Jesus was taken from us because one of these must to become a witness with us of his resurrection then they nominated two men Joseph called barabus also known as Justice and maias then they prayed Lord you know the hearts of all show us which of these two you have chosen to take charge of this Apostolic Ministry which Judas left to go where he belongs then they cast lots and the lot fell to meiah so he was added to the 11 Apostles made chapter 2 when the day of Pentecost arrived they were all together in one place suddenly a sound like that of a violent wind came from the heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting, they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and rested on each of them.

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the spirit allowed them. Now they stayed in Jerusalem. God-fearing Jews from all nations under heaven, upon hearing this sound, a crowd gathered together, bewildered because each one heard their own language spoken. Completely amazed, they asked, "Aren't all these who speak Galileans, then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language Parthians Medes and Elamites residents of Mesopotamia Judea cidia pontis and Asia friia and pamilia Egypt and the parts of Libya near saene visitors to Rome both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs we hear them declare the wonders of God in our own languages , astonished and perplexed, they asked each other what this means, some, however, mocked them and said that they had drunk too much wine, then Peter stood up with the 11, raised his voice and addressed the crowd, companions Jews and to all of you who live in Jerusalem let me explain this to you listen carefully to what I say these people are not drunk as you suppose it is only 9 in the morning this is not what the prophet Joel spoke about in the last days God says I will pour out my spirit on everyone the people your sons and daughters will prophesy your young men will see Visions your old men will dream dreams even about my my servants both men and women I will pour out my spirit in those days and they will prophesy I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs below on the earth blood and fire and clouds of smoke the sun will turn into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, brother Israelites, listen to this Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God before you by miracles, wonders and signs that God did among you through him, as you yourselves know, this man was delivered to you by the deliberate plan of God and by knowledge and you with the help of evil men killed him by nailing him to the Cross but God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death because it was impossible for death to hold him back.

David said of him. I saw the gentleman. always before me because he is at my right hand I will not be moved therefore my heart rejoices and my tongue rejoices my body will also rest in Hope because you will not abandon me to the kingdom of the Dead you will not leave your Holy One look Decay you have given me to know the ways of life you will fill me with joy in your presence, brothers Israelites, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried and his tomb is here to this day, but he was a prophet and he knew that God had promised under oath that He would place one of His Descendants on His throne seeing what was to come spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah who was not abandoned to the kingdom of the dead nor did His body see Decline God has raised this Jesus to life and and all We are Witnesses of it exalted to the right hand of God has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear because David did not ascend to heaven and yet said the Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand until I do from your enemies a footstool for your feet, therefore let all Israel be sure of this.

God has made this Jesus whom you crucified as Lord and Messiah when the people heard this. They were pricked in their hearts and told Peter and the other Apostle Brothers what we will do. Peter responded, repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Promise is for you and your children and for all those who are far away for all those whom the Lord Our God will call with many other words he warned them and begged them to save themselves from this corrupt generation those who accepted his message were baptized and around 3,000 were added to their number that day.

They dedicated themselves to the teaching of the apostle apostle and to the fellowship to the breaking of bread and to prayer everyone was filled with amazement at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles all the believers were together and had everything in common they sold property and possessions to give to whoever If they were in need, every day they continued to meet in the courts of the temple, they broke bread in their homes and ate together with joyful and sincere Hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people, and the Lord daily added to their number those who were being saved.

Acts 3 One day Peter and John went up to the temple at prayer time at 3 in the afternoon. Now they took a man lame from birth to the temple. Door of the temple called Beautiful Beauty where they put him every day to beg those who entered the court. of the temple when he saw Peter and John about to enter he asked them for money Peter looked at him intently as did John then Peter said look at us so the man gave them his attention hoping to get something from them then Peter said silver or gold I don't have but What I do have, I give it to you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, he walks, taking him by the right hand, he helped him get up and instantly the man's feet and ankles became stronger, he jumped on his feet and began to walk, then he went with him to the patio of the temple walking and jumping and praising God when all the people saw him walking and praising God they recognized him as the same man who used to sit and beg at the door of the temple called Beautiful and they were filled with amazement and amazement at what he said to them. had happened while the man was holding Peter and John all the people were astonished and came running towards them in the place called Solomon's colonnade when Peter saw this he told his Israelite brothers why are they surprised by this why are they staring at us as if for our own power or piety would have made this man walk the god of Abraham Isaac and Jacob the god of our fathers has glorified his servant Jesus you You handed him over to be killed and you disowned him before Pilate, although he had decided to let him go, you disowned him to the

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and righteous and you asked for a murderer to be released, you killed the author of life but God raised him from the dead.

Do you witness this by faith in the name of Jesus this man whom you see and know was strengthened is the name of Jesus and the faith that comes through him that has healed him completely as everyone can now see fellow Israelites, I know they acted? in ignorance as your leaders did but this is how God fulfilled what he had predicted through all the prophets saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent then and return to God so that your sins may be blotted out so that times of refreshing from the Lord may come and for may he send the Messiah who has been appointed for you, including Jesus.

Heaven must receive you until the time comes when God restores everything, as he promised long ago through his

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prophets, for Jesus said that the Lord his God will raise up a prophet for you. like me among your own people you must listen to everything that he tells you anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from his people in fact beginning with Samuel all the prophets who have spoken have predicted these days and you are Heirs of the prophets and of the Covenant that God made with your parents he told Abraham through your Offspring All the People of the Earth will be blessed when God raised up his servant and sent him first to you to bless you by turning each one away from your evil ways

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4 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees approached Peter and John while they were speaking to the people, they were very disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

They arrested Peter and John and because it was night they put them in prison until the next day but many of those who heard the message believed so the number of men who believed grew to about 5,000 the next day the rulers the elders and the teachers of the law gathered in Jerusalem and the high priest was there and also Caiaphas John Alexander and others of the family of the high priest brought Peter and John before them and began to ask them by what power or by what name they did this then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, called them rulers. and Elders of the people, if today we are asked to account for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and we are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel, it is for the name of Jesus Christ. of Nazareth whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead that this man is before you healed Jesus is the stone that you builders rejected and that has become the cornerstone salvation is not found in anyone else because There is no other name under heaven given to humanity why we must be saved.

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were ordinary men without instruction, they were amazed and noticed that these men had been with Jesus but as They could see the man who had been healed standing there with them they could not say anything so they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin and then they consulted together what are we going to do with these men they asked everyone who lives in Jerusalem knows that they have performed a notable sign and we cannot deny it but To prevent this from spreading further among the people, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in this name anymore, then they called them again and ordered them not to speak or teach anything in the name of Jesus, but Peter and John responded. which is fair in the eyes of God to listen to you or him you be the judges since we cannot stop talking about what we have seen and heard after new threats they let them go they could not decide how to punish them because all the people were praising God for what had happened because the man who was miraculously healed was over 40 years old when they were released Peter and John returned to their own town and told everything that the chief priests and elders had told them when they heard this.

They raised their voices togetherprayer to God Sovereign Lord they said that you made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them you spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant Our Father David why the nations riot and the people conspire in vain the kings of the earth rise up as rulers against the Lord and against his anointed. Herod and Pontius Pilate gathered with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you appointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen now Lord consider their threats and allow your servants to speak your word with great boldness extend your hand to heal and do signs and wonders in the name of your holy servant.Jesus after After praying, the place where they gathered shook and everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

All believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions were theirs, but they shared everything they had with great power. The apostles continued to testify of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and the grace of God worked so powerfully in all of them that there were no needy among them because from time to time When those who owned land or houses sold, they brought the money from the sales and placed it at the feet of the apostles and distributed it to anyone who was in need. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas, which means son of encouragement, sold. a field that he had and brought the money and laid it at the feet of the apostles

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5 now a man named ananas along with his wife Safa also sold a property with full knowledge of his wife he kept part of the money for himself but brought the rest and placed it at the feet of the apostles then Peter said pineapples, how is it that Satan has filled your heart so much that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept part of the money that you received for the earth?

Didn't it belong to you before it was sold and after it was sold? It wasn't the money you had at your disposal that made you think about doing such a thing. You have not only lied to human beings but to God. When Ananas heard this, he fell and died and great fear came over all who heard what had happened, then some young men. He went ahead, wrapped his body, took it out and buried it about 3 hours later, his wife came in not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananas got for the land?

Yes, she said that's the price." Peter told her how could you conspire to test the spirit of the Lord listen to the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door and they will also take you out at that moment she fell at his feet and the young man died then The men entered and, at Finding her dead, they took her out and buried her next to her husband. A great fear took hold of the entire church and everyone who heard about these events and all the believers gathered in Solomon's colonnade, no one else dared to join them even though they were. highly appreciated by the people, however, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and joined his number.

As a result, people took the sick to the streets and laid them on beds and stretchers so that at least Peter's shadow would fall on some of them. As he passed by, a multitude also gathered from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and they were all healed. Then the high priest and all his companions who were members of the group of Sadducees were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison, but during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison and brought them out, go to the courts of the temple, he said, and tell the people everything about this new life, At dawn they entered. the courts of the temple as they had been told and began to teach the people when the high priest and his associates arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin to the entire assembly of the Elders of Israel and sent them to the prison to look for the apostles, but when they arrived at the The officers did not find them there, so they came back and reported that we found the jail tightly locked with the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we did not find anyone inside.

Upon hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this could lead to, then someone came and said: Look, the men they put in prison are standing in the temple courts teaching The people and the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles, they did not use force because they feared that the people would stone them, they brought the apostles and made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be interrogated by the high priest. We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, he said, but you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined. to make us guilty of the blood of this man Peter and the other apostles responded that we must obey God rather than men the god of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead whom you killed by hanging him on a cross God exalted him to His right hand as Prince and savior so that he can lead Israel to repentance and forgiveness of their sins.

We are witnesses of these things and so is the holy spirit that God has given to those who obey him. When they heard this, they became angry and wanted to kill them. . But a Pharisee named Gel, a teacher of the law who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered the men to be taken outside for a moment, then he addressed the Sanhedrin, Men of Israel, consider carefully what you say. They plan to do with these. Some time ago some men appeared who claimed to be someone and about 400 men joined him, they killed him, all his followers dispersed and everything came to nothing after him, Judas the Galilean appeared on the days of the census and led a group of people in Revolt he was also murdered and all his followers were dispersed therefore in the present case I advise you to leave these men alone let them go because if their purpose or activity is of human origin it will fail but if it is from God it will not. will be able.

To stop these men you will only find yourself fighting against God His speech persuaded them They called the apostle and confused them Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and they let them go The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been considered worthy to suffer insult for the name day after day in the temple courts and from house to house they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the messiah acts 6 in those days when the number of disciples was increasing the Hellenistic Jews among them They complained against the Hebrew Jews because their widows were ignored in the daily distribution of food, so the twelve gathered all the disciples and said that it would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God to wait at tables brothers and sisters choose seven men From among you who are known for being full of spirit and wisdom, we will hand over this responsibility to you and we will give our attention to prayer in the ministry of the word.

This proposal pleased the entire group that they chose. Steven A man full of faith and the Holy Spirit too. Philip procerus Nicor ​​timman har menus and Nicholas of Antioch a convert to Judaism presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them so that the word of God would spread the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith now Steven A man full of the grace and power of God performed great wonders and signs among the people, however opposition arose from the members of the men's synagogue Fred as his name was.

Jews from Syrene and Alexandria, as well as from the provinces of Cissa and Asia, who began to argue with Steven but could not resist the wisdom that the spirit gave him while he spoke, then secretly persuaded some men to say: We have heard Steven speaking blasphemous. words against Moses and against God, so that they incited the people, the elders, and the teachers of the law. They arrested Steven and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false Witnesses who testified that this man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law because we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses passed down to us.

All of us sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Steven and saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Acts 7 then the high priest asked Steven, are these charges? Faithful to this, he responded brothers and fathers, listen to me, the god of Glory appeared to Our Father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia before living in Heron, leave your country and your people, God said and go to the land that I will show you, so he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Heron after the death of his father. God sent him to this land where you now live.

Here he did not give him enough inheritance or land to set foot on. but God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, although at that time Abraham had no children. God spoke to him this way for 400 years your descendants will be strangers in a foreign country and will be enslaved. and mistreated but I will punish the nation they serve as slaves said God and then they will leave that country and worship me in this place then he gave Abraham the Covenant of circumcision and Abraham became the father of Isaac and they circumcised him for 8 days .

After his birth, Isaac became the father of Jacob and Jacob became the father of the 12 patriarchs because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave to Egypt, but God was with him and rescued him from all his issues. He gave wisdom to Joseph. and he allowed him to obtain the good will of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so Pharaoh made him ruler of Egypt and of all his palace. Then a famine struck all of Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering and our ancestors could not find food when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt. he sent to our ancestors on his first visit on his second visit Joseph told his brothers who he was and Pharaoh found out about Joseph's family after this Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his entire family 70 5 in total Then Jacob descended into Egypt where he and our ancestors died, their bodies were taken back to Sheam and placed in the Tomb which Abraham had purchased from the sons of Hamor in Sheam for a certain sum of money as the time approached for May God fulfill his promise to Abraham the number of our people. in Egypt had risen greatly then a new king to whom Joseph meant nothing came to power in Egypt he treacherously treated our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw away their newborn babies to die at that moment he was born Moses and No was an ordinary child for 3 months.

His family took care of him when he was placed outside. Pharaoh's daughter took him and raised him as her own son. Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in word and deed. When Moses was 40 years old, he decided to visit his own people. The Israelites saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he came to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him. to rescue them but they didn't the next day Moses came across two Israelites who were fighting he tried to reconcile them by saying men are you brothers why do you want to hurt each other but the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and He said who made you ruler and judge over us are you thinking of killing me like you killed the Egyptian yesterday when Moses heard this he fled to Midian where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons after 40 years an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a bush burning in the desert near Mt.

If when he saw this, he was amazed at the sight when he approached to look more closely, he heard the Lord say: I am the god of your fathers, the god of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look then the Lord told him take off your sandals for the place where you are standing like the Holy Land. Truly I have seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans and I have come to free them now come I will send you back to Egypt this is the same Moses that they had rejected with the words that made you ruler and judge he was sent to be their ruler and liberator by God himself through the angel who appeared to him in the Bush took them out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt at the Red Sea and for 40 years in the desert this is the Moses who told the Israelites God will raise up for them a prophet like me from his own people in which he was. the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Si and with our ancestors and he received living words to pass on to us, but our ancestors refused to obey him, instead they rejected him and in their hearts they They returned to Egypt, they said Aaron make us Gods to go before us.

Regarding this companion Moses who took us out of Egypt, we do not know what happened to him. That was the time they made an idol in the shape of a calf.asked you to come to his house so he could hear what you have to say so Peter invited the men to the house to be his guests the next day Peter went out with them and some of the japa believers left the next day Cornelius arrived in Caesarea He was waiting for them and had gathered his relatives and close friends when Peter entered the house. Cornelius received him and fell at his feet in reverence, but Peter made him stand up and said: I am only a man as he spoke to him.

Peter entered and found a large gathering of people, and he said to them: You know very well that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile, but God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean, so than when they sent for me. He came without any objection. May I ask why you sent for me? Cornelius replied 3 days ago I was at my house praying at this time at 3: In the afternoon suddenly a man in bright clothes stood in front of me and said Cornelius God has heard your prayer and you remembered your gifts to the poor send japa by Simon who is called Peter he is a guest in the house of Simon the Tanner who lives by the sea so I sent for you immediately and it was very kind of you to come now that we are all here in the presence of God to hear everything What the Lord has commanded you to tell us then Peter began to speak now I realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation those who fear him and does what he is.

Truly you know the message that God sent to the people of Israel announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ who is Lord of all. Do you know what has happened in the entire province of Judea starting in Galilee after the baptism that John preached as God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power and how he went about doing good, healing all those who were under the power of the devil because God was with him, we are Witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem they killed him for hanging him on a cross but God raised him from the dead on the third day and made him seen.

He was not seen by all the people but by Witnesses that God had already chosen for us who ate and drank with him after he was resurrected. The dead commanded us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one who God made judge of the living and the dead all the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name, while Peter was still speakingThese words the Holy Spirit came upon all who heard the message the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles because they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God then Peter said surely No one can prevent them from being baptized with water.

They have received the Holy Spirit just like us. That is why he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. They heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said: You entered the house of the uncircumcised and ate with them from the beginning. Peter said. I told them the whole story. I was in the city of Japa praying and in a trance I had a vision. I saw something like a large sheet that came down from the sky through its four corners and descended to where I was.

I looked inside it and saw four-legged animals. from the earth wild beasts reptiles and birds then I heard a voice that told me get up Peter kill and eat I answered surely no Lord nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth The Voice spoke from Heaven for the second time do not call anything impure that God has cleansed this happened three times and then everything was taken up to heaven again at that moment three men who had been sent to me from Caesaria stopped at the house where I was staying the spirit told me not to hesitate to go with him these Six Brothers They also went with me and we entered the man's house, he told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and said: send japa for Simon whose name is Peter, he will bring you a message through which you and your entire house will be saved when I began to speak the Holy Spirit came upon them as it had come upon us at the beginning then I remembered what the Lord had said John baptized with water but you will be baptized with holy spirit so if God gave you the same gift that he gave us We who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in the way of God?

When they heard this, they had no more objections and praised God, saying, "So then, even to the Gentiles, God has granted repentance, which now comes again." life those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Steven was killed, traveled to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among the Jews, some of them, however, men from Cyprus and mermaids went to Antioch and began to speak. to the Greeks also telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus the hand of the Lord was with them and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord the news of this reached the church in Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas to Antioch when he arrived and He saw what the grace of God had done to him He was glad and encouraged everyone to remain faithful to the Lord with all their hearts He was a good man full of the Holy Spirit and faith and a large number of people were brought to the Lord Then Barnabas went to Tarsus went to look for Saul and when he found him he took him to Antioch, so for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught a large number of people.

The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch during this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem. At Antioch, one of them named Agabus arose and through the spirit predicted that a great famine would spread throughout the Roman world. This happened during the reign of Claudius. The disciples, as each one could, decided to provide help to the brothers who lived in Judea. This they did. sending his offering to the elders through Barnabas and Saul acts 12 It was around this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church with the intention of persecuting them, he had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword, when Al Seeing that this had approval among the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter.

This also happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, after arresting him, he put him in prison and handed him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers, each of whom Herod intended to bring him out. for a public trial after the Passover, so Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him the night before Herod put him on trial. Pedro was sleeping between two soldiers tied with two chains and centuries standing guard at the entrance. suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell, it hit Peter in the side and woke him up quickly, get up he said and the chains fell off Peter's wrists then the angel said put on your clothes and sandals and Peter So wrap yourself in your mantle and follow me.

The angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was actually happening. He thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guard and When they reached the Iron Gate that led to the city, it opened for them by itself and they passed through it when they had walked along a street, suddenly the angel left him, then Peter returned in yes and said now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel to rescue me from the clutches of Herod and from everything that the Jewish people expected to happen, when this occurred to him, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and prayed to Peter.

They knocked on the outside entrance and a servant named Roda came to open the door when she recognized Peter's voice, she was so happy that she ran back without opening it and exclaimed Peter is at the door, you are crazy, they told her when she stayed. Insisting that this was the case, they said that it must be his angel, but Peter continued knocking and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. Peter made a gesture with his hand for them to be quiet and described to them how the Lord had taken him out of prison. .

Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this, he said and then left for another place in the morning. There was no little commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter after Herod searched for him thoroughly and did not find him. Upon finding him, he interrogated the guards and ordered them to be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesaria and stayed there. He had been fighting with the people of Ty and Sidon, now they united and sought an audience with him after gaining Blasto's support. a trusted personal servant of the king they asked for peace because they depended on the king's country for their food supply on the appointed day Herod wearing his royal robes sat on his throne and gave a public speech to the people they shouted: this is the voice of a God not of a man immediately because Herod did not praise God an angel of the Lord struck him down and he was eaten by worms and died but the word of God continued to spread and flourish when Barnabas and Saul finished their mission.

They returned from Jerusalem taking with them John also called Mark acts 13 then in the church of Antioch were the prophets and teachers Barnabas Simeon called Niger Lucius of the siren Manan, who had grown up with Herod the tetrarch and Saul while they worshiped the Lord in fasting . The holy spirit said: separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them, so after fasting and praying, laying hands on them and sending them away, the two sent by the Holy Spirit left. They went down to Saloia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they reached Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.

John was with them as their help. They toured the entire island until they reached Paos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet called Bar. Jesus who was an assistant to the proconsul Sergius Paul the proconsul an intelligent man sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God but Elus the sorcerer because that is what his name means opposed them and tried to convert the proconsul of faith then Saul who was also called Paul filled with the Holy Spirit looked intently at Alus and said you are a son of the devil and an enemy of all that is right you are full of all kinds of deceptions and deceptions you will never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord now the hand of the Lord is against you you are going to be blind for a while without even being able to see the light of the sun immediately the fog and darkness took over him and he was groping around looking for someone to take him by the hand when the proconsul saw What happened he believed because he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord from Paos Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamilia where John left them to return to Jerusalem from Perga they went to ask.

In Antioch on the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down after the reading of the law and the prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent them to say: Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak standing. Pablo made a gesture with his hand. and he said brothers Israelites and you, the Gentiles who worship God, listen to me, the god of the people of Israel chose our ancestors, made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt with great power, he took them out of that country for about 40 years, He endured their conduct in the wilderness and overthrew Seven Nations in Canaan giving his people his land as an inheritance all of this took about 400 50 years after this God gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel then the people asked for a king and he gave them Saul son of Kich of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled 40 years after deposing Saul, made David their king God testified about him.

I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my heart, he will do everything I want him to do from this. the descendants of man God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus as he promised before the coming of Jesus John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel while John was completing his work he said who do you think I am? I am not who you are. I am watching but one is coming behind me whose shoes I am not worthy to untie, brothers, children of Abraham and you, God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent, the people of Jerusalem and their rulers do not They recognized Jesus.

However, when they condemned them, they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Although they found no adequate reason for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to execute him. When they had fulfilled everything that was written about him, they took him down from the cross. and he put him in a tomb but God raised him from the dead and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him From Galilee to Jerusalem now they are his witnesses for our people we tell them the good news what God promised to our ancestors ​​he fulfilled for us his children by raising Jesus from the dead as it is written in the second Psalm you are my son today I will be your father God raised him from the dead so that he would never be subject to corruption as God hassaid I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David, so it is also said elsewhere, you will not allow your Holy One to see decay now, when David had fulfilled the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, was buried with his ancestors and his body decomposed.

But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see corruption, so my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, through him everyone who believes is freed from all sin. , a justification that you couldn't. To obtain under the law of Moses, be careful that what the prophets have said has not happened to you, look mockers, be amazed and perish because I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe even if someone like Paul and Barnabas told you. As they left the synagogue, the people invited them to talk more about these things the following Sabbath, when the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke with them and urged them to continue. in the grace of God.

The following Saturday, almost the entire city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowd, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and insulted him. Then Paul and Barnabas responded boldly. We had to speak the word of God to them. First, since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, now we turn to the Gentiles because this is what the Lord has commanded us. I have made you light for the Gentiles so that you may bring. Salvation to the ends of the earth when the Gentiles heard this they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord and all those who were appointed to eternal life believed that the word of the Lord spread throughout the region but the Jewish leaders incited the fearful of God.

Important women and the main men of the city caused persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their region, so they shook off the dust from their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium and the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit acts 14 in Iconium Paul and Barnabas entered the Jewish synagogue as usual, there they spoke so effectively that a large number of Jews and Greeks believed but the Jews who refused to believe incited the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers, so Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of His grace by allowing them to perform signs and wonders.

The people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews, others with the apostles. There is a plot. a foot between Gentiles and Jews along with their leaders to mistreat and stone them, but they found out and fled to the Ionian cities of Lysra and Derby to the surrounding countries where they continued to preach the gospel in Lysra. A man was sitting there. that he was lame that he had been that way since he was born and had never walked he listened to Paul as he spoke Paul looked directly at him he saw that he had Faith to be healed and shouted get up at that the man jumped up and They began to walk when the crowd saw what Paul had In fact, they shouted in the Ionian language, the gods have come down to us in human form.

They called Barnabas Zeus and Paul they called Hermes because he was the main speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was on the outskirts of the city, brought bulls and crowns to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer them sacrifices when the apostles Barnabas. and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and ran into the crowd shouting friends, why are you doing this? We are also humans like you. We bring you good news to tell you to turn from these useless things to the living God who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them in the past let all nations go their own way, but did not It has been left without testimony, it has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in its seasons, it provides you with abundance. of food and fill your hearts with joy even with these words they had difficulty preventing the crowd from sacrificing them then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and overcame the crowd, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city thinking he was dead , but after the disciples had gathered around him he got up and returned to the city the next day he and Barnabas left for Derby they preached the gospel in that city and gained a large number of disciples then they returned to Lysra Iconium and Antioch strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain faithful to the faith, we must go through many difficulties to enter the kingdom of God, said Paul and Barnabas, they appointed Elders for them in each church and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had placed their trust after passing through Pidia.

They arrived at Pamilia and having preached the word in Perga they went down to Italy from Italy they sailed back to Antioch where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had now completed upon arriving there they gathered together the church gathered together and told everything they God had made it through them and how he had opened a Door of Faith to the Gentiles and they stayed there a long time with the disciples made 15 certain people came from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.

This caused Paul and Barnabas to have a strong dispute and debate with them, so Paul and Barnabas were appointed along with some other believers to go to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this issue. The church sent them away and while they were traveling through Phenicia in Samaria they told how the Gentiles had converted. This news made all the believers very happy. When they arrived in Jerusalem they were received by the church and the apostles and elders to whom they reported everything that God had done to them. through them, then some of the believers who belonged to the group of the Pharisees stood up and said that the Gentiles should be circumcised and forced to keep the law of Moses, the apostles and elders met to consider this question after much discussion .

Peter stood up and addressed them, brothers, you know that some time ago God chose among you so that the Gentiles would hear the message of the gospel from my lips and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving them the Holy Spirit. To them, just as he did to us, he made no distinction between us and them because he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting a yoke on the necks of the Gentiles that neither we nor our ancestors could do? No, we believe that it is by the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.

The entire assembly was silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul recount the signs and wonders that God had done among the Gentiles through them when they finished. Santiago spoke Brothers, he said listen to me. Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name among the Gentiles. The words of the prophets agree with this as written. After this I will return and rebuild the house of David. Fallen tent its ruins I will rebuild and restore it so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord even all the Gentiles who bear my name says the Lord Who makes these things known for a long time is my judgment, therefore, that not To do more difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God, we should rather write to them telling them to abstain from foods contaminated by idols, from fornication, from the flesh of strangled animals, and from blood, because the law of Moses has been preached in every city since the early times and it is read in the synagogues every Sabbath then the apostles and elders with the entire church decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas they chose Judas called barabus and Silas men who were leaders among the Believers With them the apostles and Elders their brothers sent the following letter to the Gentile Believers in Antioch Syria and cissa greetings we have heard that some came out from us without our authorization and disturbed you by disturbing your minds by what they said so we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, we send Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we seem to be writing. good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden yourself with anything beyond the following requirements you must abstain from foods sacrificed to idols of blood from the flesh of strangled animals and from sexual immorality you will do well to avoid these things goodbye so that the men were sent and came down to Antioch where they gathered the church and delivered the letter, the people read it and were happy for its encouraging message.

Judas and Silas, who were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen believers after spending some time there. They were sent by the believers of Bel with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them, but Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord some time later, Paul said to Barnabas, let's go. Go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preach the word of the Lord and see how they are doing. Barnabas wanted to take Juan, also called Marcos, but Pablo PA did not think it was wise to take him because he had abandoned them in Pamilia and they had not continued with them in the work.

They had such a strong disagreement that they separated. Barnabas took Marcos and embarked for Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and left, entrusted by the believers to the grace of the Lord, he passed through Syria and Cisia, strengthening the churches. Facts 16 Paul arrived at Derby and then at Lysra where there lived a disciple named Timothy whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father He was Greek, the believers in Lysra and Iconius spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him with him on the trip, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area because everyone knew that his father was Greek.

As they traveled from town to town, they handed over the decision. taken by the apostles and Elders in Jerusalem so that the people would obey so that the churches were strengthened in faith and grew daily in number. Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Friia and Galatia, having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia, when they reached the border of Mia, they attempted to enter Bethany, but the spirit of Jesus did not He let her, so they walked past Mya and walked downstairs into the night. Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia standing and begging him to come to Macedonia and help us.

After Paul had seen the vision we immediately prepared to leave Macedonia concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them from Troas we became We went to sea and sailed straight for it and the next day we went to Neopolis from there we traveled to Philippi Roman colony and the main city of that District of Macedonia and we stayed there for several days on the Sabbath we left the city gate to the river Where we hoped to find a place of prayer we sat down and began to talk to the women who had gathered there.

One of those

listening

was a woman from the city of Thira named Lydia, a merchant in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart. to respond to Paul's message when she and the members of her household were baptized she invited us to her house if you consider me a believer in the Lord she said come and stay in my house and persuaded us once when we were going to the place of prayer she received us a slave girl who had a Spirit by which she predicted the future she earned a large amount of money for her owners by guessing she followed Paul and the rest of us shouting these men are Servants of the Most High God who are telling you the way to be saved she It continued like this for many days, finally Paul became so upset that he turned around and said to the spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her.

At that moment, the spirit abandoned her when her owners realized that they no longer had hope of winning. money. They grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them to the market to face the authorities, they took them before the magistrates and said that these men are Jews and they are disturbing our city by defending customs that it is illegal for us Romans to accept or practice. The crowd joined in the attack on Paul. and Silas and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped naked and beaten with rods, after having severely whipped them, they were thrown into prison and the jailer was ordered to watch them carefully.

When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and held their feet. In the stocks after midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the other prisoners were

listening

to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison immediately shook, all the doors of the prison opened, and everyone's chains came. Released, the Jailer woke up and seeing the prison doors open he took out his sword and was about to commit suicide because he thought the prisoners had escaped but PaulHe shouted, don't hurt yourself, we are all here.

The Jailer called for the lights. He hurried in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he took them out and asked them what I must do to be saved. They replied, believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. and your house, then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone. The Jailer took the others who were in his house at that time of night and washed their wounds. Immediately afterwards, he and his entire household were baptized. The Jailer took them to his house and served them food. He was overjoyed because he had come. believe believe in God he and his entire house when it was day the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order to release those men the jailer said to Paul the magistrates have ordered that you and Shilos be released now you can go in peace but Paul told the officers that they beat us publicly without trial even though we are Roman citizens and they threw us in jail and now they want to get rid of us quietly.

Let's not let them come themselves and escort us out. The officers reported this to the officers. magistrates and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens they were alarmed they came to appease them and escorted them out of the prison asking them to leave the city after Paul and Silas left the prison they went to Lydia's house where they met with their brothers and sisters and encouraged them then they left the events 17 when Paul and his companions had passed through Amphibolis in Apollonia they arrived at Thessalonica where there was a Jewish synagogue as was their custom Paul entered the synagogue and on three days of rest he reasoned with them from the scriptures explaining and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead this Jesus that I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah said some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas as did a large number of God - Fearing the Greeks and quite a few prominent women, but other Jews were jealous, so they gathered some bad characters from The Marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city, they ran to Jason's house looking for Paul and Silas to get them out. to the crowd, but when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials shouting that these men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here and Jason has welcomed them into his house.

Everyone is defying Caesar's decrees. saying that there is another king named Jesus when they heard this, the crowd and the city officials rioted, then they made Jason and the others pay bail and released them as soon as it became night, the believers sent Paul and Silas To Berea, when they arrived there they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Jews of Berea were of more noble character than those of Thessalonica because they received the message with great enthusiasm and they examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true, as a result many They believed as did a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men, but when the Jews in Thessalonica heard that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, some of them went there too stirring up the crowds and stirring them up.

The believers immediately sent Paul. to the coast but Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea. Those who escorted Paul took him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. While Paul waited for them in Athens, he was very distressed to see that The city was full of idols, so he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the market, day by day, with those who were there. A group of Curian and Stoic epic philosophers began to debate with him some of them They asked what this charlatan is trying to say others commented that he seems to be defending foreign gods They said this because Paul was preaching the Good News about Jesus and the resurrection so they took him away and They took him to a meeting of the Areopagus where they said he can know what this new teaching is that you are presenting, you are bringing some strange ideas to our ears and we would like to know what it means all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than talking and listening to the latest ideas Then Paul stood up in the Areopagus meeting and said people of Athens I see that in every way you are very religious because as I walked and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription to an unknown God, so you do not know exactly what you worship and this is what I am going to proclaim to you that the God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of Heaven and Earth and does not live in temples built by human hands and does not allow himself to be served by human hands as if he needed anything but himself.

He gives everyone life and breath and everything else from one man He made all the nations to inhabit the entire earth and marked their designated times in history and the limits of their lands God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps be able to find Him and find it although it is not far from any of us because in it we live and move and have our being, as some of its own poets have said that we are its offspring, therefore, since we are descendants of God, we must not think that the Divine being is like gold, silver or stone, an image made by human design and skill.

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent because he has set a day when he will judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed, he has given proof of this to everyone. when he raised him from the dead when they heard about the resurrection of the dead some of them mocked but others said: we want to hear you again on this topic when Paul left the council ago some of the people became followers of Paul and believed that among them was Diana, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Demaro and several others.

Acts 18 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, then he met a Jew named Aquilla, a native of Pontis. that he had recently arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them and since he was a tent maker, he stayed and worked with them every Sabbath AB, he reasoned in the synagogue trying to persuade Jews and Greeks when Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia Paul dedicated himself exclusively to preaching, witnessing to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah but when they opposed Paul and became abusive he shook his clothes in protest and told them: your blood will be on your own heads I am innocent from now on I will go to the Gentiles so Paul left the synagogue and went to the house next to ordained justice a worshiper of God Crispus the leader of the synagogue and his entire house believed in the Lord and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized one night the Lord spoke to him to Paul in vision, do not be afraid, continue talking, do not be silent because I am with you and no one is going to attack you and harm you because I have many people in this city, so Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half teaching them the word of God while Gallo He was proconsul of aa and the Jews of Corinth made a united attack against Paul and took him to the place of judgment, this man whom they accused is persuading. the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law just as Paul was about to speak Gallo told them that if you Jews were filing a complaint for some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for him to listen to you, but since It's about questions. about words and names and your own law settle the matter yourselves I will not be the judge of such things so he chased them away then the crowd turned against Sanes the leader of the synagogue and beat him in front of the proconsul and Gallus showed no concern Paul remained in Corinth for some time then left the brothers and sisters and sailed towards Syria accompanied by Priscilla and Aquilla before setting sail they cut his hair in centria due to a vow he had made they arrived at Ephesus where Paul left Priscilla and Aquilla himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews when they asked him to spend more time with them he refused but upon leaving he promised I will return if it is God's will then he set sail from Ephesus when he landed in Caesarea he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then he went down to Antioch After spending some time in Antioch Paul left from there and traveled from place to place throughout the entire region of Galatia and Friia strengthening all the disciples meanwhile a Jew named Apollos a native of Alexandria came to Ephesus he was a learned man with a profound knowledge of the scriptures had been instructed in the way of the Lord and spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately although he only knew the baptism of John he began to speak boldly in the synagogue when Priscilla and Aquilla heard him, they invited him to his house and explained to him the way of God more adequately when Apollos wanted to go to aaya, the brothers and sisters cajoled him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. when he arrived he was of great help to those who by Grace had believed because he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate demonstrating from the scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah Acts 19 when Apollos was in Corinth Paul took the road through the interior and arrived there in Ephesus found some disciples and asked them: Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?

They replied no, we haven't even heard that there is a holy spirit, so Paul asked, then what baptism did you think John's baptism was? They responded that Paul said the baptism of John. It was a baptism of repentance he told the people to believe in the one who would come after him which is in Jesus upon hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus When Paul laid his hands on them the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and they prophesied there were about 12 men in total. Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for 3 months persuasively arguing about the kingdom of God, but some of them became stubborn, refused to believe, and publicly slandered the way, so Paul left them and took it.

The disciples with him and had discussions daily in the conference room of tyrannus continued for 2 years so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord God performed extraordinary miracles through Paul so that even The handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits were left by some Jews who were driving out evil spirits. They tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over the demon-possessed people, they said in the name of the Jesus that Paul preach I command you to come out seven sons of ska a chief of the Jewish priests were doing this one day the evil spirit answered them Jesus I know it and I know Paul but who are you then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and dominated them They were all beaten so badly that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

When this became known among the Jews and Greeks who lived in Ephesus, they were all overcome with fear and the name of the Lord. Jesus was held in great honor. Many of those who now believed came and openly confessed what they had done. A number of those who had practiced sorcery gathered their scrolls and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to 50,000 drmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem through Macedonia and aaya after When I was there, he said that he must visit Rome and also sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Arus, to Macedonia, while he remained a little longer in the province of Asia, about that time a great uproar arose over the way in which a silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver altars of Artemis, brought much business to the craftsman; there he gathered them together with the workers in related trades and said, you know, my friends, we receive good income from this business and you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray a large number of people here in Ephesus and practically in the entire province of Asia. says that the gods made by human hands are not gods at all, there is a danger not only that our trade will lose its good name but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and the goddess herself who is worshiped throughout the province from Asia. and the world will be stripped of His Divine Majesty.

When they heard this, they became enraged and began to shout greatly. It is Artemis of the Ephesians. Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people took gas and Aristarchus. Paul of Macedonia's traveling companions and they all hurried in and entered together. At the theater Paul wanted to appear before the crowd but the disciples did not let him. Some of the officials from the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater. The assembly was confused, some shouted one thing and the majority another. of the people didn't even know why they were there, the Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front andThey shouted instructions, he gave them a sign of silence so he could defend himself before the people, but when they realized, he was Jewish, they all shouted in unison for approximately 2 hours, Artemis of the Ephesians is great, the city secretary calmed the people down. crowd and said, fellow Ephesusians, not everyone knows that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis. and from the image of her that she fell from the sky, therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you should calm down and not do anything rash.

You have brought these men here even though they have not dressed temples or blasphemed our goddess, if then Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance. against anyone the courts are open and there are process consuls who can bring charges if there is anything else you want to bring up it must be resolved in a legal assembly as we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we could not account for this commotion since there is no reason for it after having said this he dismissed the assembly Acts 20 When the commotion was over Paul sent for the disciples and after encouraging them he said goodbye and set out on his way.

For Macedonia he traveled through that area speaking many words of encouragement to the people and finally arrived in Greece where he stayed for 3 months because some Jews had conspired against him just when he was about to set sail for Syria he decided to return through Macedonia. accompanied by soer son of pus of Berea Aristarchus and second of Thessalonica gas of Derby Timothy also and uncle in tremis of the province of Asia these men went ahead and waited for us in Troas but we sailed from Philippi after the feast full of unleavened bread and 5 days later we joined the others in Trass where we stayed 7 days.

On the first day of the week we met to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and since he intended to leave the next day he continued speaking until midnight. There were many lamps. Upstairs room where we were meeting, sitting in a window, there was a young man named Ticus who was sinking into a deep sleep while Paul was talking over and over when he was fast asleep, he fell to the ground from the third floor and was picked up dead. Paul came down he threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him don't be alarmed he said he is alive then he went up again and broke the bread and ate after talking until dawn he left the people took the young man home alive and they went He, Very consoled, we went ahead of the ship and sailed towards Asos, where we were going to take Pablo on board.

He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot when he met us at Asos, we took him on board and started prying. The next day we set sail from there and arrived in Chios. The next day we crossed to Samos and the next day we arrived in Molus. Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia because he was in a hurry. get to Jerusalem if possible by the day of Pentecost from the middle Paul sent to Ephesus to look for the elders of the church when they arrived he said to them: you know how I lived all the time that I was with you from the first day that I entered the province of Asia I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe trials due to the plots of my Jewish opponents.

You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be useful to you but I have taught you publicly and from house to house I have declared as much to Jews as well as Greeks who must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus and now forced by the spirit I am going to Jerusalem without knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in each city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison awaits me. and difficulties however I consider that my life is worth nothing to me my only objective is to finish the race and complete the task that the Lord Jesus has entrusted to me the task of testifying the good news of the grace of God now I know that none of you among which I have been preaching the kingdom will never see me again that is why I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you because I have not hesitated to Proclaim to you all the will of God watch over yourselves and over all the flock of which the Spirit The Holy One has made you stewards, be Pastors of the Church of God that he purchased with his own blood.

I know that after my departure, wild wolves will enter among you and I will not spare the flock, not even among you men will arise and distort the truth to drag the disciples after them, so be on your guard, remember that for 3 years I will never I stopped warning each of you night and day with tears, now I commit myself. you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all the Sanctified. I have not coveted silver or gold or clothing from anyone, you yourselves know that these hands of mine have met my needs and the needs of my companions in everything I did I showed them that with this type of hard work we must help the weak remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said that it is more blessed to give than to receive when Paul finished speaking he knelt with them all and prayed, they all cried as they hugged and kissed him, what saddened them the most was his declaration that they would never see his face again in that so.

They accompanied him to the ship acts 21 after we separated from them we put to sea and sailed directly to KAS the next day we went to RADS and from there to Patara we found a ship crossing towards Phoenicia, we went on board and set sail after sighting Cyprus and passing south we sailed towards Syria we disembarked at Ty where our ship was to unload its cargo we looked for the disciples there and stayed with them for 7 days by the spirit they urged Paul not to go towards Jerusalem when the time came to leave we left and we continued on our way, all of them including wives and children accompanied us out of the city and there on the beach we knelt to pray after saying goodbye to each other we climbed aboard the ship and returned home we continued our journey from Tiro and landed where we saluted to the brothers and sisters and we stayed with them for a day leaving the next day we arrived at Caesaria and stayed in the house of Philip Evangelist one of the seven had four unmarried daughters who prophesied after having been there several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea and came to us, took Paul's belt, tied his hands and feet with it and said: the holy spirit says this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.

When we heard this, we and the people there begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem, then Paul replied: Why are you crying and breaking my heart? I'm ready, not alone. to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus when he was not deterred we gave up and said the will of the Lord be done after this we started our way towards Jerusalem some of the disciples of caesaria accompanied us and took us to the house where we were going to stay he was a man from Cyprus and one of the first disciples when we arrived in Jerusalem the Reed brothers and sisters welcomed us warmly the next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James and all the elders were present.

Paul greeted them and informed them in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry, when they heard this they praised God and then said to Paul, you see brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed and all of them. They are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to distance themselves from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What will we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do as we tell you. , there are four men with us who have made a vow, take these men and join their purification rights and pay their expenses to have their heads shaved, then everyone will know that there is no truth in these reports from about you, but that you yourself live in obedience to the law, as for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from the blood of the flesh of strangled animals and from sexual immorality, the next day , Paul took the men and purified himself with them, then he went to the temple to give notice of the date on which the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them when the seven days were almost over, some Jews of the province of Asia saw Paul in the temple, they stirred up the entire crowd and grabbed him shouting, fellow Israelites, help us, this is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place and has also brought the Greeks in the temple and has desecrated this holy place.

At that place they had previously seen Tropus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had taken him to the temple, the whole city rose up and people came running from all directions, grabbed Paul, dragged him out of the temple and immediately the doors were closed. While they were trying to kill him, the commander of the Roman troops received news that the entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately grabbed some officers and soldiers and ran towards the crowd when the riers saw the commander and his soldiers. He stopped hitting Pablo, the commander approached and arrested him and ordered him to be tied with two chains, then he asked who he was and what he had done.

Some of the crowd shouted one thing and others another and since the commander could not get to the truth Due to the commotion, he ordered Paul to be taken to the barracks when Paul reached the stairs, the violence of the mob was so great that he had to be carried carefully by the soldiers, the crowd that followed him kept shouting, get rid of him while the soldiers were ready. To take Paul to the barracks, he asked the commander. I can tell you something? Do you speak Greek? He replied: Aren't you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led 4,000 terrorists into the desert some time ago?

Paul replied: I am a Jew from Tarsus in cisa a citizen of a non-ordinary city please let me talk to the people after receiving permission from the commander Paul stood on the stairs and made a gesture to the crowd when everyone was silent he told them in Aramaic acts 22 brothers and fathers listen now to my defense when they heard him speak to them in Aramaic they became very silent then Paul said I am a Jew born in Tarsus of Silesia but raised in this city I studied with gal and was thoroughly trained in the law of our Ancestors Solo was No matter how zealous any of you are today, I persecuted the followers of this path to death, arresting men and women and imprisoning them, as the high priest and the entire council can testify.

I even got letters from them to their associates. in Damascus and I went there to take these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished around noon when I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven shone around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecute me, who are you Lord? I asked. I am Jesus of Nazareth who you are persecuting. My companions answered. They saw the light but they did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. What should I do? Lord, I asked.

Get up. Lord he said and go to Damascus there they will tell you everything that you have been assigned to do. My companions led me by the hand to Damascus because the brightness of the light had blinded me. A man named Ananas came to see me, he was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews who lived there, he stood next to me and said brother Saul receive his sight and at that very moment I could see him then said the god of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the righteous and when you hear words from his mouth you will be his witness to all the people of what you have seen and heard and now that you wait, get up, be baptized and wash away your sins invoking his name When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord speaking to me quickly.

He told me to leave Jerusalem immediately because the people here will not accept your testimony about me. Lord, I answered. These people know that I went from one synagogue to another. to imprison and beat those who believe in you and when the blood of your martyr Steven was shed, I stood there giving my approval and keeping the clothes of those who were killing him, then the Lord said to me: go, I will send you away, to the Gentiles. The crowd listened to Paul until he said this then they raised their voices and shouted to get rid of him from the land, he is not fit to live as they shouted and took off their cloaks and threw dust into the air, the commander ordered that Paul be taken to the The barracks ordered him to be rounded up and interrogated to find out why the people were yelling at him like that while they stretched him out to fog him.

Paul said to the centurion who was there, is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who has not even been found guilty when the centurion He heard this, went to the commander and informed him what you are going to do. He asked him: This man is a Roman citizen. The commander went to Paul and asked him: tell me, are you a Roman citizen? Yes I am. The commander then responded and said that I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship but I was born a citizen. Paul responded that those who were about to interrogate him immediately left.

The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had placed Paul as a Roman citizen in Cadenas. commander wanted to know exactly why Pablo was beingaccused by the Jews so the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble, then he brought Paul and had him appear before them acts 23 Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, my brothers, I have done my duty to God and in good conscience to this day. Then the high priest Ananas ordered those who were near Paul to hit him on the mouth and then Paul said to him: God will strike you.

You, whitewashed wall, sit there to judge me according to the law, but you yourself violate the law by ordering me to be beaten. Those who were close to Paul said: how dare you insult the high priest of God? Paul responded Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest because it is written do not speak evil of the ruler of your people so Paul knowing that some of them were Sadducees and other Pharisees called the Sanhedrin my brothers I am a Pharisee descendant of Pharisees I am in judgment for the hope of the resurrection of the dead when he said this there was a dispute between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the assembly was divided the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection and that there are no angels or spirits but the Pharisees believe that all these things There was a great uproar and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously.

We found nothing wrong with this man. They said, what if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him? The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid of Pablo. he would be torn to pieces by them, he ordered the troops to come down and take him by force and take him to the barracks. The next night, the Lord stood near Paul and said to him: Take courage, for you have testified of me in Jerusalem so that they must also testify in Rome the next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and pledged themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

More than 40 men were involved in this plot, they went to the chief priests and elders and said We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. Then you and the Sanhedrin request the commander to bring him before you under the pretext of wanting more precise information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here. but when Paul's sister's son found out about this plot, he went to the barracks and told Paul, so Paul called one of the centurions and told him to take this young man to the commander.

He has something to tell him, so he took him to the commander. Centurion said Pablo The Prisoner sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to him because he has something to tell him the commander took the young man by the hand He took him aside and told him what he wants to tell me He said something The Jews have agreed to ask him to bring Paul tomorrow before the Sanhedrin with the pretext of wanting more precise information about him. Do not give in to them because more than 40 of them are waiting for you in an ambush.

They have sworn not to eat. or drink until they have killed him they are ready waiting for his consent to his request the commander dismissed the young man with this warning do not tell anyone that you have informed me of this then he called two of his centurions and ordered them to leave Prepare a detachment of 200 soldiers, 70 horsemen and 200 lancers to go to Caesarea at 9 at night. Provide horses for Paul so that he can be brought safely to Governor Felix. He wrote the following letter: Cl

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Liso to His Excellency Governor Félix. Greetings. This man was captured. by the Jews and they were about to kill him but I came with my troops and rescued him because I had learned that he is a Roman citizen.

I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I took him to the Sanhedrin. I discovered that the accusation had to do with questions about his law but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment when I was informed of a plot that would be carried out against the man I sent him to you at once I also ordered his accusers to They would present their case against him to you so the soldiers carried out their orders they took Paul with them during the night and took him to Antipatris the next day they let the ordeal continue with him while they returned to the barracks when the ordeal came to Caesaria They gave the letter to the governor and he handed it to Pablo, the governor read the letter and asked him what province he was from, knowing that he was from Cisa, he said: I will hear your case when your accusers arrive and then he ordered that Pablo be kept under surveillance . in Herod's palace acts 24 5 days later the high priest Ananas went down to Caesaria with some of the elders and a lawyer called turus and they presented their charges against Paul before the governor when they called Paul in turus he presented his case before Felix which we have enjoyed The long period of peace under your command and your foresight have brought reforms in this nation everywhere and in every way, Your Excellency Felix, we acknowledge this with deep gratitude, but in order not to tire you further, I would ask you to be so kind as to listen to us briefly. .

We have discovered that this man is a troublemaker causing riots among Jews around the world. He is a leader of the Nazarene sect and even tried to desecrate the temple, so we captured him by examining it yourself, you will be able to learn. the truth about all these charges that we brought against him the other Jews joined the accusation affirming that these things were true when the governor told him to speak Paul responded I know that for several years you have been judge of this nation so I will gladly make my defense you can It is easy to prove that no more than 12 days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone in the temple or stirring up the crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city and I cannot prove to them the charges that I now have. do against me, however, I admit that I worship the god of our ancestors as a follower of the path they call a sect. I believe in everything that is in accordance with the law and what is written in the prophets and I have the same hope in God that these same men have that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked, that is why I always strive To keep my conscience clear before God and men, after an absence of several years, I arrived in Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and present offerings.

I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courtyard doing this, there was no crowd with me nor was I involved in any disturbance, but there are some Jews from the province of Asia. Who should be here before you and press charges if they have something against me? Or these who are here should say what crime they found in me when I was before the Sanhedrin, unless this was what I shouted when I was in his presence. It is by the resurrection of the dead that I am being judged before you today. Then Felix, who knew the way well, suspended the proceedings when Lysus the commander arrived, said: "I will decide your case," ordered the centurion to keep Paul under surveillance. but to give him some freedom and to allow his friends to take care of his needs, several days later, Felix came with his wife to Jerusalem, who was a Jew, sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke of faith in Christ Jesus, while Paul was talking about self-righteousness. -control and the judgment to come Felix was afraid and said enough is enough for now you can leave whenever you see fit I will send for you at the same time he expected Paul to offer him a bribe so he sent for him frequently and spoke to him when 2 years had passed Felix was succeeded by Porus Festus but as Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews he left Paul in prison acts 25 3 days after arriving in the province Fesus went up from Caesaria to Jerusalem where the chief priests and Jewish leaders were.

They appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul, they asked Fesus as a favor to transport Paul to Jerusalem because they were preparing an ambush to kill him on the way. Fesús responded that Pablo is detained in Cesaria and myself. to go there soon let some of your leaders come with me and if the man has done something wrong they can press charges against him there after being eight or ten days with them fesus went down to caesaria the next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him when Paul entered, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, brought many serious accusations against him, but they could not prove them, so Paul made his defense.

I have done nothing wrong against Jewish law or against the law. temple or against Caesar Ephesus wishing to do the Jews a favor told to Paul, are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried there before me on these charges? Paul answered: Now I am before Caesar's court where he should be judged. I have not done it. I have done some wrong to the Jews, as you well know, but if I am guilty of having done something that deserves death, I do not refuse to die, but if the accusations that these Jews make against me are not true, no one has the right to hand me over.

To them he appealed to Caesar after Fesus had consulted with him, declared, clarified, you have appealed to Caesar, you will go to Caesar a few days later. King Agria and Berenice arrived in Caesaria to pay their respects to Fesus, as they were spending many days there. Ephesus discussed Paul's case with the king. He said that there is a man here whom Felix left prisoner when I went to Jerusalem. The chief priests and elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned. I told them that it is not Roman custom to turn anyone over before they have faced their accusers and had a chance to defend themselves against the charges when they came here with me.

I did not delay the case, but called the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. When his accusers rose to speak, they did not accuse him of any of the crimes I expected, but had some points of dispute with him about his own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who, according to Paul, was alive. Not knowing how to investigate such matters, I asked him if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges, but when Paul appealed to him to postpone the emperor's decision, I ordered him to be detained until I could send him. . to Caesar then sour said to Fesus I would like to hear this man myself he answered tomorrow you will hear him the next day sour and Berenice came with great pomp and entered the audience hall with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city.

By order of Fesus, Paul was brought to Fesus, said King Agria, and everyone who is present with us sees this man. The entire Jewish community has asked me for him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he should not live any longer. I discovered that he did not. had done nothing worthy of death that because he made his appeal to the emperor I decided to send him to Rome but I have nothing definitive to write to your majesty about him therefore I have brought him before all of you and especially before you King Agrippa so that as a result From this research you may have something to write about.

I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner to Rome without specifying the charges against him. Acts 26, then Agrippa said to Paul: you are allowed to speak for yourself, so Paul. He waved his hand and began defending him King Agria. I consider myself fortunate to be before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews and especially because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies, therefore I beg you. listen to me patiently, all the Jewish people know how I have lived since I was a child from the beginning of my life in my own country and also in Jerusalem they have known me for a long time and can testify if they are willing. that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion living as a Pharisee and now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today.

This is the promise our 12 tribes hope to see fulfilled as long as they do it in earnest. Serve God day and night, King Agrippa. It is because of this hope that these Jews accuse me. Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? I was also convinced that I must do everything possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth and that is exactly what I did in Jerusalem with the authority of the chief priests. I put many of the Lord's people in prison and when they were killed, I voted against them many times and went to a synagogue. another to be punished and tried to force them to blaspheme.

I was so obsessed with chasing them that I even chased them in foreign cities on one of these Trips. I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the high priest at noon king Agria while I was on the road I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun burning around me and my companions we all fell to the ground and I heard a voice telling me in Aramaic Saul Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to kick against the goats. So I asked you who you are, Lord. I am Jesus who you are persecuting.

The Lord responded, "Now get up and stand. I have appeared to you to make you a servant and a witness of what You have seen and you will see of me I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles I send you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and aplace among those sanctified by faith in me so that then King Agrippa was not disobedient to the vision of Heaven first to those of Damascus then to those of Jerusalem and to all Judea and then to the Gentiles I preached that they must repent and turn to God and demonstrate your repentance repentance with your works, that is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me, but God has helped me to this day, so I am here and witness to small and great alike.

I say nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen that the Messiah would suffer and as the first to rise from the dead he would bring the message of life to his own people and to the Gentiles at this point fesus interrupted Paul's defense . crazy Paul shouted your great knowledge is driving you crazy I am not crazy your excellent fesus Paul answered what I say is true and reasonable the king knows these things and I can speak freely with him I am convinced that none of this has escaped him because it was not done in a corner King sour, do you believe the prophets?

I know you believe it, so Agrippa said to Paul, do you think that in such a short time you will be able to persuade me to be a Christian? Paul answered briefly, long or long, I pray to God that not only you but all who listen to me today can become what I am, except for these chains, King Rosa and with him the governor and Berenice and those who were sitting with them. after they left the room. They began to say to each other this man does nothing that deserves death or imprisonment sour said to Fesus this man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar acts 27 R with him it was decided that we would sail to Italy Paul and some other prisoners They were handed over to a centurion named Julius who belonged to the imperial regiment, we boarded a ship from Adrum that was going to sail towards the ports on the coast of the province of Asia and we went out to see Araris, a Macedonian from Thessalonica was with us.

The next day we sailed to Siden and Julio, kind to Pablo, allowed him to go with his friends so that they could provide for his needs. From there we put to sea again and passed into the Leeward of Cyprus because the winds were against us when we had sailed through the Open Sea off the coast of Csia in Pamilia, landed at Myra in Lisha, there the Centurion found a Alexandrian ship sailing towards Italy and took us on board. We made slow progress for many days and had difficulty in reaching Snus when the wind would not allow us to keep our course we sailed to the lee of cre off Salon we struggled along the coast and reached a place called Fair Havens near the village of lasa se He had lost a lot of time and navigation had already become dangerous because it was already after the day of atonement, so Paul warned the men.

I can see that our voyage will be disastrous and will bring great loss to the ship and the cargo and to our own lives. Everyone except the centurion instead of listening to what Paul said. We followed the advice of the pilot and the boat owner as the port was not suitable for winter, we mostly decided that we should continue sailing in the hopes of reaching Phoenix and wintering there, this was a cre port oriented both southwest and northwest when a gentle southerly wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity, so they weighed anchor and sailed along the coast of Creit, soon a hurricane force wind called the northeast swept from the island, The ship was caught in the storm and was unable to sail into the wind. so we gave way to him and were conducted as we passed towards Lee of a small island called CA.

We were barely able to secure the lifeboat, so the men hauled it on board and then passed ropes under the boat to hold it together. Because they were afraid of making landfall on the sandbanks of Cerus, they dropped anchor and let the ship move forward. We suffered such a violent blow from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard on the third day. They threw the ship's rigging overboard with their bare hands when neither the sun nor the stars appeared for many days and the storm continued to rage we finally lost all hope of saving ourselves after they had gone a long time without food.

Paul stood up in front of them and said men. You should have followed my advice not to sail from Creit, then you would have been spared this damage and loss, but now I urge you to keep your courage because none of you will be lost, only the ship will be destroyed last night, an angel of the god to whom I belong and whom I serve stood next to me and said: do not be afraid, Paul, you must be judged before Caesar and God in his grace has given you the lives of all who sail with you, so keep your courage, men, because I have faith. in God that it will happen just as he told me, however, we must land on some island.

On the 14th night we were still being driven through the Adriatic Sea when around midnight the sailors felt that they were approaching land, made soundings and discovered that the water. It was 120 feet deep, a short time later they sounded again and discovered it was 90 feet deep, fearing they would be dashed on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for dawn in an attempt to escape the ship. The sailors let the lifeboat launch into the sea pretending that they were going to lower an ankor from the bow, then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, unless these men stay on the ship, they will not be able to save themselves, so The soldiers cut the ropes holding the lifeboat and set it adrift. away just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat for the last 14 days.

He said they have been in constant suspense and have run out of food. They haven't eaten anything now. I urge you to take some food. They need it to survive. Of you, a single hair will be lost from your head. After saying this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of everyone. Then he broke it and began to eat. Everyone cheered up and ate some food themselves. In total, there were 276 of them. We on board, when they had eaten everything they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

When the day came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach where they decided to turn the ship around by land if they could. Cutting the anchors, they left them in place. The sea and at the same time untied the ropes holding the rudders then they hoisted the forsaale into the wind and headed for the beach, but the ship struck a sandbank and crashed. The bow was stuck and would not move and the stern was broken into pieces by the impact of the waves. The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away. and escaping, but the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and prevented them from carrying out their plan, he ordered those who knew how to swim to jump on board first and reach land, the rest had to get there on planks or other pieces of the ship. manner. everyone reached land safely acts 28 once safely on shore we discovered that the island was called Malta the islanders showed us unusual kindness, they lit a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold Paul picked up a pile of weeds and, as he said about the fire, a viper expelled by the heat settled on his hand.

When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, this man must be a murderer because although the goddess escaped from the sea Justice has not allowed him to live, but Paul shook the snake in the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to suddenly swell up or drop dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing that nothing unusual was happening to him, they changed their minds and said who was a god There was a farm nearby that belonged to Pablo, the main official of the island, he welcomed us into his house and showed us generous hospitality for 3 days.

His father was sick in bed with fever and the dissident Pablo came in to see him and after praying placed him. their hands on him and healed him when this happened the rest of the sick on the island came and were healed they honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail they provided us with the supplies we needed after 3 months we sailed to see her on a boat that had wintered on the island was an Alexandrian ship with the figure of the twin gods Casor and Pollock. We docked in Syracuse and stayed there for 3 days.

From there we set sail and arrived at the regium. The next day the wind rose from the south and the next day we arrived at Puli there we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them and so we came to Rome the brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming and traveled as far as the Forum of the Apus and the three taverns to meet with When we saw these people, Paul gave thanks to God and was encouraged when we arrived in Rome. Paul was allowed to live alone with a soldier to protect him. 3 days later he called the locals.

When the Jewish leaders had gathered, Paul said to them, my brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans, they examined me and wanted to free me because I was I was not guilty of any crime deserving of death, the Jews objected, so I was forced to appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charges against my own people, for this reason I have asked to see you and speak with you, it is for the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain he replied: we have not received any letter from Judea about you and none Of our people who have come from there have reported or said nothing bad about you, but we want to hear your views.

Because we know that everywhere there are people who speak against this sect, they agreed to meet Paul on a certain day and came in greater numbers to the place where he was staying, and he testified to them from morning until evening, explaining to them about the kingdom of God. and from the law of Moses and the prophets who tried to persuade them about Jesus some were convinced by what he said but others did not believe they were in disagreement with each other and began to leave after Paul made this final statement the Holy Spirit spoke the truth to their ancestors when he said through the prophet Isaiah, go to this people and tell them: you will always hear, but you will never understand, you will always see, but you will never perceive, because the heart of this people has become insensitive, they hardly hear with their ears and have closed their eyes, otherwise they would not be able to.

They see with their eyes they hear with their ears they understand with their hearts in turn and I would heal them that is why I want them to know that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles and they will listen for two whole years Paul stayed there in his own house rented and welcomed all who came to see him, he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ boldly and without hindrance.