12About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the church.G1161G2596G1565G2540G2264G935G1911G5495G2559G5100G575G1577 2He had the apostle James killed with a sword.G1161G337G2385G80G2491G3162 3When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.)G2532G1492G3754G2076G701G2453G4369G4815G4074G2532G1161G2258G2250G106 4Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.G3739G2532G4084G5087G1519G5438G3860G5064G5069G4757G5442G846G1014G3326G3957G321G846G321G2992 5But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.G4074G3303G3767G5083G1722G5438G1161G4335G2258G1096G1618G5259G1577G4314G2316G5228G846 6The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate.G1161G3753G2264G3195G4254G846G4254G1565G3571G4074G2258G2837G3342G1417G4757G1210G1417G254G5037G5441G4253G2374G5083G5438 7Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists.G2532G2400G32G2962G2186G2532G5457G2989G1722G3612G1161G3960G4074G4125G1453G846G1453G3004G450G1722G5034G2532G846G254G1601G1537G5495 8Then the angel told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered.G5037G32G2036G4314G846G4024G2532G5265G4675G4547G1161G3779G4160G2532G3004G846G4016G2440G4016G4675G2532G190G3427 9So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn't realize it was actually happening.G2532G1831G190G846G2532G1492G3756G3754G2076G227G3588G1096G1223G32G1161G1380G991G3705 10They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him.G1161G1330G4413G2532G1208G5438G2064G1909G4603G4439G5342G1519G4172G3748G455G846G844G2532G1831G4281G3391G4505G2532G2112G32G868G575G846 11Peter finally came to his senses. "It's really true!" he said. "The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had planned to do to me!"G2532G4074G1096G1722G1438G2036G3568G1492G230G3754G2962G1821G846G32G2532G1807G3165G1537G5495G2264G2532G3956G4329G2992G2453 12When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.G5037G4894G2064G1909G3614G3137G3384G2491G1941G3138G3757G2425G2258G4867G2532G4336 13He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it.G1161G4074G2925G2374G4440G3814G4334G5219G3686G4498 14When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, "Peter is standing at the door!"G2532G1921G4074G5456G455G3756G4440G575G5479G1161G1532G518G4074G2476G4253G4440 15"You're out of your mind!" they said. When she insisted, they decided, "It must be his angel."G1161G2036G4314G846G3105G1161G1340G2192G3779G1161G3004G2076G846G32 16Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.G1161G4074G1961G2925G1161G455G1492G846G2532G1839 17He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. "Tell James and the other brothers what happened," he said. And then he went to another place.G1161G2678G846G5495G4601G1334G846G4459G2962G1806G846G1537G5438G1161G2036G518G5023G2385G2532G80G2532G1831G4198G1519G2087G5117 18At dawn there was a great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter.G1161G1096G2250G2258G3756G3641G5017G1722G4757G5101G686G1096G4074 19Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him. When he couldn't be found, Herod interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death. Afterward Herod left Judea to stay in Caesarea for a while.G1161G1934G2264G1934G846G2532G2147G3361G350G5441G2753G520G2532G2718G575G2449G1519G2542G1304 20Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod's country for food. The delegates won the support of Blastus, Herod's personal assistant,G1161G2264G2258G2371G5183G2532G4606G1161G3918G3661G4314G846G2532G3982G986G935G1909G2846G3982G154G1515G1223G846G5561G5142G575G937 21and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them.G1161G5002G2250G2264G1746G937G2066G2523G1909G968G2532G1215G4314G846 22The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, "It's the voice of a god, not of a man!"G1161G1218G2019G5456G2316G2532G3756G444 23Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people's worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.G1161G3916G32G2962G3960G846G473G3739G1325G3756G2316G1391G2532G1096G4662G1634 24Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.G1161G3056G2316G837G2532G4129 25When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, taking John Mark with them.G1161G921G2532G4569G5290G1537G2419G4137G1248G2532G4838G2491G1941G3138
13Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called "the black man"), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul.G1161G2258G2596G1577G5607G1722G490G5100G4396G2532G1320G5037G921G2532G4826G2564G3526G2532G3066G2956G5037G3127G4939G2264G5076G2532G45692One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them."G1161G846G3008G2962G2532G3522G40G4151G2036G1211G873G3427G5037G921G2532G4569G1519G2041G3739G4341G8463So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.G5119G3522G2532G4336G2532G2007G5495G2007G846G6304So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus.G3303G3767G3778G1599G5259G40G4151G2718G1519G4581G1564G5037G636G1519G29545There, in the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. John Mark went with them as their assistant.G2532G1096G1722G4529G2605G3056G2316G1722G4864G2453G1161G2192G2532G2491G52576Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus.G1161G1330G3520G891G3974G2147G5100G3097G5578G2453G3739G3686G9197He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God.G3739G2258G4862G446G4588G3972G4908G435G3778G4341G921G2532G4569G1934G191G3056G23168But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing.G1161G1681G3097G1063G3779G846G3686G3177G436G846G2212G1294G446G575G41029Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye.G1161G4569G3588G2532G3972G4130G40G4151G2532G816G1519G84610Then he said, "You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord?G2036G5599G4134G3956G1388G2532G3956G4468G5207G1228G2190G3956G1343G3973G3756G3973G1294G2117G3598G296211Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time." Instantly mist and darkness came over the man's eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him.G2532G3568G2400G5495G2962G1909G4571G2532G2071G5185G3361G991G2246G891G2540G1161G3916G1968G1909G846G887G2532G4655G2532G4013G2212G549712When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.G5119G446G1492G1096G4100G1605G1909G1322G296213Paul and his companions then left Paphos by ship for Pamphylia, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem.G1161G3972G4012G321G575G3974G2064G1519G4011G3828G1161G2491G672G575G846G5290G1519G241414But Paul and Barnabas traveled inland to Antioch of Pisidia. On the Sabbath they went to the synagogue for the services.G1161G846G1330G575G4011G3854G1519G490G4099G2532G1525G1519G4864G4521G2250G252315After the usual readings from the books of Moses and the prophets, those in charge of the service sent them this message: "Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, come and give it."G1161G3326G320G3551G2532G4396G752G649G4314G846G3004G435G80G1487G2076G1722G5213G3056G3874G4314G2992G300416So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet them, and started speaking. "Men of Israel," he said, "and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me.G1161G3972G450G2532G2678G5495G2036G435G2475G2532G5399G2316G19117"The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt. Then with a powerful arm he led them out of their slavery.G2316G5127G2992G2474G1586G2257G3962G2532G5312G2992G1722G3940G1722G1093G125G2532G3326G5308G1023G1806G846G1537G84618He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness.G2532G5613G5550G5063G5159G846G5159G1722G204819Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance.G2532G2507G2033G1484G1722G1093G5477G2624G846G1093G846G262420All this took about 450 years. After that, God gave them judges to rule until the time of Samuel the prophet.G2532G3326G5023G1325G2923G5613G5071G2532G4004G2094G2193G4545G439621Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years.G2547G154G935G2532G2316G1325G846G4549G5207G2797G435G1537G5443G958G5062G209422But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.'G2532G3179G846G1453G846G1138G1519G935G3739G2532G3140G2036G2147G1138G2421G435G2596G3450G2588G3739G4160G3956G3450G230723"And it is one of King David's descendants, Jesus, who is God's promised Savior of Israel!G575G5127G4690G1453G2316G2596G1860G1453G2474G4990G242424Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized.G2491G4296G4253G846G4383G1529G908G3341G3956G2992G247425As John was finishing his ministry he asked, 'Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon—and I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.'G1161G5613G2491G4137G1408G3004G5101G5282G3165G1511G1473G1510G3756G235G2400G2064G3326G1691G3739G5266G4228G1510G3756G514G308926"Brothers—you sons of Abraham, and also you God-fearing Gentiles—this message of salvation has been sent to us!G435G80G5207G1085G11G2532G1722G5213G5399G2316G5213G649G3056G5026G4991G64927The people in Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus as the one the prophets had spoken about. Instead, they condemned him, and in doing this they fulfilled the prophets' words that are read every Sabbath.G1063G2730G1722G2419G2532G846G758G50G5126G50G2532G5456G4396G3588G314G2596G3956G4521G4137G291928They found no legal reason to execute him, but they asked Pilate to have him killed anyway.G2532G2147G3367G156G2288G154G4091G846G33729"When they had done all that the prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb.G1161G5613G5055G537G1125G4012G846G2507G575G3586G5087G1519G341930But God raised him from the dead!G1161G2316G1453G846G1537G349831And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel.G3739G3700G1909G4119G2250G4872G846G575G1056G1519G2419G3748G1526G846G3144G4314G299232"And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors,G2532G2249G2097G5209G2097G3754G1860G1096G4314G396233and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus: 'You are my Son Today I have become your Father.'G2316G1603G5026G2254G846G5043G450G2424G450G5613G1125G2532G1125G1722G1208G5568G4771G1488G3450G5207G4594G1473G1080G457134For God had promised to raise him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, 'I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David.'G1161G3754G450G846G450G1537G3498G3371G3195G5290G1519G1312G2046G3779G3754G1325G5213G4103G3741G113835Another psalm explains it more fully: 'You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.'G1352G3004G2532G1722G2087G1325G3756G1325G4675G3741G1492G131236This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.G1063G3303G1138G5256G2398G1074G1012G2316G2837G2532G4369G4314G846G3962G2532G1492G131237No, it was a reference to someone else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay.G1161G3739G2316G1453G1492G3756G131238"Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.G2077G1110G5213G3767G435G80G3754G1223G5127G2605G5213G859G26639Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do.G2532G1722G5129G3956G4100G1344G575G3956G3739G1410G3756G1344G1722G3551G347540Be careful! Don't let the prophets' words apply to you. For they said,G991G3767G3361G1904G1909G5209G2046G1722G439641'Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it.'"G1492G2707G2532G2296G2532G853G3754G1473G2038G2041G1722G5216G2250G2041G3739G4100G3364G4100G1437G5100G1555G521342As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue that day, the people begged them to speak about these things again the next week.G1161G2453G1826G1537G4864G1484G3870G5023G4487G2980G846G1519G3342G452143Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God.G1161G4864G3089G4183G2453G2532G4576G4339G190G3972G2532G921G3748G4354G846G3982G846G1961G5485G231644The following week almost the entire city turned out to hear them preach the word of the Lord.G1161G2064G4521G4863G4975G3956G4172G4863G191G3056G231645But when some of the Jews saw the crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said.G1161G2453G1492G3793G4130G2205G2532G483G3004G5259G3972G483G2532G98746Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, "It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.G1161G3972G2532G921G3955G2036G2258G316G3056G2316G2980G4412G2980G5213G1161G1894G683G846G683G2532G2919G1438G3756G514G166G2222G2400G4762G1519G148447For the Lord gave us this command when he said, 'I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.'"G1063G3779G1781G2962G1781G2254G5087G4571G1519G5457G1484G4571G1511G1519G4991G2193G2078G109348When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.G1161G1484G191G5463G2532G1392G3056G2962G2532G3745G2258G5021G1519G166G2222G410049So the Lord's message spread throughout that region.G1161G3056G2962G1308G1223G3650G556150Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town.G1161G2453G3951G4576G2532G2158G1135G2532G4413G4172G2532G1892G1375G1909G3972G2532G921G2532G1544G846G575G846G372551So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium.G1161G1621G2868G846G4228G1909G846G2064G1519G243052And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.G1161G3101G4137G5479G2532G40G4151
Dublin, OH
began to persecute some believers in the church.G1161
