Chapter 1

¹ TheoPhilus; This is the first time I've assembled all of the things that Jesus did and taught ² up to the day he was taken, and after he gave commandments to the Apostles whom he selected by Holy Breath. ³ He gave them so much proof that he was alive after the things he suffered, and they saw him for forty days as he told them about the Kingdom of God.

⁴ And when he met with them, he gave them the orders, 'Don't leave JeruSalem, but keep waiting for the promise that I told you would come from the Father. ⁵ Because, although John baptized with water; in just a few days you will be baptized in Holy Breath.'

⁶ Then, when they all met with him, they asked, 'Lord, are you going to restore the Kingdom to IsraEl now?'

⁷ But he said, 'It isn't your business to know the times and periods that the Father is in charge of. ⁸ You will receive power when the Holy Breath comes over you, and you'll be witnesses of me in JeruSalem, all of Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'

⁹ And after he said these things, while they were still looking at him, a cloud lifted him out of sight. ¹⁰ And as they stood there staring into the sky watching him go, {Look!} two men in white clothes stood beside them and said, ¹¹ 'Men of Galilee; Why are you standing and looking up into the sky? This Jesus who was taken from you into heaven, will return to you in the same way that you saw him going into the sky.'

¹² Then they returned to JeruSalem from the nearby hill (called the Mount of Olives), which is the [maximum] legal traveling distance from JeruSalem on a Sabbath. ¹³ And when they entered [the city], they all went to the upper room where they (Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, BarTholomew, Matthew, James [the son] of AlphaEus, Simon the zealous one, and Judas [the son] of James) were staying. ¹⁴ And they were all one in mind and purpose as they continued praying, along with some women who were gathered there with Mary (the mother of Jesus), and his brothers.

¹⁵ It was during this period that Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (about a hundred and twenty people in all) and said, ¹⁶ 'Men! Brothers! The scripture had to be fulfilled (which Holy Breath foretold through David's mouth) about Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus, ¹⁷ although he had been one of us and he shared in this service. ¹⁸ Why, the wage he was paid for his wickedness was used to purchase that field into the middle of which he fell headfirst and burst, causing his intestines to pour out; ¹⁹ so the field has become known to everyone living in JeruSalem as Akel Dama (Field of Blood).

²⁰ So now; It's written in the scroll of the Psalms, Let the place where he lives become desolate, and let no one else ever live there; then give his overseer's postion, to somebody else. ²¹ So, it's important that one of the men who has been with us during the entire time that the Lord Jesus carried out all of his activities – ²² starting with his baptism by John until the day he was taken up from us – and [someone] who witnessed his resurrection, should become one of us.'

²³ So they asked two to stand up: JoSeph (who is called BarSabbas and was surnamed Justus) and MatThias. ²⁴ Then they prayed, saying, 'O Lord; You who know the hearts of men; so, show us which of these two You've chosen ²⁵ to receive the position and Apostleship that Judas abandoned so he could go his own way.' ²⁶ Then they gave them both lots, and the selected lot fell to MatThias. As the result, he was considered as being with the eleven Apostles.

Chapter 2

¹ Now, toward the end of the day of Pentecost, while they were all there observing that celebration, ² there was a noise that suddenly came from the sky. It sounded like a violent wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which were distributed so that one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they all became filled with Holy Breath and started speaking in different languages, saying whatever the Breath was telling them to say.

⁵ At the time, there were reverent Jews from every nation under the sky who were living in JeruSalem. ⁶ So when this sound happened, a huge crowd gathered and they were bewildered, because they each heard one of [the disciples] speaking in his own language. ⁷ They were astonished and started to wonder and say, 'These people who are talking are all Galileans, aren't they? ⁸ So, how is it that we're each hearing our own native tongue being spoken?'

⁹ [There were] Parthinians, Medes, Elamites, MesoPotamians, Judeans, CappaDocians, [and people from] Pontus, Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia, PamPhylia, Egypt, parts of Libya Cyrene, travelers from Rome (Jews and proselytes), ¹¹ Cretans, and Arabians. [They said]: 'We hear them talking about the wonderful things of God in our own language!'

¹² Yes, they were all astonished and confused. And they asked each other, 'What's this all about?' ¹³ However, others joked about them saying, 'They're full of sweet wine!'

¹⁴ But Peter stood up beside the eleven, raised his voice, and told them this: 'Men of Judea and all you who live in JeruSalem; I want you to know something… Listen to what I'm telling you! ¹⁵ They really aren't drunk as you think, because it's only the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ What's happening is the thing that was said through the Prophet Joel, ¹⁷ where God said:
In the last days, I'll pour some of My Breath on all flesh,
And your sons and daughters will then prophesy,
Your young men will also have visions,
And your old men will dream dreams.
¹⁸ I will pour out some of My Breath in those days,
And My male and female slaves will then prophesy.
¹⁹ From the skies above I'll send omens and signs,
And blood, fire, and smoke to the earth down below.
²⁰ Before the great and shining day of the Lord,
The sun will be changed into darkness,
And the moon into blood.
²¹ Then, all who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved.'

²² 'Men of IsraEl; listen to these words! Jesus the Nazarene was a man who was shown to you by God with power, omens, and signs that God performed through him in your midst, as you already know. ²³ Yes, you gave this person (who received his advice and his ability to see the future from God) into the hands of men who were without Law, and you nailed him up. ²⁴ But God resurrected him, freeing him from the cords of death, because it wasn't possible for [death] to hold him. ²⁵ Why, David said this about him:
I've always put Jehovah before me.
And since He is at my right hand,
I will never be shaken.
²⁶ For, in my heart I am cheerful,
And with my tongue I rejoice;
My body finds rest in that hope.
²⁷ For, in the grave You'll not leave me,
Or let Your loyal one see decay.
²⁸ For, the ways of life You have shown me,
And You'll fill me with joy from Your face.'

²⁹ 'Men! Brothers! It's good to speak to you openly about the patriarch David, for he died, was buried, and his tomb is still with us to this day. ³⁰ Yet, he was a Prophet, and he knew that God had sworn an oath to him that He would put someone on his throne who was the fruit of his loins. ³¹ So, [David] looked into the future and spoke about the resurrection of the Anointed One… that he wouldn't be abandoned in the grave and that his flesh wouldn't see decay.

³² 'Then this Jesus was resurrected by God, and we are all witnesses to that… ³³ he was lifted to God's right hand, where he received the Holy Breath (which the Father had promised). And he's the one who has poured out all of this that you're seeing and hearing.

³⁴ 'Now, David didn't go to heaven, but he said:
Jehovah said to my Lord;
Sit down at my right hand
³⁵ Until I set your enemies as your footstool.
³⁶ So, let the entire House of IsraEl know for sure that God made this Jesus whom you impaled the Lord and Anointed One!

³⁷ Well, when they heard this, they were stabbed to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, 'Men! Brothers! What must we do?'

³⁸ Then Peter told them, 'Repent, and each of you get baptized in the name of Jesus the Anointed One, so your sins can be forgiven, and then you'll receive the gift of the Holy Breath. ³⁹ That's a promise to you, to your children, and to all those who are far away… to everyone whom Jehovah our God calls to Himself.'

⁴⁰ Thereafter, he went on and witnessed to them a lot more, and advised them, 'Get saved from this crooked generation!'

⁴¹ Then those who welcomed his words were baptized, and about three thousand people were added that day. ⁴² These continued to attend, listening to the Apostles as they taught (they all participated), and sharing in meals and prayers. ⁴³ But everyone there started to become frightened by all the signs and omens that were coming through the Apostles.

⁴⁴ Well, thereafter, all who became believers shared whatever they had; ⁴⁵ they sold their belongings and properties and distributed the proceeds to whomever was in need. ⁴⁶ And they all agreed to go to the Temple daily, as they ate their meals in private homes… eating the food happily and with sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God, and finding favor with everyone. And all the while, the Lord kept adding the newly-saved to them daily.

Chapter 3

¹ Now, Peter and John had gone to the Temple for the hour of prayer (the ninth hour), ² and a man was there who was lame from birth… he had to be carried and he was placed near the Temple gate (the one called Beautiful) each day, to beg from those who were entering the Temple. ³ And when he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he started begging from them. ⁴ But Peter and John stared at him and said, 'Look at us!'

⁵ So he looked at them, expecting to get something.

⁶ Then Peter said, 'I don't have any silver or gold, but I'll give you what I have… In the name of Jesus the Anointed One, the Nazarene, walk!'

⁷ Then he took him by the right hand and lifted him, and instantly the soles of his feet and anklebones were made well. ⁸ So he jumped up and stood, and then he started walking! So he entered the Temple with them, walking, jumping, and praising God.

⁹ Well, everyone noticed him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ and they started to realize that he was the man who used to sit and beg at the Temple's Beautiful Gate. This astonished them and they were delighted by what had happened to him. ¹¹ And as the man was holding onto Peter and John near what was called The Columns of Solomon, all the people came running to them, surprised out of their wits.

¹² So when Peter saw this, he said, 'Men of IsraEl; Why are you surprised at this, and why are you staring at us as though we made him walk by our own power or devotion? ¹³ Why, the God of AbraHam, IsaAc, and Jacob – the God of our ancestors – has glorified His servant Jesus, whom you betrayed and disowned before the face of Pilate, after he had decided to release him. ¹⁴ Yes, you disowned that holy and righteous man, and you asked him to release a man who was a murderer! ¹⁵ Yes, you killed the Prince of Life! However, God thereafter raised him from the dead, which we all witnessed! ¹⁶ And it is because of [our] faith in his name that this man here [before you] – whom you see and know – was made well… it's because of [our] faith that everything you see has happened!

¹⁷ 'And now brothers; I know that what you did was done in ignorance… and that was true of your rulers. ¹⁸ But, as it was foretold by the mouths of all the Prophets; It was God who caused His Anointed One to endure this, so that it could fulfilled this way.

¹⁹ 'Now, repent and turn around to get your sins erased, so you may see a period of refreshment from Jehovah. ²⁰ Then He will send the one who was appointed – the Anointed Jesus – ²¹ who must be kept in the heavens until the time when everything that God told us through the mouths of the holy [ones] in His age of the Prophets, is restored. ²² In fact, it was Moses who said: Jehovah God will raise a Prophet like me from among your brothers, and you must listen to everything that he tells you. ²³ Then, if people don't listen to that Prophet, they'll be destroyed!

²⁴ 'Why, all the Prophets from SamuEl on – everyone who spoke – clearly talked about these days. ²⁵ And you are the sons of the Prophets and of the Sacred Agreement that God made with your fathers, when he told AbraHam: And all the families of the earth will be blest by your seed!

²⁶ So, God raised this Servant and sent him to you first, as a blessing to you, in order to get each of you to turn away from the bad things you're doing.'

Chapter 4

¹ Well, as Peter and John were talking to the people, the Chief Priests, the Temple captain, and the SadDucees came up, ² and they were very annoyed by the fact that [Peter and John] were teaching the people and telling them how Jesus had been resurrected from the dead. ³ So they arrested them and held them until the next day (since it was evening already). ⁴ However, many of those who listened to the speech believed, and their number then grew to about five thousand men.

⁵ Then the next day, they held a meeting in JeruSalem that included the rulers, elders, and scribes, ⁶ as well as AnNas the Chief Priest, CaiAphas, John, Alexander, and all the rest of the Chief Priest's relatives. ⁷ Then they stood [Peter and John] in their midst and asked, 'Who gave you the authority, and who told you that you could do this?'

⁸ Then Peter, filled with Holy Breath, said to them: 'Rulers of the people and elders; ⁹ If we are being questioned today simply because [we] did a good deed for a handicapped man, and if we are being asked who made him well, ¹⁰ then you and all the people of IsraEl should know that it was done in the name of Jesus the Anointed One… the Nazarene whom you hung on a pole. However, God raised him from the dead and he actually stood next to the man you're now looking at, healthy! ¹¹ This is the stone that was treated as nothing by you builders, but who has become the head of the corner! ¹² So, salvation doesn't come from anyone else, because there isn't another name that has been given to any man under heaven that we need to save us.'

¹³ And when they saw the confidence of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and common, they were amazed. Then they started recognizing them and remembered that they used to be with Jesus. ¹⁴ However, as they looked at the man standing beside them who had been cured, they couldn't come up with anything to say. ¹⁵ So they sent them outside of the Jewish High-Court hall and talked it over, ¹⁶ saying, 'What will we do with them? It's a fact that a sign has come through them, and everyone in JeruSalem saw it, so we can't deny it! ¹⁷ Well, to prevent this from being spread around among the people, let's threaten them and tell them not to speak to anyone about this name, ever again!'

¹⁸ So they called them back in and warned them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus anywhere. ¹⁹ However, Peter and John replied, 'If it's righteous in God's eyes to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves. ²⁰ But we can't stop talking about the things we've seen and heard!'

²¹ So, after they threatened them a little more, they let them go, because they couldn't find any reason to punish them. [They also chose to do nothing] on account of the people, because they were all praising God over what had happened, ²² since the man who was healed was more than forty years old!

²³ Well, after they were released, [Peter and John] returned to their [brothers] and reported what the Chief Priests and elders had told them. ²⁴ And on hearing this; all together, they raised their voices to God and said, 'O our only King… You who made the earth, the sky, the seas, and everything in them; ²⁵ and who, through Your Breath asked by the mouth of our father David (Your servant), Why are the nations so noisy, and why do the people think foolish things? ²⁶ The kings and the rulers of the earth have united against You and against Your Anointed! ²⁷ For a fact; Herod and Pontius Pilate – [men of] the nations as well as people of IsraEl – gathered in this city against Your Holy servant Jesus, whom You chose ²⁸ to do the things that Your hand and directions commanded. ²⁹ And now, O Lord; Pay attention to their threats, and allow Your slaves to keep on speaking Your Word boldly, ³⁰ while You stretch out Your hand to do healing, and while signs and omens continue to happen in the name of Your Holy Servant, Jesus.'

³¹ And as they were asking God for this, the place where they were meeting shook. Then everyone was filled with the Holy Breath and they boldly started speaking the Word of God. ³² So, there was a huge crowd that started to believe, and they shared a single heart and soul. None of them claimed that anything they had was their own, but they shared everything; ³³ and all the while, the Apostles continued to give a powerful testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. So, greatness and favor was upon them all. ³⁴ In fact, nobody could be described as being needy among them, because all those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought back the money for the things they sold, ³⁵ setting it at the feet of the Apostles. Then everything was distributed among them according to their needs.

³⁶ So, JoSeph (whom the Apostles called BarNabas… which translates as Son of Comfort), a Levite and a native of Cyprus, ³⁷ sold a piece of land he owned and brought the money, laying it at the feet of the Apostles.

Chapter 5

¹ However, a man named Ananias (along with his wife SapPhira) sold some property that they owned ² and he secretly kept some of the money… and his wife also knew about this. Then he brought just part of it and laid it at the feet of the Apostles.

³ But Peter asked, 'Ananias; Why has the Opposer made you so bold as to try to fool the Holy Breath and secretly hold back some of the money for the field? ⁴ For, as long you owned it, it was yours. And after you sold it, wasn't the money still yours? So, why did you plan to do such a thing in your heart? You weren't lying to men, but to God!' ⁵ And as he heard those words, Ananias fell to the ground and died.

This really frightened everyone who heard about it. ⁶ Then some of the younger men got up and wrapped him in a cloth, and carried him outside and buried him.

⁷ Well, it was about three hours later that his wife came in, and she didn't know what had happened. ⁸ So Peter asked her, 'Tell me; Did you sell the field for (so much)?'

And she answered, 'Yes, for (so much).'

⁹ Then Peter said: 'Why did you agree between [the two of] you to test the Breath of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they'll carry you out also.' ¹⁰ And at that, she instantly dropped dead at his feet.

So, when the young men returned, they also found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her next to her husband. ¹¹ And when the whole congregation (and everyone else) heard about this, they were frightened by all that had happened.

¹² Well after that, many signs and omens continued to be performed among the people at the hands of the Apostles, who used to meet among the Columns of Solomon. ¹³ It's true that no one else had enough courage to join them there, but the people spoke well of them, ¹⁴ as large numbers of men and women kept on being added to those who believed in the Lord. ¹⁵ [Why, people] even brought their sick out into the main streets and laid them on little beds and cots, so that as Peter passed, his shadow could fall on some of them. ¹⁶ Also, throngs from the cities around JeruSalem kept coming, carrying sick people and those bothered by unclean spirits, and everyone was cured.

¹⁷ However, the High Priest and all those who were with him (particularly the sect of the SadDucees) became very jealous. ¹⁸ So they came against the Apostles, grabbed them, and locked them up in a public jail. ¹⁹ But during the night, Jehovah's messenger opened the doors of the jail, and brought them out, saying, ²⁰ 'Now, go and continue to stand in the Temple, telling the people everything about The Life.'

²¹ So, after they heard this, they returned to the Temple at daybreak and started teaching.

Well, when the High Priest and those with him finally arrived, they assembled the Jewish High Court and all the elders of the sons of IsraEl. Then they sent [officers] to the jail to have [the Apostles] brought in. ²² But when the officers got there, they didn't find them in the lockup, so they reported back, ²³ saying, 'We found the jail locked and guards posted at the doors. But when we opened it, we didn't find anyone inside!'

²⁴ And when the Temple captain and the Chief Priests heard this, they were confused and wondered what had happened. ²⁵ Then someone came and reported, 'Look! The men whom you put in jail are standing in the Temple teaching the people!'

²⁶ So the captain took his officers and brought them back peacefully (because they were afraid of being stoned by the people). ²⁷ They brought them in and stood them in the Jewish High Court hall, where the High Priest questioned them, ²⁸ saying, 'We ordered you not to teach about this name; but look! You've filled JeruSalem with your teachings and you're determined to bring the blood of this man upon us!'

²⁹ Then Peter and the Apostles replied: 'We must obey God as ruler rather than men! ³⁰ For the God of our fathers raised this Jesus – whom you abused then hung on a pole – ³¹ then God lifted him to His right hand to be the primary leader and savior… and to cause IsraEl to repent, so He could forgive their sins! ³² We are witnesses to these things… as is the Holy Breath that God gave to those who are obeying Him as their ruler.'

³³ Well, when they heard this, they were really cut down, and they wanted to do away with [the Apostles]. ³⁴ But a certain man stood up in the Jewish High Court (a Pharisee named GamaliEl, a teacher of the Law who was highly regarded by everyone), and he commanded that the men be put outside for a little while. ³⁵ Then he said: 'Men of IsraEl; Be very careful about what you plan to do with these men. ³⁶ Do you remember when TheuDas came along saying that he was somebody important, and quite a few men (about four hundred of them) followed him? Yet, he was done away with, and all those who listened to him were scattered and came to nothing. ³⁷ And after him, Judas the Galilean arose during the registration, and he drew people after him. But then he died, and everyone who listened to him was scattered. ³⁸ So in this situation, I tell you not to mess with these men… leave them alone! Because, if the thing they're doing is from men, it will be overthrown. ³⁹ But if it's from God, you won't be able to overthrow them, and you'll actually be fighting against God!'

⁴⁰ Well, they all agreed with him; so they called the Apostles back in, had them whipped, and ordered them to stop talking about the name of Jesus… then they let them go.

⁴¹ And as they were leaving the Jewish High Court, they were rejoicing because they had been found worthy of being dishonored for [Jesus'] name. ⁴² So they didn't stop… they kept teaching and announcing the good news about Jesus the Anointed One every day, both in homes and in the Temple.

Chapter 6

¹ Now, back in those days, when the disciples were increasing, the Greek-speaking Jews started grumbling about the Hebrew-speaking Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. ² And the twelve called all the disciples to them and said, 'The thought of our having to abandon the word of God to serve tables is displeasing to us. ³ So brothers, find seven qualified males among you who are filled with wisdom and the Breath [of God]. Then we will appoint them to handle these needs, ⁴ so we can continue in our prayers and serving the Word.'

⁵ Well, what they suggested sounded good to the whole group, so they selected Stephen (a man who was filled with faith and Holy Breath), as well as Philip, ProChorus, NiCanor, Timon, ParMenas, and NicoLaus (a proselyte of Antioch). ⁶ Then they took them before the Apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

⁷ So, the Word of God kept spreading and the number of disciples in JeruSalem kept multiplying. Why, even a large number of Priests started obeying the faith.

⁸ Now, Stephen was filled with joy and power, and he was performing great omens and signs among the people. ⁹ But certain men came from the so-called Synagogue of Freemen (along with some Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians, and Asians) to argue with Stephen. ¹⁰ However, their arguments couldn't stand against the wisdom and Breath [of God] with which he was speaking. ¹¹ So, they talked some men into saying, 'We heard him say blasphemous things against Moses and God.' ¹² And they stirred up the people.

Then some of the elders and scribes came and grabbed him, and dragged him before the Jewish High Court, ¹³ where they produced some false witnesses who said, 'This man keeps saying things against this Holy Place and against the Law. ¹⁴ Why, we heard him say that Jesus the Nazarene will tear this place down and change the customs that were given to us by Moses.'

¹⁵ And, as all those who were sitting in the Jewish High Court stared at him, they saw that his face became like that of a messenger [of God].

Chapter 7

¹ Then the High Priest asked, 'Is all of this true?'

² And [Stephen] said: 'Men… Brothers… Fathers… Listen! Our father AbraHam saw the God of Glory while he was in MesoPotamia, before he moved to Haran. ³ And [God] said to him, Leave your land and your relatives and come to the land that I'm going to show you. ⁴ Then he went to the land of the Chaldeans and started living in Haran. And after his father died, [God] caused him to move to the land where you now live. ⁵ Yet, He didn't give him any land that could be inherited… not a foot's width. And [God] promised him property that he could own and pass on to his seed, although he didn't have any children. ⁶ Then God said that his seed would live in a foreign land where they would be slaves and be oppressed for four hundred years. ⁷ And God said, I will judge the nation [that made them] slaves; then they will leave and serve Me here.

⁸ 'So he gave him a Sacred Agreement of circumcision, and [AbraHam] went on to father IsaAc and to circumcise him on the eighth day… as IsaAc did to Jacob, and Jacob did to the twelve family heads.

⁹ 'But then these family heads became jealous of [their brother] JoSeph and sold him into Egypt. ¹⁰ However, God was with him and carried him through all of his problems. Then He made him likable and wise in the eyes of PharaOh, the king of Egypt. So, [PharaOh] appointed [JoSeph] to govern Egypt and his entire house.

¹¹ 'Then a famine came upon Egypt and CanaAn, which created a very difficult time, and our ancestors couldn't find any food. ¹² But Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, so he sent our ancestors there for the first time. ¹³ And on the second visit, JoSeph made himself known to his brothers (which was when JoSeph's ethnic background became known to PharaOh). ¹⁴ So, JoSeph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives (seventy-five people), ¹⁵ and Jacob went down to Egypt, where he died, as did our ancestors, ¹⁶ and their bodies were taken to Shechem, where they were laid in the tomb that AbraHam paid for in silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

¹⁷ 'However, as the time approached for [fulfillment of] the promise that God gave to AbraHam, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt. ¹⁸ Then a different king started to rule over Egypt who didn't know JoSeph, ¹⁹ and he treated our people treacherously and forced our fathers to give up their young children to be killed… ²⁰ and that's when Moses was born. He was beautiful to God, and he nursed for three months in [his] father's home. ²¹ But when he was discovered, the daughter of PharaOh picked him up and raised him as her own son. ²² So, this is how Moses came to be trained in the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he grew up to be powerful in all that he said and did.

²³ 'Then, when he turned forty years old, he decided to pay more attention to his brothers, the sons of IsraEl. ²⁴ And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, [Moses] came to his defense and took vengeance on behalf of the one who was being abused, by beating an Egyptian to death.

²⁵ 'Now, he thought his brothers would understand that God was going to use him to save them, but they just didn't get it. ²⁶ Then he came to [his people] the next day and found [two of them] fighting, and he tried to bring them together peacefully, saying, Men… you're brothers! So, why are you treating each other so badly?

²⁷ 'But the one who was mistreating his neighbor just pushed him away and asked, Who appointed you as ruler and judge over us? ²⁸ You don't want to kill me the same as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you? ²⁹ So, when Moses heard this, he ran away and lived in the land of Midian, where he fathered two sons.

³⁰ 'And after forty more years, a messenger [from God] appeared to him in the burning flames of a thorn bush, while he was in the desert near Mount Sinai. ³¹ And when Moses saw it, he was dazzled at the sight. But as he came closer to investigate, the voice of Jehovah said, ³² I am the God of your fathers… the God of AbraHam, IsaAc, and Jacob.

'Well, Moses started to shake so hard that he didn't want to investigate any further. ³³ Then the Lord said to him: Remove your sandals, because the place where you're standing is holy ground! ³⁴ I've seen the bad treatment of My people in Egypt and I've heard their groaning, so I've come down to take them. Now come… for I'm going to send you to Egypt.

³⁵ 'Yet, this is the same Moses that [the IsraElites] had disowned, asking, Who appointed you as our ruler and judge? But God sent this man off as both a ruler and savior by the hand of the messenger who had appeared to him in the thorn bush. ³⁶ And after performing omens and signs, this man led them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and into the desert for forty years.

³⁷ 'This is the same Moses who told the sons of IsraEl: God will raise a Prophet like me from among your brothers. ³⁸ Yes, he's the one who was with the congregation in the desert; who talked to the messenger on Mount Sinai; who was with our ancestors; and who received living words to [pass on] to you. ³⁹ Yet, our ancestors refused to obey him… they pushed him aside, and in their hearts they were back in Egypt! ⁴⁰ So they told Aaron: Make gods to lead us, because we don't know what has happened to this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt!

⁴¹ 'Well, thereafter, they made [an image of] a calf and offered sacrifices to the idol… and they were very happy with this thing that they'd made with their hands! ⁴² So God handed them over to worship the armies of the heavens, just as it's written in the Book of the Prophets: It wasn't to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices for forty years in the desert, was it, O house of IsraEl? ⁴³ Rather, you took the images that you made for worship to the tent of Moloch, and to the star of the god Rephan. So, [now] I'm going to exile you beyond Babylon!

⁴⁴ 'Why, our ancestors had the Tent of Proofs [when they lived] in the desert, which He had ordered Moses to build, using the pattern that he was shown. ⁴⁵ And our ancestors who received it (as they came here with JoShua) brought it into the land that was owned by nations who God pushed out ahead of them… and it was here until the time of David!

⁴⁶ 'Then [David] found God's favor and he asked to [to be allowed] to provide a Temple for the God of Jacob, ⁴⁷ although Solomon actually built the House for him. ⁴⁸ Yet, the Most High doesn't live in houses made with hands, just as the Prophet foretold. ⁴⁹ For Jehovah said, The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool, so what kind of House can you build for Me; or in what kind of place should I rest? ⁵⁰ Weren't all things made by My hands?'

⁵¹ 'So you with the hardened necks and whose hearts and ears aren't circumcised are always resisting Holy Breath, just as your ancestors did. ⁵² For, which of the Prophets didn't your ancestors persecute? Yes, they killed those who announced the coming of the Righteous One ahead of time, whose betrayers and murderers you've now become! ⁵³ Yes, you who received the Law from the messengers [of God], but who haven't kept it!'

⁵⁴ Well, when they heard this, they were really cut down and were grinding their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But, being filled with Holy Breath, he stared into the sky and saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand; ⁵⁶ and he said, 'Look! I see the heavens opening up and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand!'

⁵⁷ Well at this, they started shouting as loud as they could and putting their hands over their ears. Then they all ran up to him, ⁵⁸ grabbed him, took him outside the city, and started stoning him… as those who came to watch laid their capes at the feet of a young man called Saul.

⁵⁹ And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed this, 'Lord Jesus; Receive my breath.' ⁶⁰ Then he got down on his knees and shouted loudly, 'Lord, don't hold this sin against them!' And with that, he fell asleep [in death].

Chapter 8

¹ And Saul approved of murdering him.

Well on that day, a tremendous amount of persecution was directed toward the congregation in JeruSalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout the area of Judea and Samaria. ² However, devoted men carried Stephen to be buried and wept bitterly over him.

³ [This is when] Saul started to devastate the congregation, for he invaded one house after another and dragged both the men and the women out, and sent them to prison. ⁴ However, those who had been scattered just went on preaching the good news of the Word throughout the land.

⁵ Well, Philip went to the city of Samaria and preached to them about the Anointed One. ⁶ And there, crowds of people paid attention to the things that Philip was saying, listening closely and watching the signs he performed. ⁷ For, many who were there had been bothered by unclean spirits, which shouted loudly as they came out, and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. ⁸ As the result, there was a lot of joy in that city.

⁹ Now, there was a man named Simon who lived in the city, and who used to practice magic. He amazed the people of Samaria and he called himself [Simon] the Great. ¹⁰ And everyone (from common people to the most powerful) paid attention to him and said, 'This man who calls himself The Great is the Power of God!' ¹¹ So they followed him for a long time, because they were dazzled by his magic. ¹² But when Philip came preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God, and about the name of Jesus the Anointed One, they started believing him; so, many men and women were baptized. ¹³ In fact, even Simon became a believer! And after he was baptized, he stayed close to Philip and was amazed as he watched the signs and great powers.

¹⁴ Well, when the Apostles in JeruSalem heard that Samaria was starting to accept the Word of God, they sent Peter and John there. ¹⁵ And they prayed for [the believers there] to receive the Holy Breath, ¹⁶ because it hadn't come to any of them yet, although they had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ But when [Peter and John] laid their hands on them, they started to receive Holy Breath.

¹⁸ Now, when Simon saw that the Apostles could give the Breath by just touching someone, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, 'Give me the power, so that anyone I lay my hands on can receive Holy Breath.'

²⁰ But Peter said, 'May your silver be destroyed along with you, because you thought that you could buy the gift that God gives freely! ²¹ You aren't going to have any part in this, nor will you share in it, because God sees that your heart is crooked. ²² So, turn away from your badness and beg the Lord to forgive you for the [bad] thoughts in your heart. ²³ Because, I see bitterness and hate in you, and an unrighteous alliance.'

²⁴ Then Simon said, 'Please beg the Lord on my behalf, so that none of the things you said will happen!'

²⁵ Then, after they had given everyone a complete testimony and repeated what the Lord had told them, they returned to JeruSalem. And as the result, many Samaritan villages heard the good news.

²⁶ Then Jehovah's messenger spoke to Philip, saying: 'Get up and go south to the road that runs from JeruSalem to Gaza.' (It's a desert road). ²⁷ And when he went there, {Look!} he found an Ethiopian who held the office of Eunuch of the Treasury for Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who had gone to JeruSalem to worship. ²⁸ And while he was returning [home], he was sitting in his chariot reading [a scroll] of the Prophet IsaiAh aloud.

²⁹ Then the Breath told Philip: 'Go and catch up with his chariot!' ³⁰ So Philip ran up; and on hearing him reading the Prophet IsaiAh aloud, he asked, 'Do you understand what you're reading?'

³¹ But he replied, 'How could I, unless I had someone to explain it to me?' So he begged Philip to climb on and to sit with him.

³² Now, the particular scripture he was reading at the time was this:
'He was brought like a sheep to the slaughter.
And like a lamb that's quiet before shearers,
He did not open his mouth.
³³ In humiliation, his justice was denied.
So, who'll tell the details to his generation,
For his life was removed from the earth.'

³⁴ So Philip said to the Eunuch, 'Allow me ask; Just who is the Prophet saying this about… is he talking about himself or someone else?'

³⁵ Then Philip proceeded to explain this scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

³⁶ Now, as they were traveling along the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, 'Look… here's some water! What's to prevent me from getting baptized?' ³⁷ —— ³⁸ So he commanded the chariot [driver] to stop, and Philip and the eunuch went down to the water, and he baptized him there.

³⁹ Well, after they came out of the water, Jehovah's Breath sent Philip away quickly; and the eunuch didn't see him anymore. But he continued on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ Philip, however, found himself in AshDod. So he traveled on throughout that area, preaching the good news in all the cities, until he got to Caesarea.

Chapter 9

¹ However, Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the Lord's disciples. So he went to the High Priest ² and asked him to write letters to carry to the synagogues in Damascus that would empower him to arrest anyone that he found who belonged to The Way, both men and women, and bring them back to JeruSalem in chains.

³ But as he was getting close to Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed all around him ⁴ and he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice ask, 'Saul; Saul; Why are you persecuting me?'

⁵ And he asked, 'Who are you Lord?'

Then the answer came, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ⁶ Now, get up and enter the city and you'll be told what to do.'

⁷ Well, all the while, the men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, because they heard the sound of a voice, but they didn't see anyone. ⁸ And when Saul got up off the ground; although his eyes were open, he couldn't see. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus… ⁹ but he was blind for three days and he wouldn't eat or drink anything.

¹⁰ However, in Damascus, there was a disciple named Ananias. And in a vision, the Lord called: 'Ananias!'

And he replied, 'Here I am Lord!'

¹¹ Then the Lord said: 'Get up and go to Straight Street, to the house of Judas, and look for a man named Saul from Tarsus. Look… he's praying [right now]! ¹² And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias who will come and lay his hands on him, so he can start seeing again.'

¹³ But Ananias answered: 'Lord, I've heard about this man from many people, and of all the bad things he did to your Holy Ones in JeruSalem. ¹⁴ Why, he has been empowered by the Chief Priests to lock up everyone who calls on your name!'

¹⁵ But the Lord replied: 'Go on, because this man is the one I've chosen to carry my name before nations, kings, and the sons of IsraEl. ¹⁶ I will make sure that he understands all the things he must suffer in my name.'

¹⁷ So, Ananias went over to the house, went inside, then laid his hands on him and said, 'Saul; Brother; The Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here has sent me to restore your sight and to fill you with Holy Breath.' ¹⁸ And immediately, what looked like scales fell from his eyes and he started to see; and he got up and was baptized. ¹⁹ So he started eating again and regaining his strength.

Thereafter, he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus, ²⁰ and he immediately started preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ However, all those who heard him were shocked, and asked: 'Isn't this the man who was ravaging those who are calling on this name in JeruSalem… and didn't he come here for that same reason… to carry them back in chains to the Chief Priests?'

²² But Saul's power kept growing and he really confused the Jews who lived in Damascus, because he gave them logical proofs that [Jesus] is the Anointed One.

²³ Then after several days, the Jews finally met to discuss ways to get rid of him. ²⁴ However, Saul learned about their plot against him. So, because they watched the city gates closely both day and night in order to arrest him; ²⁵ one night his disciples lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

²⁶ Well, when he got to JeruSalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, because they didn't believe he was a disciple. ²⁷ So BarNabas came to his aid… he took [Saul] to the Apostles and told them what had happened on the road; how he had seen the Lord and spoken to him; and how he boldly taught in the name of Jesus while he was in Damascus. ²⁸ Thereafter, [Saul] stayed with them, entering and leaving JeruSalem, preaching in the name of the Lord.

²⁹ He also talked and argued a lot with the Greek-speaking Jews, but then they attempted to do away with him. ³⁰ So when the brothers learned about this [plot], they took him to Caesarea and sent him on from there to Tarsus.

³¹ Well, then there was a period of peace for the congregations of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. So they kept walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Breath, and they kept on growing [in numbers].

³² Now, as Peter was traveling around, he finally reached the Holy Ones who lived in LydDa. ³³ And there he found a man named AeNeas who had spent eight years lying flat on his back on a cot, because he was paralyzed. ³⁴ So Peter said to him, 'AeNeas; Jesus the Anointed One heals you; now, get up and make your bed!' And then he got up immediately… ³⁵ and all those who lived in LydDa and the area of Sharon saw this man; and as the result, they turned to the Lord.

³⁶ In JopPa there was a disciple named TabiTha (which translates as Dorcas). She was well known for the good things she did and for helping others when they were in need. ³⁷ However, one day she got sick and died. So they washed her body and laid her in an upstairs room.

³⁸ Now, LydDa was close to JopPa, so when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him to beg: 'Please hurry and come to us!' ³⁹ And at that, Peter got up and went with them.

Well, when he got [to JopPa], they took him upstairs to the room, and all the widows came to him crying and showing him the many pieces of clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ So Peter sent everyone outside; then he got down on his knees and prayed, and he turned toward the body and said, 'Tabitha; Stand again!'

And at that, she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she sat up! ⁴¹ Then he gave her his hand and stood her up. So he called the Holy Ones and widows in, and presented her to them alive.

⁴² Well, this event became well known throughout JopPa, and many became believers in the Lord as the result. ⁴³ Then, for several days after that, [Peter] stayed in JopPa [in the home of] Simon the Tanner.

Chapter 10

¹ Now, in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius (he was a centurion of the Italian Division) ² who was a devout man. He and his family feared God, praying to Him often, and they regularly helped those who were in need. ³ Well, it was about the ninth hour of the day when he clearly saw a messenger of The God who came to him in a vision and called, 'Cornelius!'

⁴ But the man stared at [the messenger] in fright and asked, 'What do you want, Lord?'

And he answered, 'Your prayers and kind gifts have arisen and have been remembered before God. ⁵ Now, send some men to JopPa and call for a man named Simon, who is called Peter. ⁶ He's the guest of Simon the Tanner who has a house by the sea.'

⁷ Well, as soon as the messenger [from God] who spoke to him left, he called two of his house servants and a devout soldier who stayed with him; ⁸ then he told them everything that had happened, and sent them to JopPa.

⁹ Then the next day, as they were on their way and getting close to the city, Peter went up to the roof (at about the sixth hour) to pray. ¹⁰ He was also very hungry and he wanted to eat, but while they were preparing [the meal], he fell into a trance.

¹¹ Then he saw the sky opening, and some sort of container (it looked like a huge linen sheet, which was being held at its four corners) coming down to the earth. ¹² And inside it there were all kinds of four-footed animals, things that crawl on the ground, and birds of the sky. ¹³ Then a voice came to him that said, 'Get up Peter; Slaughter [the animals] and eat them!'

¹⁴ But Peter said, 'Not me Lord, because I've never eaten anything that is dirty and unclean!'

¹⁵ And the voice [spoke] to him a second time, saying, 'Stop calling the things that God has made clean, dirty!' ¹⁶ And this also happened a third time. Then the container was immediately taken back to heaven.

¹⁷ Now, Peter was confused about what this vision meant. However, {Look!} the men that were sent by Cornelius were already there at Simon's house, standing at the gate and asking for him… ¹⁸ they called out and asked whether Simon, who is called Peter, was a guest there. ¹⁹ And as Peter was thinking about the vision, the Breath said, 'Look! Three men are searching for you; ²⁰ so get up, go downstairs, and travel with them! Don't have any doubts, because I sent them.'

²¹ Peter then went downstairs to the men and said, '{Look!} I'm the one you're looking for… why are you here?'

²² And they replied: 'Cornelius, an army officer who is a righteous and God-fearing man that the whole nation of the Jews speak well of, was given Divine instructions by a holy messenger to ask you to come to his house, so he can hear what you have to say.'

²³ Then [Peter] invited them in and offered them hospitality. And the next day, he got up and went with them (along with some of the brothers from JopPa), ²⁴ arriving at Caesarea the following day.

Of course, Cornelius was expecting them; so he called for all of his relatives and closest friends. ²⁵ Then as Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet, bowing low. ²⁶ But Peter lifted him up, saying, 'Get up! I'm also just a man!' ²⁷ And as they talked, he walked inside and found many people assembled. ²⁸ And he told them: 'You know very well how illegal it is for a Jew to be friends with, or even to talk to a man of another race. Yet, God has shown me that I shouldn't call any man dirty or unclean. ²⁹ So when I was called for, I came without any objections. Now let me ask: Why have you sent for me?

³⁰ Then Cornelius said, 'Exactly four days ago, I was praying here in my house during the ninth hour, when {Look!} a man in bright clothes stood in front of me ³¹ and said: Cornelius; Your prayers have been heard and your kind gifts have been remembered before God. ³² So, send to JopPa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter. He's staying by the sea in the house of Simon the Tanner.

³³ Well, as the result, I sent for you right away… and it's good that you came. Now, we're all here before God to hear everything that the Lord commanded you to say.'

³⁴ And at this, Peter said: 'I can see for a fact that God isn't prejudiced. ³⁵ He accepts men who fear Him and do righteous things from any nation! ³⁶ And now he has sent word to the Sons of IsraEl to announce the good news of peace to them through Jesus the Anointed One; for he is their Lord… ³⁷ and now you know what is being talked about throughout all of Judea.

'It all started from Galilee, after John went preaching about baptism. ³⁸ And then God anointed Jesus from Nazareth with Holy Breath and power, and he traveled throughout the land doing good things and healing all those who were oppressed by the Slanderer, because God was with him… ³⁹ and we are witnesses of everything that he did in the countryside of Judea and in JeruSalem!

'But then they killed him by hanging him on a pole, ⁴⁰ and God raised him on the third day, allowing him to become visible… ⁴¹ but not to everyone, just to witnesses who were appointed by God ahead of time. [He appeared] to us, and we ate and drank with him after he was resurrected from the dead. ⁴² Then he ordered us to preach to the people and to testify to them that he's the one that God selected to judge the living and the dead. ⁴³ Why, all the Prophets testified to the fact that everyone who puts faith in him will have their sins forgiven through his name!'

⁴⁴ And while Peter was still talking about this, the Holy Breath came upon all who were listening to what he said; ⁴⁵ and the faithful ones who were there with Peter (since they were all circumcised) were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Breath was also being poured out on people of the nations… ⁴⁶ for they heard them speaking in different languages and glorifying God!

Then Peter asked: ⁴⁷ 'Can anyone forbid water to baptize these who have received the Holy Breath, as we have?'

⁴⁸ So he commanded that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus the Anointed One. And afterward, they asked him to stay with them for several days.

Chapter 11

¹ Soon thereafter, the Apostles (and other brothers in Judea) heard that people of the nations were also accepting the Word of God. ² So when Peter returned to JeruSalem, the circumcised started arguing with him, ³ complaining that he had gone into the house of uncircumcised men and had eaten with them. ⁴ So Peter explained what happened:

⁵ 'I was in the city of JopPa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of some sort of container coming down from the sky that looked like a huge linen sheet being held by its four corners… it was very clear to me. ⁶ And as I stared at it, I saw four-footed creatures from the earth, wild animals, things that crawl, and birds of the sky. ⁷ Then I heard a voice say to me, Get up Peter; slaughter [the animals] and eat them! ¹⁴ But I said, Not me Lord, because I've never eaten anything that is dirty and unclean. ⁹ Then the voice came from the sky a second time, and it told me, Stop calling things that God has made clean, dirty. ¹⁰ Well, this happened a third time, and then everything was pulled back up to heaven.

¹¹ 'Then, {Look!} at that very moment, there were three men standing outside of the house, who were sent from Caesarea to find me, ¹² and the Breath told me to go with them and not to doubt. Why, these six brothers here also went with me, and we all entered the man's house together! ¹³ '[And when we got there, the man] told us how he had seen a messenger [from God] standing in his house, who told him: Send your men to JopPa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. ¹⁴ He will tell you what you must do, so that you and your household can get saved.'

¹⁵ 'But when I started to speak, the Holy Breath fell upon them, just as it did on us long ago. ¹⁶ And that's when I remembered what the Lord used to say; John baptized in water, but you will be baptized in Holy Breath. ¹⁷ So, if God gave them the same gifts that he gave to those of us who have believed in the Lord Jesus the Anointed, who am I that I should be strong enough to resist God?'

¹⁸ Well, after they heard this, they quieted down and started glorifying God, saying, 'So then; God has given people of the nations the opportunity for repentance into life!'

¹⁹ Now, those who had been scattered (because of the problems that arose over Stephen) had traveled as far away as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch; and they had been spreading the Word just among the Jews. ²⁰ However, some Cypriots and Cyrenians who went to Antioch started talking to the Greek-speaking [Gentile] peoples, declaring the good news of the Lord Jesus to them. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord hand was certainly with them, because many of them believed and turned to the Lord. ²² And when news about this reached the ears of the congregation in JeruSalem, they sent BarNabas to Antioch. ²³ Then, when he got there and saw the care that God was showing for them, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to stick with the Lord with their whole hearts!

²⁴ [BarNabas] was a good man who was filled with Holy Breath and faith. So, a large number were then added to the Lord.

²⁵ Thereafter, he went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So they stayed with that congregation for a year and taught many people. And it was in Antioch that the disciples were, by Divine providence, first called Christians.

²⁷ It was then that [brothers with the gift of] prophesying came to Antioch from JeruSalem. ²⁸ And one of them, named Agabus, stood up and told them through the Breath [of God] that a great famine was about to come upon the entire land (which did in fact happen in the time of Claudius [Caesar]). ²⁹ So the disciples there decided that each of them (as they could afford to) would send relief supplies to the brothers who lived in Judea. ³⁰ And they sent things to the elders through BarNabas and Saul.

Chapter 12

¹ This was the time when King Herod started persecuting some in the congregation there, ² and he did away with James (John's brother) with a sword. ³ Then, when he saw how much this pleased the Jews (during the celebration of No Fermentation), he also arrested Peter. ⁴ He grabbed him and threw him into prison, assigning four shifts of four soldiers each to guard him, because he had planned to put him on the stand before the people after the Passover. ⁵ But while Peter was being held in prison, the congregation prayed to God intensely on his behalf.

⁶ Now, the night before Herod planned to produce him, he had Peter bound with two chains as he slept between two soldiers, with guards posted at the prison door. ⁷ But {Look!} Jehovah's messenger suddenly appeared, standing and creating a light in the cell. Then he hit Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, 'Get up… Now!' And the chains just fell off his hands.

⁸ Then the messenger said to him, 'Get dressed and tie your sandals on,' which he did. And he said, 'Now, wrap your robe around yourself and follow me!' ⁹ So [Peter] left, following [the messenger], but he wasn't sure what was happening, because, although the messenger was real, he thought he was seeing a vision.

¹⁰ They walked past the first guard, then the second, and when they got to the iron gate that leads into the city, it opened by itself. Then, after they got out and started down a street, the messenger suddenly left him.

¹¹ Well, when Peter finally came to his senses, he said, 'Now I really know that the Lord sent his messenger and saved me from the hands of Herod and from what all that the Jews had planned to do [to me].'

¹² And after he thought about that, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John (who was called Mark), where several were gathered to pray. ¹³ Then he knocked at the gate and a servant girl named Rhoda came. ¹⁴ And when she recognized Peter's voice, she was so happy that she didn't open the gate, but ran inside and told everyone that Peter was standing at the gate.

¹⁵ However, they said to her, 'You're crazy!'

But she kept insisting; So they said: 'It's [probably] his messenger.'

¹⁶ However, Peter just kept on standing there, knocking.

Well, when they opened [the gate] and saw that it was [Peter], they were astonished. ¹⁷ But he motioned with his hand for them to be quiet, and he told them exactly how the Lord had freed him from the prison. Then he said, 'Tell James and the other brothers what has happened.' And with that, he left and traveled to another place.

¹⁸ Well, the next day, there was quite a stir among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ Herod searched for him, and when he couldn't find him, he interrogated the guards and then commanded that they be led off [for punishment]. And finally, he left Judea and went to Caesarea, where he spent a lot of his time.

²⁰ Now, [Herod] was thinking about going to war against the people of Tyre and Sidon. So [those people] got together and came to him, then they convinced the Royal Eunuch Blastus to ask [Herod] for peace, because he had been supplying their country with food [during the famine].

²¹ And after that, there came a day when Herod dressed himself up in his royal clothes and sat down on the Judgment Seat to give a public lecture. ²² Then the crowd that was assembled started shouting, 'It's a god's voice, not a man's!' ²³ And instantly, the messenger of Jehovah struck him, because he didn't give the glory to God, and he became eaten up with worms and died.

²⁴ All the while, the Word of the Lord kept on growing and spreading.

²⁵ As for BarNabas and Saul; After they'd finished delivering relief supplies to JeruSalem, they returned [to Antioch]. And this time they took John (the one called Mark), along with them.

Chapter 13

¹ Now, in the congregation at Antioch, there were several Prophets and teachers, including BarNabas, Symeon (who was called Niger), Lucius of Cyrene, Mnaen (who had gone to school with Herod, the district ruler), and Saul. ² So, while they were serving the Lord publicly and fasting, the Holy Breath told them, 'Let BarNabas and Saul go to do the work I've called them for.' ³ Then the [brothers] fasted, prayed, and laid their hands on them, and sent them on.

⁴ Well, the Holy Breath first sent these men to Seleucia, and then they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ And when they arrived at the city of Salamis, they started preaching the Word of God in the Jewish synagogues… and John [Mark] was also there to help them.

⁶ Then, after they had traveled across the whole island to Paphos, they met up with a Jew named BarJesus who was a sorcerer and a false prophet. ⁷ He was with the Island's governor at the time (an intelligent man named Sergius Paulus), who had summoned BarNabas and Saul, because he really wanted to hear the Word of God. ⁸ But ElyMas the sorcerer (that's how [BarJesus'] name is translated) opposed them and tried to keep the governor from becoming interested in the faith.

⁹ Then Saul (who is also called Paul) became filled with Holy Breath; and he looked at him very hard ¹⁰ and said, 'O you unethical and deceitful man; you son of the Slanderer; you enemy of everything that's righteous! Won't you quit twisting the straight ways of the Lord? ¹¹ Now look! The Lord's hand has touched you, so you will be blind and unable to see even the sun for a period of time.'

And at that, [his eyes] instantly started to cloud over and grow dark, and he had to search for someone to lead him by the hand.

¹² Well, when the governor saw this, he was shocked and started believing in the Lord's teachings.

¹³ Next, Paul and the men who were with him sailed from Paphos to [the city of] Perga in PamPhylia. However, John [Mark] left them and returned to JeruSalem. ¹⁴ And from Perga they traveled on to Antioch in Pisidia. Then on the Sabbath, they entered the synagogue and sat down; ¹⁵ and after reading the Law and the Prophets, the presiding officers of the synagogue called them forward saying, 'Men; Brothers; If you have anything encouraging to tell the people, say it!'

¹⁶ So Paul got up, and with a sweeping gesture, said: 'Men, IsraElites, and everyone who fears God, listen! ¹⁷ The God of the people of IsraEl chose our ancestors. And when they were visitors in the land of Egypt, He raised His arm to lift the people up, and brought them out of there; ¹⁸ and for forty years He put up with their bad manners in the desert. ¹⁹ Then, after destroying seven nations in the land of CanaAn, He gave them each an inheritance of land… ²⁰ and all of this happened in a period of four hundred and fifty years.

'Thereafter, he gave them judges… until the time of the Prophet SamuEl. ²¹ But then they demanded a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish for forty years… a man from the tribe of BenJamin. ²² And after removing him, He promoted David to be their king, testifying about him, saying; I've found a man after My own heart, David the son of Jesse, who will do whatever I wish.

²³ 'Now, it was from his seed – just as He had promised – that God brought a savior to IsraEl, Jesus. ²⁴ And John preached publicly about a baptism of repentance to all the people of IsraEl before [Jesus] came. ²⁵ However, as John was finishing the race he had to run, he was saying: What do you think I am? It isn't me! For {Look!} someone is coming behind me whose shoelaces I'm unworthy to untie!

²⁶ 'Men… Brothers… You sons of the people of AbraHam, and those who fear God; These words that bring salvation have been sent to us. ²⁷ But the people who lived in JeruSalem and their rulers didn't recognize this one. And when they acted as his judges, they fulfilled the things that the Prophets said, which are read aloud [here] on every Sabbath. ²⁸ And although they didn't find a reason to kill him, they demanded that Pilate should execute him.

²⁹ 'Then, when they'd finished everything that was written about him, they took him down from the pole and laid him in a tomb. ³⁰ However, God raised him from the dead, ³¹ and for several days thereafter, those [of us] who had traveled with him from Galilee to JeruSalem, saw him! So, we are now his witnesses to the people. ³² And here we are announcing the good news to you about the promise that God made to our forefathers, ³³ and which He has completely fulfilled for our children; for, He resurrected Jesus! Yes, as it was written in the Second Psalm: You are my son… today I've become your Father!

³⁴ 'Why, the fact that He resurrected him from the dead, and that he wasn't about to return to corruption, was proven when He said, I will give you the holy things of David… the things that are faithful. ³⁵ And He said in another place, You won't allow your Holy one to see corruption. ³⁶ And although David (who served his generation well and followed God's instructions) fell asleep [in death], was buried with his ancestors, and saw corruption; ³⁷ the one who God raised didn't see corruption!

³⁸ 'Understand this, men and brothers; We're proclaiming to you that sins can be forgiven through this one! ³⁹ And all the wrong things for which the Law of Moses couldn't excuse you, will be excused for you by this one… if you believe! ⁴⁰ So, make sure that [the things] the Prophets said don't happen to you: ⁴¹ Look and be amazed, because something is happening in your days that you won't believe when you're told!'

⁴² Well, as they were leaving, the people begged them to tell them more about this on the next Sabbath. ⁴³ So, after the meeting at the synagogue was concluded, many of the Jews and proselytes followed Paul and BarNabas; and they urged them to stick close to God's favor.

⁴⁴ Then on the next Sabbath, almost the entire city assembled to hear the Word of God. ⁴⁵ And when the Judeans saw the throngs of people, they were extremely jealous and started contradicting the things that Paul was saying in blasphemous ways. ⁴⁶ But Paul and BarNabas spoke out boldly, saying, 'We had to speak the Word of God to you first; but since you're just pushing it away and don't judge yourselves to be worthy of age-long life, {Look!} we will be turning to the nations. ⁴⁷ In fact, the Lord commanded us to do this when he said: I will make you a light to the nations, in order to have my salvation carried to the ends of the earth!'

⁴⁸ Now, when those who came from the nations heard this, they started rejoicing and glorifying the Word of the Lord. And all those who were inclined to accept age-long life became believers. ⁴⁹ So the Word of the Lord was carried throughout that whole country.

⁵⁰ However, the Judeans incited many of the city's elite (devout women and leading men), and they sent people against Paul and BarNabas, who threw them out of the city. ⁵¹ So, they shook the dust off their feet against them, and went on to Iconium. ⁵² However, the disciples [in that city] continued to be filled with joy and Holy Breath.

Chapter 14

¹ Then the same thing happened in Iconium. [Paul and BarNabas] went into the Jewish synagogue together to speak, and a large number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. ² However, the Jews who wouldn't accept what they said, riled up the people of the nations and influenced them to act badly toward the brothers. ³ Nevertheless, [Paul, and BarNabas] spent a lot of time boldly telling them about the Lord. And [the Lord] himself testified to the fact that his favor was being shown, by allowing them to perform signs and omens.

⁴ However, the whole city was split… some were for the Jews, and others for the Apostles. ⁵ Then the Jews and gentiles met with the local rulers to arrange to finish them off by stoning them. ⁶ And when they learned about this, [Paul and BarNabas] got out of there and traveled to the cities and countryside around Lystra and Derbe in LycaOnias, ⁷ where they continued preaching the good news.

⁸ Now in Lystra, a man was sitting there who had something wrong with his feet. In fact, he hadn't walked at all since he was born. ⁹ This man was listening to Paul, and when [Paul] looked at him and realized that he had enough faith to be healed, ¹⁰ he shouted, 'Get up on your feet!' And at this, he jumped up and started walking around.

¹¹ Well, when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted (in the LycaOnian language), 'The gods have turned themselves into men and have come down to us!' ¹² So, they started calling BarNabas Zeus, and Paul Hermes (since he was the one who took the lead in speaking). ¹³ Then the city's Priest of Zeus brought bulls and garlands up to the gates, so that he and the crowd could offer sacrifices [to them].

¹⁴ However, when the Apostles (BarNabas and Paul) heard this, they tore their clothes and jumped into the crowd, shouting and ¹⁵ asking, 'Why are you doing this? We're just humans who have the same problems as you; and we're here preaching the good news in order to turn you away from this foolishness and toward the living God who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them! ¹⁶ For, He has allowed the nations to go their own way for generations, ¹⁷ but he didn't leave Himself without witnesses. And He did good things for you by giving you rain from the sky and good harvests, and he filled your hearts with food and happiness!'

¹⁸ Yet, despite everything they said, they had a hard time keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

¹⁹ Then Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and they talked the crowd into stoning Paul. [And after doing that], they dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. ²⁰ But when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went back into the city.

Then the next day, he and BarNabas left for Derbe. ²¹ And after preaching the good news to that city and making quite a few disciples, they returned to Lystra in Iconium and Antioch ²² to strengthen the disciples. They encouraged them to remain in the faith, saying, 'We will all have to endure many trials to enter the Kingdom of God.'

²³ They also appointed elders in each congregation, and with prayer and fasting they entrusted them into the hands of [the God whom] they had come to believe in.

²⁴ Well from there, they traveled through Pisidia to PamPhylia. ²⁵ And after teaching the Word in Perga, they went on to Attalia. ²⁶ Then finally, they sailed back to Antioch, where by God's kindness they had first been entrusted with the work that they were performing so well. ²⁷ And when they arrived, they gathered the congregation and told them everything that God had done through them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the nations. ²⁸ Then they spent a long time there with the disciples.

Chapter 15

¹ However, some men who came down from Judea started teaching the brothers, 'If you don't get circumcised, following the custom of Moses, you can't be saved.'

² But after Paul and BarNabas opposed and argued with them, they arranged for Paul, BarNabas, and some others who were there, to go to the Apostles and elders in JeruSalem to ask about the matter.

³ So the congregation then sent these on, and they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling [congregations] along the way about the conversion of people of the nations, which resulted in great joy among all the brothers. ⁴ And when they got to JeruSalem, they were welcomed by the congregation (which included the Apostles and the elders). Then they told about all the things that God had done through them. ⁵ However, some of those who had become believers from the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, 'We must circumcise them, and then order them to obey the Law of Moses!'

⁶ Well, the Apostles and the elders thereafter held a meeting to look into this matter. ⁷ And after a lot or wrangling, Peter stood up and said, 'Men! Brothers! You know how (long ago) God chose to have people of the nations hear the Word of the Good News and believe through my mouth. ⁸ And God (who knows the heart) testified to them by giving them the Holy Breath… the same as He did to us. ⁹ So, He didn't differentiate between us, but He purified their hearts in the faith. ¹⁰ So, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we could carry? ¹¹ Why, we believe that they are saved – the same as we are – through the [loving] care of the Lord Jesus!'

¹² Well at that, the group became silent as they listened to BarNabas and Paul tell about the many signs and omens that God had used them to perform among the gentiles. ¹³ And when they'd finished speaking, James said: 'Men! Brothers! Hear me! ¹⁴ Symeon has explained to us how God has looked to take a people for His Name out of the nations for the first time. ¹⁵ And in this, the words of the Prophets agree. For it's written: ¹⁶ After this I will return and rebuild the Tent of David that is fallen and buried… I will rebuild it and make it stand again, ¹⁷ so that all those who remain can seek Jehovah, along with people from all the nations who are called by My Name… and this was said by Jehovah, who did these things ¹⁸ that He has known about for ages!

¹⁹ 'So, I have decided not to create problems for gentiles who are turning to God. ²⁰ Rather, I will send word to them to stay free from things polluted by idols, from immorality, from things that are strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For, since his generation, Moses has been preached in city after city, and [he has] been read in the synagogues on each Sabbath.'

²² Then the Apostles, elders, and the whole congregation were all in favor of sending men to Antioch, who were [then] chosen from among them. So, along with Paul and BarNabas, there was Judas (who was called BarSabbas) and Silas… leading men among the brothers. ²³ And by their hand they wrote: '[From] the Apostles and the older brothers, to those brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, who came from the nations… Rejoice! ²⁴ Since we've heard that some who came from us have stirred things up there with speeches and have tried to change your lives (although we didn't give them any such instructions), ²⁵ we've arrived at a unanimous conclusion: We've decided to choose men to send to you along with our loved BarNabas and Paul… ²⁶ men who have been willing to give their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One! ²⁷ So, we are sending Judas and Silas, who can explain these things to you.

²⁸ 'It's apparent to the Holy Breath and to us, that we shouldn't put any burdens on you other than these necessary things: ²⁹ Stay away from things that are sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things that are strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you stay away from these things, you'll do well. Good health to you!'

³⁰ So when these men were sent, they went to Antioch, where they assembled the group and then gave them the letter. ³¹ And after reading it, [those in Antioch] were very happy over the encouragement that the letter conveyed.

³² Then Judas and Silas (since they were also Prophets) encouraged the brothers with many speeches, which strengthened them. ³³ And after some time had passed, they were allowed to return to those who'd sent them with this message of peace. ³⁴ —— ³⁵ However, Paul and BarNabas stayed on in Antioch for a while, along with many others, teaching and preaching the good news of the Word of the Lord.

³⁶ Then after several days, Paul said to BarNabas, 'Now that these matters have been settled, let's go back and visit the brothers in all the cities where we've preached the Word, to see how they're doing.'

³⁷ However, BarNabas wanted to bring John (who was called Mark) along also. ³⁸ But Paul didn't think he was worthy, so he didn't want to take him along… because he'd taken off at PamPhylia, and hadn't continued with them in the work. ³⁹ So there was quite an argument over this, which resulted in each going his own way. Then BarNabas took Mark and sailed off to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ while Paul chose Silas; and (after sharing the joy of the Lord with the brothers) he traveled on, ⁴¹going through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the congregations.

Chapter 16

¹ Then he traveled as far as Derbe, and on to Lystra, and {Look!} there he found a disciple named Timothy, who was the son of a believing Jewish woman and a Greek father. ² The brothers in Lystra and Iconium had many good things to say about him, ³ and Paul wanted to take this man along with him. So he went and circumcised him (because of all the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was Greek). ⁴ However, as they traveled on through the cities, they taught the decisions of the Apostles and elders in JeruSalem, and urged the brothers to obey them. ⁵ So, the congregations kept getting stronger in the faith and growing day by day.

⁶ From there, they traveled through Phrygia and the country of Galatia. However, the Holy Breath [of God] wouldn't allow them to teach the Word in [the province of] Asia. ⁷ And when they got down to Mysia, they tried to go on to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus wouldn't allow them to do so. ⁸ So they passed Mysia and went on to Troas. ⁹ And there, during the night, Paul saw a vision of a Macedonian man who was standing and begging him, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us!' ¹⁰ And as soon as he saw this vision, we started out for Macedonia, assuming that God had called us to preach the good news to them.

¹¹ So, having been led from Troas, we set a straight course for Samothrace. Then the next day, we traveled to NeApolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, a [Roman] colony, which is one of the main cities in that part of Macedonia.

We spent several days in this city; ¹³ and on the Sabbath, we went to the riverbank outside the of city gate, where we thought we would find a place to pray. Then we sat down there and started talking to the women who had assembled.

¹⁴ Well, a woman named Lydia (a vendor of purple cloth from Thyatira), who was a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to the things that Paul was saying. ¹⁵ Then, as she and her household were being baptized, she begged, 'If you men have judged me to be faithful in the Lord, come and stay at my house!' And she almost forced us to come.

¹⁶ Then, as we were going somewhere to pray, there was a servant girl with a spirit of Apollo (a demon) who met us. She used to make a lot of profit for her masters with her predictions; ¹⁷ and she kept following Paul and the rest of us, shouting, 'These men are slaves of the Most High God, and they are preaching to you about the way of salvation!'

¹⁸ Well, she kept doing this for several days, and finally Paul got tired of it, so he turned and told the spirit, 'I order you in the name of Jesus the Anointed One to come out of her!' And it came right out.

¹⁹ But when her masters saw that they had just lost their hope of income, they grabbed hold of Paul and Silas, and dragged them to the authorities at the market. ²⁰ There they stood them before the judges and said, 'These men are Jews who are creating a disturbance in our city… ²¹ they're preaching customs that are illegal for us as Romans to either accept or to practice!'

²² Well with that, the crowd arose and condemned them. So the judges had their clothes stripped off and commanded that they should be beaten with rods. ²³ And after they had received many blows, they threw them in prison, ordering the jailer not to allow them to get away. ²⁴ And since he had received such an order, he threw them into the innermost prison and put their feet in stocks.

²⁵ However, about the middle of the night, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing sacred songs (where the prisoners could hear them), ²⁶ a great earthquake suddenly occurred that shook the jail to its foundation… which opened all the doors and loosened all the restraints. ²⁷ Well, when the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to do away with himself, because he thought the prisoners had all escaped. ²⁸ But Paul called out loudly, 'Don't harm yourself… we're all here!'

²⁹ So he asked for lamps to be brought in, and shaking in fear, he jumped in and fell down before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them outside and asked, 'Lords; What must I do to get saved?'

³¹ And they replied: 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your household will be saved.' ³² Then they spoke to him and all those in his house about the Word of God.

³³ So at that hour of the night, he went and washed their whip wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized right away. ³⁴ And thereafter, he took them into his house, sat them at the table, and he and his entire household started rejoicing over their belief in God.

³⁵ Well, the next morning, the judges sent the constables with the message: 'Release those men.'

³⁶ Then the jailer repeated their words to Paul, saying, 'The judges have sent men to release you. So, come on out and go your way in peace.'

³⁷ But Paul told them: 'They flogged us publicly, although we weren't found guilty [of anything], and we are Romans… then they threw us in jail! So, are they now going to try to throw us out secretly? No, let them come down here and bring us out themselves!'

³⁸ So the constables reported what they said to the judges, who were frightened when they heard that the men were Romans. ³⁹ As the result, they came and begged them. Then after bringing them out, they asked them to leave the city. ⁴⁰ But upon leaving the prison, they first went to Lydia's house, where they saw the brothers and encouraged them before they left.

Chapter 17

¹ They then traveled through AmphiPolis and Apollonia, to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. ² And as it was Paul's custom, he went inside and reasoned with them from the Scriptures for three Sabbaths. ³ He explained and proved by references why the Anointed One had to suffer and then be raised from the dead. He told them, 'This Jesus who I'm preaching to you is the Anointed One!'

⁴ As a result, some of them became believers and associated themselves with Paul and Silas, as did a large number of devout Greeks, many women, and several of the city's leaders. ⁵ But the Judeans got jealous and formed a mob; then they assembled a group of wicked men who were hanging around the market, and they created quite an uproar in the city. They all went to the house of Jason to have [Paul and Silas] brought out. ⁶ But when they didn't find them there, they dragged Jason and some other brothers to the city council, shouting, 'Those men who are upsetting the whole world are here also… ⁷ and Jason has welcomed them into his home! These people break the law of Caesar by saying there's another king… Jesus!'

⁸ Well, when they said this, they really riled up the throngs of people, as well as the city council. ⁹ So they demanded a large bail from Jason and the others, and then let them go.

¹⁰ Then later that night, the brothers sent both Paul and Silas off to Berea. And when they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

¹¹ Now, these people were nobler than those who were in Thessalonica, because they eagerly welcomed the Word, and they studied the Scriptures daily to make sure the things [they were being told] were true; ¹² so many of them became believers, as did a number of the reputable Greek men and women.

¹³ But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was also preaching the Word of God in Berea, they traveled there to incite and agitate the crowds. ¹⁴ So the brothers immediately sent Paul off all the way to the sea… but Silas and Timothy stayed behind. ¹⁵ Then those who took Paul, brought him to Athens. And after instructing them to send Silas and Timothy to him as quickly as possible, they left.

¹⁶ Now, while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was disgusted to the core when he saw that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he started reasoning with the Jews and other worshipers in the synagogue, and whoever else happened to be around the markets each day.

¹⁸ Then some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers came to hear him and started asking, 'What is this seed-picker trying to say?' And others replied, 'He seems to be preaching about a foreign demon' (this is because he was preaching the good news of Jesus and the resurrection). ¹⁹ So they grabbed him and took him to the AeroPagus, asking, 'Tell us; What is this new teaching you're talking about? ²⁰ We heard that you've imported some strange new ideas, and we want to know what they are!'

²¹ Well, all Athenians and even foreigners who traveled there, had nothing to do other than to spend their leisure time telling something or listening to something new.

²² So Paul stood up in the middle of the AeroPagus and said, 'Men of Athens; I see that you have a greater fear of the demons than do others. ²³ And as I was going along and noticing all the things you worship, I found an altar with the inscription: To an unknown God. So, I'm here to preach to you about something that you don't know, but already worship. ²⁴ For this is the [same] God who made the cosmos and everything in it; and this Lord of the sky and the earth doesn't live in handmade Temples, ²⁵ nor does He need human hands to take care of Him (or anything at all [for that matter]), because He gives life, breath, and everything to each one of us. ²⁶ It is He who made every nation of men who live on the face of the earth from just one man, and He's the One who laid out the times and limits of our lives, ²⁷ so that we would search for God. For, He wanted us to grope around and find Him, although He really isn't very far from any of us. ²⁸ And it's through Him that we have life, and move, and exist… even as some of your own poets have said, We are His offspring!

²⁹ 'So, since we are the offspring of God, we shouldn't think of this Divine One as being like gold, silver, stone… or like anything else that some man has artistically sculpted! ³⁰ Yet, God has overlooked such periods of ignorance, and now He's telling all men, wherever they are, to repent; ³¹ because He has set a day when He's going to judge the entire inhabited earth righteously, by a man whom He has appointed. And He has given all of us a reason for faith in this, because He resurrected him from the dead!'

³² Well, when they heard of a resurrection of the dead, some started joking about it. But others said, 'We'll listen to you about this some other time!'

³³ So Paul left them, ³⁴ but some of the men started following him and became believers. This included Dionysius (a judge of the AeroPagus court), a woman named Damaris, and others.

Chapter 18

¹ After that, he left Athens and went to Corinth. ² And there he found a Judean (from Pontus) named Aquila and Priscilla his wife, who had recently come from Italy, because Claudius [Caesar] had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. So he went to them, ³ and because they shared the same trade, he stayed at their house, for they all worked as tent makers. ⁴ However, he spoke in the synagogue on every Sabbath and he reasoned with both Jews and Greeks.

⁵ Now, when Silas and Timothy finally arrived from Macedonia, Paul really intensified his work of witnessing to the Jews, to prove that Jesus is the Anointed One. ⁶ However, they just kept on opposing him and blaspheming; so he shook out his clothes and said, 'Your blood is on your own heads… I am clean; so from now on, I'll be going to people of the nations.'

⁷ Then he left and went to the home of a man named Titius Justus (a worshiper of God), whose house adjoined the synagogue. ⁸ And Crispus (the synagogue's presiding officer) became a believer in the Lord, as did his whole household; and many Corinthians who heard about it became believers and were baptized.

⁹ Then one night, the Lord said to Paul in a vision, 'Don't be afraid; keep on talking here and don't stop, ¹⁰ because I'm with you! Nobody will attack you or try to hurt you, since I have a lot of people in this city.'

¹¹ So he stayed there for a year and a half, teaching the Word of God among them.

¹² Now, it was while Gallio was governor of Achaia that the Judeans got together and came against Paul. They took him to court and charged him, ¹³ saying; 'This man is violating the Law by trying to convert people of other faiths to worshiping [his] God.'

¹⁴ But just as Paul was about to answer, Gallio told the Jews: 'O Jews; I'd be patient and put up with this, if you were talking about [his doing] something wrong or committing some foul act. ¹⁵ But if all you want to complain about is words, names, and your Law, take care of it yourselves. I don't wish to be the judge of such matters!' ¹⁶ And with that, he threw them out of the court area.

¹⁷ So then they dragged [Paul] before Sosthenes, the presiding officer of the synagogue. And right there in front of the Judgment Seat, they started beating him up. However, Gallio didn't pay any attention to this.

¹⁸ Well, after staying there for several more days, Paul said good-bye to the brothers and sailed off for Syria, along with Priscilla and Aquila. Then [Paul] had his hair trimmed short in Cenchreae, because of a vow he'd made.

¹⁹ Now, when they arrived at Ephesus, he left them and went into the synagogue to reason with the Jews. ²⁰ And although they asked him to stay there a while, he wouldn't do it. ²¹ So he said good-bye and told them: 'I will return again, if it's God's will.' Then he traveled from Ephesus ²² to Caesarea, where he went up and greeted the congregation, and then he traveled on to Antioch. ²³ And after he stayed [in Antioch] a while, he left and traveled throughout the areas of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

²⁴ Now, a Jew named Apollos (a native of Alexandria), who was an excellent speaker and knew the Scriptures well, arrived at Ephesus. ²⁵ He had been taught the ways of the Lord and was aglow with the Breath [of God]. So, what he said and taught about Jesus was correct, but he only knew about the baptism of John.

²⁶ Well, he was boldly speaking in the synagogue when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, so they took him under their wing and explained the ways of God to him more completely. ²⁷ Then, because he wanted to travel across Achaia, the brothers wrote to the disciples there, telling them to welcome him. And when he got there, he provided assistance to all those who (through [God's] loving care) believed, ²⁸ because he publicly and very enthusiastically showed that the Jews were absolutely wrong, while he used the Scriptures to prove that Jesus was the Anointed One.

Chapter 19

¹ Well, while Apollos stayed in Corinth, Paul traveled inland. And when he got to Ephesus, he found some disciples ² and asked them, 'Did you receive the Holy Breath [of God] when you became believers?'

And they answered, 'Why, we've never even heard that there is Holy Breath.'

³ And he asked, 'Then, what were you baptized in?'

And they replied, 'In John's baptism.'

⁴ So Paul told them: 'When John baptized, it was a baptism of repentance. However, he told the people to believe in the one coming after him… in Jesus.'

⁵ Well, when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Breath [of God] came over them; then they started speaking in different languages and prophesying ⁷ (there were about twelve men altogether).

⁸ Thereafter, [Paul] went into the synagogue, where he spoke boldly; and for three months he reasoned and talked persuasively about the Kingdom of God. ⁹ But when [he noted] that some were just becoming more difficult, refusing to believe and saying bad things about The Way in front of the crowds, he left them… he separated the [true] disciples from among them and gave talks in the School of Tyrannous each day, ¹⁰ and this went on for two years. So everyone who lived in [the province of] Asia (both Jews and Greeks) heard the Word of the Lord.

¹¹ And [all the while], God kept showing unusual power through the hands of Paul. ¹² Why, even the bandannas and aprons he wore were carried to sick people, which caused their diseases to leave and wicked spirits to come out.

¹³ However, there were some traveling Judean exorcists who also started to use the name of the Lord Jesus against wicked spirits, saying, 'I order you in the name of Jesus, the one who Paul preaches… '

¹⁴ Now, Sceva (a Judean Chief Priest) had seven sons who were doing this. ¹⁵ However, one wicked spirit said to them, 'I know Jesus, and I'm familiar with Paul, but just who are you?' ¹⁶ And with that, the man who was possessed by a wicked spirit jumped on them, overpowered each one, and beat them up… so they ran out of the house naked and injured.

¹⁷ Why, everyone in Ephesus (both Jews and Greeks) heard about this, and it frightened them. And as the result, the name of the Lord Jesus kept growing in praise, ¹⁸ and many that became believers would come and openly confess, telling of things they had done. ¹⁹ In fact, several who used to practice magic brought their books together and burned them up in front of everyone. And when they calculated how much they'd paid for them, they found that they [were worth] fifty thousand silver coins. ²⁰ So, the power of the Word of the Lord kept growing and getting stronger.

²¹ Well, after all these things had happened, Paul resolved that he would travel to Macedonia and Achaia, then on to JeruSalem. And he said, 'After I get there, I also have to see Rome!' ²² So he sent two of those who served him (Timothy and Erastus) to Macedonia, while he spent some time in [the province of] Asia.

²³ But at the time, a big disturbance had come about because of The Way. ²⁴ For, a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, was making silver shrines of Artemis, and this was a very profitable business for him and his employees. ²⁵ So he gathered them (as well as others in the trade) and said, 'Men, you know very well that we make a good living from this business. ²⁶ But you're also seeing and hearing how this Paul has persuaded large numbers of people and is making converts – not just in Ephesus but in almost all [the province of] Asia – saying that those which are made by hands aren't gods! ²⁷ Why, not only does this endanger our business by damaging its reputation, but [soon] the temple of the great goddess Artemis will become unimportant, and her magnificence – which the whole [province of] Asia and the entire land worships – is about to be brought to nothing!'

²⁸ Well, when they heard this, they became very angry and started shouting, 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!' ²⁹ So the city became filled with confusion.

Then they all rushed into the theater and grabbed Gaius and AristArchus (Macedonians who traveled with Paul). ³⁰ And after that, Paul wanted to go to visit them in public; but the disciples wouldn't allow it. ³¹ Why, even some of the public game commissioners (who were friends of his) sent word to him, begging him not to enter the theater.

³² In the meantime, some [in the theater] were shouting one thing and others were shouting something else, for the whole group was confused and most of them didn't even know why they were there. ³³ So they located Alexander in the midst of the crowd, and the Judeans pushed him up to the front. Then Alexander started waving his hands in order to defend himself before the people. ³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Judean, they started a shout that lasted for two hours: 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!'

³⁵ Well, when the City Recorder finally quieted the crowd, he said, 'Men! Ephesians! Who in the world doesn't know that the City of Ephesus is the place where the temple of the Great Artemis and the image that fell from the sky is kept? ³⁶ So, since these things are undeniable, it would seem better if you'd just calm down and not act so foolishly!

³⁷ 'Now, you've grabbed hold of these men, who aren't guilty of either robbing Temples or blaspheming our godess. ³⁸ But, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against them, [remember that] there are court days and there are governors! So, let them bring charges. ³⁹ But if you're looking for anything more than that, it has to be decided in a legal hearing!

⁴⁰ 'Now, we are really in danger of being charged with rioting today, and we don't even have a good reason! For, who can give a reason for this disorderly mob?'

⁴¹ And after he said that, he dismissed the assembly.

Chapter 20

¹ Now, when all the rioting was over, Paul sent for the disciples. And after encouraging them, he told them goodbye and left for Macedonia. ² And after traveling around to encourage the people there with many speeches, he went to Greece, ³ where he then spent three months. However, the Jews there started plotting against him. And although he had decided to leave for Syria, he changed his mind and returned through Macedonia.

⁴ Accompanying him there were: Sopater (the son of PyrRhus of Berea), AristArchus, Secundus (of the Thessalonians), Gaius (of Derbe), and Timothy, as well as Tychicus and Trophimus (from the [province of] Asia). ⁵ These went ahead and waited for us in Troas. ⁶ Then, after the period of No Fermentation, we sailed from Philippi to Troas, where they were, which took five days. And we spent seven more days there.

⁷ Then on Sunday, when we met to have a meal, Paul gave a public talk, because he was going to leave the next day. However, his speech went on until midnight, ⁸ so, many lamps were lit in the upstairs room where we met.

⁹ Well, there was a young man named EuTychus who was sitting in a window and fell fast asleep while Paul was talking. Then he slumped over and fell out of the third-story window. And when they picked him up, he was dead.

¹⁰ But Paul went downstairs and threw himself on top of him, hugged him, and said, 'Don't worry; he's still alive!' ¹¹ So he went back upstairs, started the meal, and ate and talked until daybreak; then he left. ¹² Meanwhile, they had taken the boy [home] alive, and they were extremely encouraged.

¹³ Then we went on ahead of Paul by boat and sailed to Assos, where we intended to pick him up, because that's what he told us to do, since he was going to travel there on foot. ¹⁴ So when he caught up with us in Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene; ¹⁵ then we sailed from there the next day, coming ashore across from Chios. Then on the following day, we stopped at Samos, and on the next day we arrived at Miletus.

¹⁶ Paul had planned to sail past Ephesus, so he wouldn't spend any time in the [province of] Asia, because he was in a hurry to get to JeruSalem on the day of Pentecost, if he could. ¹⁷ However, [while he was] in Miletus, he sent word to Ephesus to call the elders of the congregation to him. ¹⁸ And when they arrived, he told them, 'You know very well that; from the first day I stepped into Asia, I was with you all along, ¹⁹ humbly slaving for the Lord. And [you know] of all the tears and trials I endured because of the plots of the Jews. ²⁰ Yet, I didn't fail to remind you and teach you both in public and in [your] homes, ²¹ for I gave a thorough witness to both Jews and Greeks about [the need to] repent before God, and [to have] faith in our Lord Jesus.

²² '{Look!} Now I'm traveling to JeruSalem as though I were already in chains, for I don't know what's going to happen to me there. ²³ [All I know is that]; in city after city, Holy Breath keeps testifying to me, telling me that chains and difficulties are awaiting me. ²⁴ Yet, I won't say anything that would make my life more valuable to me, so I can finish my course. [I just want to finish] the service assignment that I received from the Lord Jesus… to testify completely about the good news of God's loving care.

²⁵ 'Now, {Look!} I know that all of you to whom I preached the Kingdom will see my face no more. ²⁶ So, I'm testifying to you today that I'm clean from the blood of all men, ²⁷ because I haven't held back from telling you any of God's purposes. ²⁸ So now; Pay attention to yourselves and to the whole flock that the Holy Breath [of God] has appointed you to watch over and to shepherd… this congregation of God, which He purchased with the blood of [His own Son]. ²⁹ For I know that after I leave, oppressive wolves will enter among you who won't spare the flock, ³⁰ and that men from among you will arise and speak twisted things to attract some of the disciples to following them. ³¹ So, stay awake… and remember those three years when I didn't give up in counseling each of you tearfully, night and day.

³² 'And now I'm entrusting you into [the Lord's hands] and into the expressions of his caring, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all the Holy Ones.

³³ '[You know that] I haven't longed for anyone's silver, gold, or clothing, ³⁴ for you know how I've used my own hands to take care of my needs… as well as [for the needs] of those who were with me. ³⁵ I've demonstrated to you that it's necessary to work like this, so you can help those who are weak. So remember the words that were said by the Lord Jesus: There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.'

³⁶ And after he said this, he kneeled down with them all and prayed. ³⁷ And many tears flowed as they hugged Paul's neck and tenderly kissed him. ³⁸ For, when he said that they wouldn't see his face again, they were deeply saddened. Then they walked with him to the boat.

Chapter 21

¹ Now, when we finally tore ourselves away from them and put out to sea, we ran straight over to Cos, then to Rhodes the next day, and from there, to Patara. ² And when we found a boat that was going to Phoenicia, we got aboard and sailed off.

³ Well, we came in sight of the Island of Cyprus, passing it on our left, and sailed on to Syria, landing at Tyre (because that's where the boat unloaded its cargo). ⁴ So we searched and found the disciples and stayed there for seven days. And through the Breath [of God], they repeatedly warned Paul not to set foot in JeruSalem. ⁵ So when it came time to go, we left and started on our way; but they all (including the women and children) walked outside the city with us. And kneeling down on the beach, we had a prayer ⁶ and said good-bye to each other. Then we got into the boat and they returned home.

⁷ After leaving Tyre, we finally arrived at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and spent a day with them. ⁸ The next day, we left, arriving in Caesarea, where we went to the house of Philip the evangelizer (one of the seven men), and stayed with him. ⁹ He had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

¹⁰ But after we'd stayed there for several days, a Prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ Then he approached us and took Paul's sash off, tied up his own hands and feet, and said, 'Thus says the Holy Breath [of God]: This is how the Judeans will bind the man who this sash belongs to, then hand him over to people of the nations.'

¹² Well, when we heard this, we (and those who lived there) started begging him not to go to JeruSalem. ¹³ But Paul answered, 'Why are you crying and crushing my heart? I'm not only ready to be bound, but also to die in JeruSalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.'

¹⁴ And when we couldn't change his mind, we gave in, saying, 'May the Lord's Will take place.'

¹⁵ After several days, we prepared for the journey and headed toward JeruSalem. ¹⁶ However, some of the disciples from Caesarea also traveled with us, leading us to the home of a man who showed us some hospitality, Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple.

¹⁷ Then, when we got into JeruSalem, the brothers were all happy to see us. ¹⁸ And on the next [day], we went with Paul to see James… and all the elders were there too. ¹⁹ [Paul] greeted them and started giving a detailed account of the things that God had done among the nations through his service.

²⁰ And after hearing this, they glorified God, then they told him: 'Our brother; You know how many thousands of believers there are among the Judeans, and they all zealously obey the Law. ²¹ But they have heard the rumor that you've been teaching Judeans who live among the nations an apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to follow the traditions. ²² What do you suppose can be done about this?

'Well, in any case, they're going to hear that you've arrived. ²³ So, do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a sacred vow… ²⁴ take them with you, and all of you cleanse yourselves ceremonially, then pay to have their heads shaved. That way, everyone will know that there's no truth to the rumors they've heard about you, and that you're personally following the rules and obeying the Law.

²⁵ 'And as for the gentile believers; We've already sent them our decision to stay free from things that are sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.'

²⁶ So the next day, Paul took the [four] men along and they cleansed themselves ceremonially. Then they entered the Temple to give notice of their ceremonial cleansing (to start counting the days until an offering should be made for each of them). ²⁷ But when the seven days were about up, some Judeans from [the province of] Asia saw him in the Temple, then they created a disturbance among the crowd and they grabbed him, ²⁸ shouting, 'Men of IsraEl! Help! He's the man that teaches against our people, against the Law, and against this place to everyone everywhere. Why, he has even brought Greeks into the Temple and defiled this Holy place!'

²⁹ [They said this] because they had seen him in the city earlier with Trophimus the Ephesian, and they thought Paul had brought him into the Temple.

³⁰ Well, the whole city was in an uproar and people started running there. So they grabbed Paul and dragged him outside the Temple, and then the [Temple] doors were closed.

³¹ And as they were trying to kill him, the commander of the [Roman] garrison heard about the uproar in JeruSalem, ³² so he immediately took a contingent of officers and soldiers, and ran down to them. So when [the mob] saw the commander with his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

³³ Then the commander came up, took hold of [Paul], and ordered to have him bound with two chains; and he asked [the mob] who he was and what he had done. ³⁴ However, some in the crowd started shouting one thing, and others shouted something else. So, because he was unable to be sure of anything (due to all the confusion), he commanded [to have Paul] brought back to their garrison. ³⁵ However, when they reached the stairs, the situation got so bad and the mob became so violent that the soldiers were literally carrying him. ³⁶ Because, most of the people kept following and shouting, 'Kill him!'

³⁷ Then, as he was being carried into the garrison, Paul asked the commander, 'Am I allowed to say something to you?'

And he replied, 'Can you speak Greek… ³⁸ aren't you the Egyptian who started a rebellion and led four-thousand dagger men out into the desert some time ago?'

³⁹ Then Paul said, 'For a fact, I'm a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia… I'm a citizen of a well-known city. So I beg you; Allow me to speak to the people!'

⁴⁰ Well, he gave Paul permission; So [Paul] stood on the stairs and waved his arms to [to quiet] the people. And when everything got quiet, he spoke to them in Hebrew, saying:

Chapter 22

¹ 'Men… brothers, and fathers! Allow me to say something in my own defense now.' ² (Well, when they heard him addressing them in Hebrew, things got quieter.) And he said, ³ 'I'm a Jew who was born in Tarsus of Cilicia. I went to school right here in this city, and I received my instruction at the feet of GamaliEl, where I learned to obey the Law of our fathers strictly and to show the same zeal for God that you're showing today. ⁴ I personally persecuted this Way, by arresting and handing over their men and women to prisons for execution. ⁵ Why, the High Priest and the entire assembly of elders can testify to this, because I obtained letters from them to our brothers in Damascus. And I went there to bring everyone who was being held in custody, back to JeruSalem for punishment.

⁶ 'But as I was I was on my way and getting close to Damascus, about noon, a bright light flashed all around me in the sky. ⁷ Then I fell to the ground and I heard a voice say to me, Saul; Saul; Why are you persecuting me? ⁸ So I asked, Who are you, Lord? And he answered: I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.

⁹ 'Well, the men who were with me saw the light, but they didn't hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. ¹⁰ Then I asked, What must I do Lord? And the Lord told me, Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told of everything you've been given to do.

¹¹ But, since I couldn't see anything (due to the brilliance of that light), those who were [traveling] with me had to lead me into Damascus by the hand.

¹² 'Now, Ananias – a man who devoutly obeyed the Law and who was well spoken of by all the Judeans who live there – ¹³ came and stood next to me. Then he said, Saul; Brother; See again! And I could immediately see him. ¹⁴ Then he said, The God of our fathers has selected you to learn about His Will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice of his mouth, ¹⁵ because you are to be his witness to everything you've seen and heard. ¹⁶ So now; Why are you wasting time? Get up, get baptized, and wash your sins away by calling on his name.

¹⁷ 'Well, after I returned to JeruSalem, I was praying in the Temple when I fell into a trance and I saw [Jesus]. ¹⁸ And he told me, Hurry; Get out of JeruSalem right away, because they won't agree with your testimony about me!

¹⁹ 'But I said, Lord; they all know very well that in one synagogue after another I used to have all those who believe in you thrown in jail and whipped. ²⁰ And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being spilled, I stood there and approved. In fact, I guarded the robes of those who did away with him!

²¹ 'But he just told me: Leave, because I'm sending you to far-away nations.'

²² Now, they had been listening to him until he said this; but then they started shouting, 'Kill this man, for he isn't fit to live!' ²³ And because they were shouting, throwing their clothes around, and tossing dirt in the air, ²⁴ the commander ordered him to be taken inside the garrison.

Then he gave orders to scourge him with a whip, in order to force him to explain why everyone was shouting about him that way. ²⁵ But when they stretched him out to be whipped, Paul asked the centurion who was standing there, 'Is it legal for you to whip a man who is a Roman and who hasn't been charged with a crime?'

²⁶ Well, when the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and asked, 'Just what do you intend to do? Why, this man is a Roman!'

²⁷ So the commander came to [Paul] and asked, 'Tell me; Are you a Roman?'

And he answered, 'Yes.'

²⁸ Then the commander said, 'Why, I paid a lot to obtain my citizenship.'

And Paul said, 'I was born [a citizen].'

²⁹ Well, the men who were about to torture him left immediately. And on learning that he had arrested a Roman [citizen], the military commander was frightened. ³⁰ So the next day, because he wanted to know for sure just what the Jews were accusing him of, he [unshackled] him and commanded the Chief Priests and the entire High Court to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and stood him among them.

Chapter 23

¹ Well, Paul looked hard at the [judges of the] High Court, and then said, 'Men; Brothers; I have a perfectly clear conscience about the way I've behaved before God down to this day.'

² And at this, the High Priest Ananias ordered those who were standing by him to hit him in the mouth.

³ So Paul said: 'God is going to hit you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit there judging me by the Law, and at the same time break the Law by commanding for me to be hit?'

⁴ Then those who were standing by him asked, 'Are you speaking against the High Priest of God?'

⁵ And Paul answered, 'Brothers; I didn't know he was the High Priest. Because it's written: You must not speak badly of the one who rules your people.'

⁶ Now, when Paul noticed that one part of the group were SadDucees and the rest were Pharisees, he called out in the High Court, 'Men; Brothers; I'm a Pharisee and a son of Pharisees, and I'm being judged over my hope in the resurrection of the dead!'

⁷ And after he said this, quite an argument broke out between the Pharisees and SadDucees, which divided the crowd, ⁸ because the SadDucees say there is no such thing as a resurrection, or [divine] messengers, or Breath [of God]. However, the Pharisees publicly preach all of those things. ⁹ So there was a lot of shouting, and some of the Pharisees' scribes stood up and started heatedly arguing, saying, 'We don't find anything wrong with this man! However, if the Breath [of God] or [one of His] messengers spoke to him… '

¹⁰ Now, the argument became so heated that the commander feared they would pull Paul to pieces. So he ordered the soldiers to go down and take him from their midst and bring him back to the garrison.

¹¹ Then on the following night, the Lord stood next to [Paul] and said, 'Be strong! So far, you've thoroughly testified to things about me in JeruSalem; but now you must also testify in Rome.'

¹² Well, the next morning, the Judeans formed an alliance and swore with a curse that they wouldn't eat or drink until they had killed Paul ¹³ (there were more than forty men who formed this oath-bound conspiracy). ¹⁴ So they went to the Chief Priests and elders and said, 'We've taken a solemn oath with a curse not to take a bite of food until we've killed Paul. ¹⁵ Now, we want you and the High Court to explain to the military commander that he should bring [Paul] to you, so you can learn more about the charges against him; and we'll be ready to do away with him before he gets here!'

¹⁶ However, Paul's nephew heard that they would be laying for him, so he went to the garrison and reported it to Paul. ¹⁷ Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, 'Take this young man to the commander, because he has something to report to him.'

¹⁸ So [the soldier] took him to the commander and said, 'The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, because he has something to tell you.'

¹⁹ Well, the commander took him by the hand and led him in, then asked him privately, 'What do you want to report to me?'

²⁰ And he answered, 'The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the High Court tomorrow, pretending to want to learn more about the charges against him. ²¹ But whatever you do, don't let them convince you to do this, because they have more than forty men who are waiting to ambush him. These men have sworn an oath with a curse to neither eat nor drink until they've done away with him. And all they're awaiting is a promise from you.'

²² Then the commander let the young man leave, after giving him the order: 'Don't tell anyone that you explained this to me.' ²³ And he called in two of his centurions and said, 'I want you to get two hundred soldiers ready, plus seventy cavalrymen and two hundred spearmen… have them ready to march all the way to Caesarea at eight o'clock tonight, ²⁴ and provide animals for Paul to ride, then carry him safely to Governor Felix.'

²⁵ Then he wrote a letter that read like this: ²⁶ 'Claudius Lysias, to the mighty Governor Felix:
Rejoice!
27 This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to do away with him. However, I came there quickly with a contingent of soldiers and rescued him, because I learned that he was a Roman. ²⁸ And because I wanted to know what they were accusing him of, I took him down to their High Court. ²⁹ And there I found that they had accused him over questions having to do with their Law; but he hadn't been charged with anything that deserves death or jail. ³⁰ However, because I learned about a plot against this man, I am sending him to you right away. And I'm ordering his accusers to speak against him there before you.'

³¹ So these soldiers followed their orders and took Paul to AntiPatris by night.

³² Then the next day, they sent him on with the cavalry (which later returned to the garrison). ³³ And when they got to Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him. ³⁴ So he read it, and then he asked [Paul] which province he came from. And when he found that he was from Cilicia, he said, ³⁵ 'I will give you a thorough hearing when your accusers get here.'

So he gave orders that [Paul] should be kept under guard in the Praetorian Palace of Herod.

Chapter 24

¹ Five days later, High Priest Ananias arrived with some elders and an orator named Tertullus, and they explained their accusations against Paul to the governor. ² And when he was called forward, Tertullus said this:

'You've brought about so much peace, and we are welcoming the well-thought-out reforms that you've brought to our nation ³ in every way and everywhere with the greatest thankfulness, O mightiest Felix. ⁴ But, so that I don't waste any of your time, I beg you to hear us briefly, in your kindness.

⁵ 'We found this man (this plague) stirring up rebellions among the Judeans in all the inhabited earth, for he's the leader of the sect of the Nazarenes. ⁶ And when he tried to profane our Temple, we arrested him. ⁷ —— ⁸ Examine him yourself to learn more about the things we're accusing him of.'

⁹ And at this, the Judeans also joined in the attack, affirming that the things [Tertullus] said were true.

¹⁰ Then the governor nodded for Paul to speak. And he said, 'I know very well that you've been the judge of our nation for many years. So I'm happy to speak in my own defense about these things that I've been accused of, ¹¹ since you are in a good position to ask.

'It hasn't been more than twelve days since I went to worship in JeruSalem, ¹² and they didn't find me in the Temple arguing with anyone, nor did they find me inciting a riot in the synagogues… or anywhere else in the city for that matter. ¹³ So, right now they can't prove any of the things they're accusing me of before you. ¹⁴ But I do admit to this: That which they're calling a sect, is nothing more than the way that I've been worshiping the God of my fathers.

'Why, I believe everything that is written in the Law and in the Prophets. ¹⁵ And I have this hope in God (which they also share) that there's going to be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous. ¹⁶ This is why I'm constantly alert so as to not offend my conscience by doing anything against God or men. ¹⁷ And this is the reason why, after [being gone for] several years, I came [to JeruSalem]… to bring gifts to the poor in my nation, and to present offerings.

¹⁸ 'Well, it was while I was doing this that they found me in the Temple… ceremonially cleansed! I didn't bring along a mob or start a riot! Why, some Jews from the [province of] Asia ¹⁹ should be here before you to accuse me… that is, if they can find something against me. ²⁰ Or allow these who are here to tell you themselves what wrong things they found as I stood before the High Court… ²¹ other than what I shouted while I was standing among them when I said, I am being judged before you today over the resurrection of the dead!'

²² However, since Felix knew a lot about things having to do with this Way, he just put them off, saying, 'When Commander Lysias gets here, I will make a decision on this matter that you're so concerned about.' ²³ Then [Felix] ordered the centurion not to kill him, but to allow him some liberty, and not to prevent his people from serving his needs.

²⁴ Several days later, Felix's wife arrived with several others. And since she was Judean, he sent for Paul and they listened to him talk about his belief in the Anointed Jesus. ²⁵ However, Felix became frightened when he talked about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment; so he said, 'That's enough for now! Go on back, and when I have the time, I'll send for you again.' ²⁶ However, he really hoped that Paul would try to bribe him, and for that reason, he sent for him and talked to him often.

²⁷ Well after two years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to be liked by the Judeans, he kept Paul locked up.

Chapter 25

¹ It was just three days after Festus became the provincial governor that he traveled from Caesarea to JeruSalem. ² And there the Chief Priests and Judean leaders talked to him about Paul. ³ They begged him (asking it as a favor) to send [Paul] to JeruSalem… since they planned to ambush and kill him along the road. ⁴ However, Festus replied that he would keep Paul in Caesarea, but that he would be leaving [JeruSalem] shortly; and he said: ⁵ 'So, those of you who have been empowered to do so, come with me. Then, if he has done anything wrong, they can accuse him.'

⁶ Well, after he had spent about eight to ten days [in JeruSalem], he returned to Caesarea. And the next day, he sat on the Judgment Seat and ordered Paul to be brought in. ⁷ And when [Paul] arrived, the Jews who had come from JeruSalem stood all around him and charged him with several serious offenses. However, they couldn't prove anything,

⁸ Then Paul spoke in his own defense, saying, 'I haven't committed any sins against the Law of the Jews, against the Temple, or against Caesar!'

⁹ However, Festus (in an attempt to gain favor with the Jews) asked Paul, 'Do you want to go to JeruSalem and be judged over these things before me there?'

¹⁰ But Paul said, 'I'm standing before the Judgment Seat of Caesar, and this is where I ought to be judged! I've done nothing wrong to the Judeans, as you're finding out for yourself. ¹¹ However, if I really am a wrongdoer and have done something that I should die for, I'm not begging off from dying. On the other hand, if none of the things they are accusing me of are true, then no one can hand me over to them as a favor. So I appeal to Caesar!'

¹² Then, after discussing it with his counselors, Festus replied, 'You have appealed to Caesar; so to Caesar you will go!'

¹³ Well, after several days had passed, Agrippa (the king) and Bernice arrived in Caesarea to pay a courtesy visit on Festus. ¹⁴ So, since they were to spend several days there, Festus laid the matter of Paul before the king, saying, 'There's a man here who was left as a prisoner by Felix. ¹⁵ And when I was in JeruSalem, the Chief Priests and Judean elders brought me some information about him and asked me to condemn him. ¹⁶ But I told them that it isn't the Roman way to just hand a man over as a favor before he meets his accusers face to face and gets a chance to speak in his own defense. ¹⁷ So when they got here, I didn't delay the matter… the next day, I sat down on the Judgment Seat and ordered the man to be brought in.

¹⁸ 'Well, when they took the stand, his accusers didn't really produce any serious charges, as I thought they would. ¹⁹ They simply complained about some dispute they had with him over the fear of their demon, and about some Jesus, who was dead… but who Paul kept claiming was alive! ²⁰ Well, I became so confused over the matter that I finally asked if he would like to go to JeruSalem and be judged there over these matters. ²¹ But when Paul appealed to be bound over for a decision by the August One, I ordered him to be held until I can send him to Caesar.'

²² So Agrippa told Festus, 'I'd like to hear from this man too.'

And he said, 'Tomorrow you will hear him!'

²³ Then the next day, Agrippa and Bernice arrived with a lot of pomp and ceremony, and went into the hearing room, along with military commanders and prominent men from the city. And when Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in.

²⁴ Then Festus said, 'King Agrippa and all of you who are here with us; Now you can see this man about whom all the Judeans, both here and in JeruSalem, are shouting that he shouldn't be allowed to live any longer. ²⁵ However, I haven't found anything he has done that deserves death, so when he appealed to the August One, I decided to send him there… ²⁶ but I really don't have anything to write to [my] lord about. So, I brought him here before you… and especially before you, King Agrippa, so you can examine him and judge something for me to write. ²⁷ For it seems unreasonable for me to send a prisoner [to Rome] and not be able to specify the charges against him.'

Chapter 26

¹ Then Agrippa told Paul: 'You are allowed to speak in your own behalf.'

So Paul stretched his hands out and said this in his defense: ² 'King Agrippa; I'm happy to be here and defend myself before you today over all these things that I've been accused of by the Judeans, ³ because you're an expert on all Judean customs and controversies. So I beg you to listen to me patiently.

⁴ 'This is the way that I've lived since I was a boy: From long ago, everyone in my nation (all in JeruSalem and all the Jews ⁵ who used to know me) can testify to the fact that I was raised in the strictest sect of our type of worship… I was a Pharisee. ⁶ And now, it's over the hope of a promise that was made by God to our ancestors that I'm standing here being judged. ⁷ For, our twelve tribes have been hoping to see the fulfillment of this promise by offering [God] our intense worship night and day, and it's over this hope that I'm being accused by the Judeans, O king.

⁸ 'Why do you find it unbelievable that God can raise the dead? ⁹ For a fact, I once thought that it was right to do whatever I could to oppose the name of Jesus the Nazarene; ¹⁰ and I did this in JeruSalem! Why, I locked up many of the Holy Ones and threw them in jail, because I was authorized to do this by the Chief Priests. And as they were being brought up for execution, I voted against them! ¹¹ I often punished them in synagogues and tried to make them commit blasphemy; and since I was so crazy [in my hatred] against them, I even traveled to other cities to persecute them.

¹² Well, it was while I was doing this that I traveled to Damascus with an authorization and a commission from the Chief Priests. ¹³ And at noon, while I was on the road, O king, I saw a light that was brighter than the sun, which flashed from the sky around me and those who were traveling with me. ¹⁴ Then we all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew: Saul; Saul; Why are you persecuting me? It's so hard for you to keep kicking against the goad!'

¹⁵ 'Then I asked, Who are you Lord?

'And the Lord replied, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ Now, get up and stand on your feet. This is why I've made myself visible to you; to take you ahead of time to be my servant, so you can testify to the fact that you saw me, and [to testify] to the things that I will make you see. ¹⁷ For, I'm selecting you out of the people and out of the nations that I'm going to send you to, ¹⁸ to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of the Opposer, to God. I'm doing this so that their sins can be forgiven and so they can receive an inheritance among those who have been made holy by [their] faith in me.

¹⁹ 'So, King Agrippa; I didn't disobey this vision from heaven. ²⁰ First I went to those in Damascus, then to those in JeruSalem and the entire countryside of Judea… and then to the nations. I carried the message that they should repent and turn to God by doing things to prove their repentance. ²¹ And this is why the Judeans grabbed me in the Temple and tried to beat me to death!

²² 'However, through the help of God, I've kept witnessing to both the least and the greatest down to this day. And I haven't been saying anything other that what the Prophets and Moses told us would happen… ²³ that the Anointed One was to going to suffer. And that; as the first to be resurrected from the dead, he was going to proclaim light to this people and to the nations.'

²⁴ Now, while he was saying these things in his defense, Festus shouted, 'You're crazy, Paul! All the writings are driving you mad!'

²⁵ But Paul said, 'I'm not going crazy, O mighty Festus; I'm telling you things that are true and which make good sense! ²⁶ For a fact, the king that I'm speaking to so openly, knows a lot about these things! Why, I believe that none of these things has escaped his notice, because none of it was done off in some corner! ²⁷ King Agrippa; Do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe!'

²⁸ But Agrippa said to Paul, 'It wouldn't take long for you to convince me to become a Christian!'

²⁹ And at this, Paul said: 'I wish to God (whether it takes a short time or a long time) that not only you, but also everyone who hears me today would become men just like me… except for these chains.'

³⁰ Then the king got up, as did the governor, Bernice, and the men who were sitting with them. ³¹ And as they were walking out, they were talking to each other, saying, 'This man didn't do anything deserving of death… or even to be locked up for!'

³² And Agrippa told Festus: 'This man could have been released if he hadn't appealed to Caesar.'

Chapter 27

¹ Well, since it was decided that we had to sail away to Italy, they handed Paul (and some other prisoners) over to a centurion named Julius, [a soldier] of the Augustus Division. ² So we boarded a ship along with AristArchus (a Macedonian from Thessalonica).

Now, the ship had come from AdraMyttium, and it was sailing to places along the coast of the [province of] Asia. ³ So the next day, we landed at Sidon, and Julius treated Paul very kindly there, by allowing him to visit friends who cared for his needs.

⁴ From there, we sailed around Cyprus, because the winds were against us; ⁵ then we hit the open sea [south of] Cilicia and PamPhylia, and put into port at Myra in Lycia. ⁶ There the centurion found a ship that was coming from Alexandria and sailing for Italy, and he made us board it. ⁷ Then, after sailing slowly (and with a lot of difficulty) for several days, we stopped at Cnidus. And because the winds wouldn't let us go on, we sailed [south of] Salmone, Crete. ⁸ Then, following the coastline with a lot of difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

⁹ Well, since we had lost so much time (because it was now past [the Day of Atonement]) and the sea was hazardous to navigate, Paul made a recommendation, ¹⁰ saying: 'Men; I see that any further navigation is going to result in damage and huge losses, not only to the cargo and ship, but to our lives!'

¹¹ However, the army officer listened to the pilot and the ship's owner, rather than to what Paul was saying.

¹² Now, since this harbor was a poor place to winter, the majority advised setting sail to see if they could make it to Phoenix, to spend the winter there (it's a harbor in Crete, which has openings to the northeast and southeast).

¹³ Well, when the south wind started blowing gently, they thought that this would meet their needs. So, they weighed anchor and began coasting along the shore next to Crete. ¹⁴ Then after a little while, a typhoon wind they call the Euro Clydon bore down on us. ¹⁵ And, because the ship was being violently tossed so it couldn't maintain its heading, we just gave up and [allowed ourselves to be] carried along by the wind. ¹⁶ And when we passed south of a small island called Cauda, it took all our strength to get hold of the rowboat that was tied at the rear of the ship. ¹⁷ But after we hoisted it aboard, they began wrapping the ship with [ropes and chains]. And since they were afraid of running aground on shoals, they lowered the masts and we were just carried along.

¹⁸ However, on the next day (because we were still being violently tossed by the storm), they started to lighten the ship. ¹⁹ And on the third [day], they tossed the boat's furnishings overboard with their own hands.

²⁰ Now, since we hadn't seen the sun or stars for several days, and a storm was still over us, we lost any hope of being saved… ²¹ and considerable time had elapsed since anyone had been able to eat. Then Paul stood up in the midst of them and said, 'Men; You certainly should have taken my advice and not put out to sea from Crete, just to suffer this kind of damage and loss. ²² But now I'm recommending that you be happy, because not a single life will be lost… however, the ship will [be lost]. ²³ You see; A messenger from the God (whom I belong to and serve) came to me this evening, ²⁴ saying, Don't be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. And {Look!} God has favored you by giving you [the lives of] all those who are sailing with you.

²⁵ 'So be happy men, because I believe that God will do exactly as He told me! ²⁶ However, we will be cast ashore on an island.'

²⁷ Now, as night fell on the fourteenth day, and as we were being carried along in the Adriatic Sea (at about midnight), the sailors suspected that we were close to land. ²⁸ So, they did a depth sounding and found it at twenty fathoms. Then we traveled on a little farther and they took another depth sounding, and this time it was fifteen fathoms. ²⁹ So, because they were afraid that we might run aground on the rocks, they threw out four anchors at the stern and hoped for daylight.

³⁰ However, the crew tried to escape from the ship by lowering the rowboat into the sea, while pretending to drop anchors from the prow. ³¹ Then Paul told the centurion and his soldiers, 'Unless these men stay on this ship, you can't be saved.' ³² So the soldiers cut away the ropes that held the rowboat and let it drop.

³³ Well, when it was close to dawn, Paul encouraged everyone to eat something, saying, 'Today makes the fourteenth day that you've been on watch, and all that time you've gone without food or taking anything else into you. ³⁴ So I encourage you to eat something, since that will help you to survive. Why, not so much as a hair on any of your heads will be destroyed!'

³⁵ Then after he said this, he took a loaf [of bread], gave thanks to God before them all, broke it, and started eating. ³⁶ So they all became more cheerful and ate some food.

³⁷ Now, there were two hundred and seventy-six people in the boat. ³⁸ And after they had enough food, they lightened the boat some more by throwing the wheat into the sea.

³⁹ But when it finally became light, they didn't recognize where they were; however, there was a bay with a beach, and they were determined to try to get to the beach in the boat. ⁴⁰ So they cut away the anchors, letting them drop into the sea, then they untied the ropes that held the rudder, hoisted the foresail to the wind, and headed for the beach. ⁴¹ But then they came to a shoal out in the water, the ship ran aground… the prow was stuck and it couldn't be moved.

Well thereafter, the stern started falling apart in the crashing waves, ⁴² and the soldiers decided to kill the prisoners so they couldn't swim away and escape. ⁴³ But the centurion wanted Paul to make it, so he prevented them from doing that. Then he told everyone who could swim to dive into the sea and get to the shore first; ⁴⁴ and afterward, the rest could [float in] on planks and other things from the ship. So, that's how they all got to land safely.

Chapter 28

¹ Well, after we made it to safety, we recognized that this was the island of Malta. ² And there, the native people found us and showed us uncommon hospitality. They built a fire and welcomed all of us, there in the cold and rain.

³ Then, when Paul went and collected a bundle of sticks and laid it on the fire, a viper was driven out by the heat and bit into his hand. ⁴ Well, when the native people saw this dangerous animal hanging from his hand, they said to each other: 'This man must be a murderer, for, although he made it to safety from the sea, justice isn't going to allow him to live!'

⁵ But [Paul] just shook the animal off into the fire, and he didn't suffer any ill effects… ⁶ however, they thought he was going to swell up and suddenly drop dead. And after they waited a long time and saw that nothing bad had happen to him, they started saying that he was a god!

⁷ Well, nearby there was some property that belonged to the island's leader ([a man] named Publius), and he welcomed us and treated us with kindness and hospitality for three days.

⁸ Now, it so happened that Publius' father was very sick with a fever and dysentery. So Paul went into his room and prayed, then he laid his hands on him and healed him. ⁹ And after this, the rest of the sick people on the island also started coming to him to be cured. ¹⁰ Then they honored us with many gifts, and many came with provisions that we would need.

¹¹ Well, three months later, a boat from Alexandria called The Sons of Zeus (which had been wintering on the island) took us aboard ¹² and carried us to Syracuse, where we stayed for three days. ¹³ Then from there, we traveled around [Sicily] and arrived at Rhegium. And a day later, we caught a south wind and made it to Puteoli in just two days, ¹⁴ where we found some of our brothers, who begged us to stay with them for the next seven days. Then we traveled on toward Rome.

¹⁵ And when the brothers [in Rome] got the news about us, they came as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us.

Well, when Paul saw them, he thanked God and was very encouraged. ¹⁶ And when we finally entered Rome, Paul was permitted to live on his own, with just a soldier to guard him.

¹⁷ Then, three days later, he called a meeting of the local Judean leaders. And when they had assembled, he said to them, 'Men; Brothers; Although I haven't done anything against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was taken prisoner in JeruSalem and handed over to the Romans. ¹⁸ And after [the Romans] examined me, they wanted to release me, because they couldn't find any reason to put me to death. ¹⁹ However, when the Judeans kept opposing [my release], I was forced to appeal to Caesar… but I didn't do this to accuse my nation.

²⁰ 'Well, this is why I begged to see you and to talk to you… for it's because of the hope of IsraEl that I have this chain around me!'

²¹ Then they told him: 'We haven't received any letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the brothers who arrived reported or said anything wicked against you. ²² So, we think it's worthwhile to listen to what you have to say, because we know for a fact that this sect is spoken against everywhere.'

²³ They then arranged for a day, and many more came to the place where he was staying. And there he laid things out for them by completely testifying about the Kingdom of God. He also reasoned with them about Jesus from morning until evening, citing both the Law of Moses and the Prophets. ²⁴ So some started to believe what he said, but others didn't. ²⁵ And since they couldn't reach an agreement, they all started to leave.

But then Paul said this: 'The Holy Breath [of God] spoke very accurately to your ancestors through IsaiAh the Prophet ²⁶ when he said, Go to these people and say: When you listen you will hear, but definitely not understand. And when you look, you can look, but definitely not see, ²⁷ because these peoples' hearts have been closed. So, although they hear with their ears, they don't respond; for they've closed their eyes, so they can't see with their eyes, hear with their ears, or understand with their hearts, and return so I can heal them.

²⁸ 'Therefore, I'm warning you that God is now giving this hope of salvation to the nations… and they will listen to it!' ²⁹ ——

³⁰ Well, he stayed in that rented house for two whole years, and he welcomed everyone who came to visit him, ³¹ preaching the Kingdom of God to them, and teaching them things about the Lord Jesus the Anointed One openly and without any interference.

Notes

Age, Eternal, Perpetual, Everlasting, Immortal, or Forever?

Two words imply infinite states in the Bible; one is the Greek word athanasia (undying), which is only found in two places, 1 Corinthians 15:53, where it mentions resurrected ones as clothing themselves with immortality, and at 1 Timothy 6:16, where Paul speaks of Jesus alone as having it. The other Greek word is aidios, which is used at Romans 1:20 to describe God's Power and Might as eternal, and at Jude 6 when speaking of the perpetual state of gloomy darkness that rebellious angels have been confined to.

However, the Greek word aionos, which is used throughout the Bible in various conjugated forms and is often translated as eternal and forever, is what the English word eon is derived from. It means an indefinite period, and there is no exact English word to translate it. The best equivalents are age or era.

Where the singular form (aionos) is used, this appears to mean a period such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And where the plural form of the word (aiōnōn) is used, it refers to a longer time… at least multiple generations. Also, where the term ages of the ages is used (such as at Ephesians 3:21), which is usually said in reference to The God, we would assume that this truly means forever.

It is noteworthy that aionos is the word that is used in the Greek Septuagint in place of the Hebrew word ohlam, which is also translated as forever and time indefinite in popular versions of the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl. So, this one word (aionos) is translated as forever, everlasting, eternal, system of things, time indefinite, [end of] the world, long ago, from of old, etc. Obviously, something is very wrong here, because the word can't mean a period having a definite end in one place and infinity in another.

Take for example, the unique way that aionos is used in the question that Jesus' Apostles asked him, which is found at Matthew 24:3: 'Tell us; When will these things happen… what will be the signs when you are to arrive and this age will come to its conclusion?' Notice that aionos is also translated as world here in many Bibles, such as the KJ, and as system of things in other Bibles, such as the NWT. However, if the Apostles had meant any of those things, they would have used the Greek word cosmos (world or arrangement), not aionos.

You can see that aionos obviously doesn't mean forever, everlasting, or eternal in this case, nor did it mean world or system of things. It simply meant the age, or, the time before the end would come. And for them, that meant the age when God's Temple in JeruSalem would be destroyed, because that's what Jesus was explaining to them.

Yet, there are instances when some forms of the word could imply forever, such as when we find it in the form aiōniŏn. This is an adjective in the singular case, which, when combined with the Greek word zoe (in its various forms) is usually translated in other Bibles as everlasting life. However, that isn't a totally-accurate description.

In the past, we had tried to reconcile the words zoe aiōniŏn as meaning, life in the age. However, the word age in this instance would not be an adjective, so we have recently chosen, in most cases where we find this word combination, to translate them more accurately as age-long life, which we will agree could mean everlasting life.

For more information, see the linked Scriptural Commentary, Does the Bible Promise Everlasting Life?

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Soul or?

The Greek word psyche (as in psychology) has been translated many ways, including soul, life, etc. However, psyche actually means something that breathes. It is used in the Bible to describe both breathing animals and breathing humans. So by definition, a soul cannot leave the body, because a soul is what the living body (whether human or animal) is (see Genesis 2:7).

In ancient Greece, philosophers eventually added another meaning to psyche: The inner person (as opposed to the person that others see and come to know). And with time, the pagan religion of Greece started to teach that this inner person is its own entity and can never die (is immortal). Over the centuries, this pagan Greek doctrine thereafter crept into the Christian religions. Please see the Wikipedia definition Soul for more history of the word.

However, such Greek philosophical thought never influenced Jesus and his Apostles. So, they consistently used psyche to indicate a living person or animal. Therefore, the later teaching that the soul is immortal stands in direct conflict with Jesus' promise of a resurrection, because, if a person is immortal (can never die) he/she can never be resurrected (brought back to life).

In addition, the teaching of the immortality of the human soul is totally without support from the Bible. For the word immortal(ity) (Gr: athanasia or undying) is only mentioned in the Bible in two places, and it isn't used with or applied to the word soul in either case. Both of these scriptures show that immortality is only given by God as a reward for righteousness. And as EzekiEl 18:4 says, 'The person (gr. psyche or soul) that is sinning will die (gr. apothaneitai).'

Of course, there are places in the Bible where the word soul means more than just a living, fleshly body. For example, God is recorded to have spoken of 'My Soul' in several places. Obviously, God is much more than just a 'soul' as most people think of that term, and He surely wasn't talking about His having a human body. So we must conclude that what He was referring to is His life or His person.

Then there are Jesus' words found at Matthew 10:28, which read, 'Don't be afraid of those who kill the body but can't kill the person (psyche or soul). Rather, be afraid of him who can destroy both the person (soul) and the body in the garbage dump.' Here, Jesus is using the word psyche (soul) to refer to the value of life that remains with God until the resurrection. And he obviously isn't referring the soul as immortal in this instance, because he says God will destroy (gr. apolesai) the [unrighteous] soul or person.

Unfortunately, no single word can be used to translate psyche in every possible Bible application, so various terms are used herein, depending on the circumstances, but always in an attempt to harmonize with the meaning.

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Hades: Hell or the Grave?

The Greek word Hades (the Greeks pronounced it hah-dess) has been translated both as Hell (which many today think of as a place of torture) and as the Grave in other Bible versions (such as the King James). Since one word can't mean two very different things, which translation is correct?

Hades (like the English word Hell) actually means the place of the dead. However, as pagan Greek philosophy started to develop and creep into Christianity, the later-day Greek view of Hades (a place of torture) was applied to it. Was this a correct application?

An insight into how the ancient Hebrews and the early Christians understood the word can be gained from looking at how it was applied in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (the 'Old Testament' Bible of Jesus' day). There, the Hebrew word Sheol is translated into Greek as Hades in every instance; yet in each case, these are obvious references to the grave (the place of the dead), not to a place of conscious torture (see Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10).

Another revealing application of the word Hades is found at Revelation the 20:13. It says there, 'The sea (gr. he thalassa) gave up its dead, death and the grave (gr. thanatos kai ho hades) gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things that they did.'

So, notice that those who die at sea are differentiated from those who are buried in graves (Hades) and in other places (thanatos). Therefore, Hades is better translated as grave, and even better translated as the place of the dead.

In the book of Job, another word that is used once in the Christian-era Scriptures and often translated as Hell, is found twice. That Greek word is Tartarus, which refers to the place where evil gods or angels are sent. For more information on this and other words that are translated as Hell, see the linked document, Is There a Burning Hell?

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Cross or Pole?

The Greek word stauros simply means pole. So, regardless of popular tradition and doctrine, there is no mention of a pole with a cross piece (cross) in the original Bible. Also, the Greek word staurotheto (which is translated crucified or hung on a cross) is translated as impaled (put on a pole or stake) here, because that's what it means.

Does this mean that Jesus didn't die on a cross? Not necessarily, for there is a lot of historical evidence which indicates that he did (see the link Dispute about Jesus' Execution Method). Yet, whether the Romans used just an upright pole or one with a cross beam as a means of torture and execution is really unimportant. If one views such a thing as an object of worship (which many do), then this is condemned in the Bible as idolatry… and they are also missing the point. For, what should be held as sacred to us is the one who gave his life on our behalf, not the disgusting object of his execution.

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Apostasy and Apostates

The Greek word apostasis (in its various conjugated forms) is used several times in the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (OT). We find it used at 2 Chronicles 28:19, for example, where we've rendered it as 'turned away,' because that's what the term really means. It refers to a turning away from a righteous God-fearing way of life. For, the Greek word (which we pronounce as apostasy in English) literally means, 'turn away from (apo)' a 'standing or state (stasis).' So, it doesn't refer to a disagreement over the way some doctrine is viewed, as the word is misapplied by some religious groups.

Almost all Bible references to apostasy are speaking of a turning away from the way of IsraElite life that is outlined in the Law. And there are just two places where this term (apostasy) is used to indicate someone's unfaithfulness in the Christian Era Scriptures (NT), at Acts 21:21 and at 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

At Acts 21:21 we read (concerning the Apostle Paul): 'But they have heard the rumor that you've been teaching Judeans who live among the nations an apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to follow the traditions.'

Notice that Paul's teaching wasn't being called an apostasy; rather, the apostasy was not following the traditional Jewish way of life as outlined by Moses.

Actually, the proper word to use when speaking of teaching something that deviates from established doctrine is heresy, which is the word that the Catholic Church used extensively to accuse faithful Christians (and others) during their 'Inquisition' of 1400s and 1500s. Notice that they didn't accuse anyone of apostasy (turning from a Christian way of life), but of heresy (disagreeing with their established doctrines). So, they understood the difference.

There was at least one instance where Paul himself seemed to accuse and impose sanctions against other Christians for heresy. We find this account at 2 Timothy 2:17, 18, where he wrote: 'That was the problem with Hymenaeus and Philetus; they got away from the truth and started teaching that the resurrection has already happened, which misdirected the faith of some.'

So, deviating from teaching the truth of the Bible was a serious matter among First-Century Christians. However, in view of what Jesus said at Matthew 5:22 and what was said about Jesus at Jude 9, calling anyone such a thing as 'an apostate' or a 'heretic,' when there might be some question as to who is right, would be an even more serious matter before God.

The only other places in the Christian-Era Scriptures (NT) where the Greek word for apostasy is found, is where a 'certificate of dismissal' (divorce certificate) is mentioned (see Mark 10:4, for example). The words there are biblion apostasiu, which literally mean 'scroll of apostasy (or turning away).'

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Did Jesus have Fleshly Brothers?

There are many places in the Scriptures that speak of Jesus' brothers and sisters, and Acts 1:14 is one of those places. Were these Jesus' fleshly brothers, or was the writer (Luke) referring to 'spiritual' brothers?

The context provides the answer. The fact that Jesus' brothers are mentioned here in addition to his Apostles, disciples, and his mother (Mary), indicates that these were fleshly brothers (other children of Mary).

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Resurrection

It has often been said that the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (Old Testament) don't really speak of the hope of a resurrection of the dead. However, the Hebrew word, which might be rendered as resurrection, is simply never translated that way in most other Bibles. But in the Greek Septuagint version of the OT, the word for resurrection (anastasia) appears several times.

For example: we find it first used in the song that HanNah sang to Jehovah after she had offered her young son SamuEl to serve at God's Sacred Tent (in First Samuel 2:8). This is particularly interesting, for, although most would consider her words just a record of an unimportant song, the woman spoke a truly inspired and important prophecy, which applied back then and is still being fulfilled in our day. Yet, resurrections had apparently never been seen on earth before her time. For more information, see the linked document, The Resurrection.

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Satan, Devil, Lucifer, Beelzebub

It is appropriate that the heavenly name of the great Opposer and Slanderer of God is never given in the Bible. However, several terms (and one mistakenly) have been used to describe him. Here is a list of those descriptions:

· Satan: This is a Hebrew word meaning, opposer, resistor, and a wily person who does things just to serve his own interests. It was applied to the Evil One, because of his opposition to God. And so, to keep from misleading people into thinking of Satan as a name, it is translated as 'the Opposer' herein.

· Devil: This is the only Greek word (Diabolos) used in the Bible to describe the evil one. The first part of the word, dia, means through, and bolos means throw (it's where we get the English words ball and bowl). So, Devil means one who throws through, which amounts to being a slanderer (using the Greek colloquialism), so that's the way it's translated herein.

· Lucifer: Lucifer is commonly thought of as another name for the Biblical Opposer. However, this word doesn't appear as a name in most translations of the Bible. It does appear once in the King James Version, at Isaiah 14:12, in which the King of Babylon is referred to as Lucifer, Son of the Morning. However, the original Hebrew words were: Helel ben Shahar or, Day/star, son/of the/dawn. So, there is no direct link in the Bible between the entity known in Hebrew as Satan to Lucifer. Changing the description day star son of the dawn into a name (Lucifer) was done by Augustine, when he was translating the text in IsaiAh from the original Hebrew into Latin.

· BeelZebub: There are eight references in the Bible to this Hebrew noun, and it does refer to the Slanderer. However, once again, this is not a proper name. It appears to be a title. Beel (like Baal) means Lord, and Zebub appears to refer to flies (the insects). So, BeelZebub likely means Lord of Flies.

Is the Opposer (Slanderer or BeelZebub) a real person? All one has to do is look at the titles he was given above to realize that he is. To deny his existence negates the rest of the Bible. For example, when dealing with Adam's sin, why did God adhere so closely to a law, when other options were available to Him? Why didn't he just destroy rebellious Adam and create another man?

The fact is, He created men and His spirit sons (messengers or angels with the ability to choose whether to serve Him or not; so none are automatons. And as a man failed in the Paradise of Pleasure, we can assume (and as the Scriptures support) that there were failures (and rebels) in the heavens also. This is the reason why it became necessary to have a law that clearly outlined what rebellion against God constituted, and what the consequences for violating that law would be. It was obviously for the sake of the millions of millions of heavenly spirit (breath) creatures that the issue of rebellion here on the earth had to be resolved by legal means, and in a way that demonstrated the love and loyalty of God's first-born son, which resulted in the painful need for a 'ransom' (Jesus' death).

The idea (which some religions have promoted) that the Slanderer isn't real, but only a state of mind, creates some conundrums. For example:

· When Jesus was being tempted in the desert, was he simply struggling with the bad within himself rather than against a real, evil personality? If so, we would have to conclude that there was bad in Jesus.

· Is the battle in heaven that is spoken of at Revelation the Twelfth Chapter to be just figurative, and not a real war against the Opposer and his messengers? If so, then in what sense would 'the Opposer' and his 'messengers' lose the battle and be confined to the earth? Also, why would this entity, if just internal evil be 'angry' in knowing that he just has 'a short period of time left?'

· And lastly, when the Opposer entered God's presence and spoke to Him (as spoken of in Job the First Chapter), could we assume that this inherent evil was found in God? That isn't likely.

However, there is some question as to the use of the Greek word Diabolos found at 1 Chronicles 21:1 (in the Greek Septuagint), where 'a slanderer' had urged King David to take a census of Israel. Since Diabolos is a Greek word and First Chronicles was written in Hebrew, we would assume that Diabolos (Slanderer) was substituted for the Hebrew word Satan (Opposer) when the Bible was first translated into Greek. But the text seems to imply that a slanderer, not the Slanderer, had come to David. So, we don't really know if the text implies that the Evil One came to him personally, if it was just an evil spirit that came over or to him, or if some bad human had urged David to defy God and take a census of IsraEl.

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Servants

For centuries, the proper translation of the Greek word diakonos has bothered people who wish to create levels of authority within the Christian Congregation. So, to add extra weight to this office, diakonos has been translated into many different titles (rather than just descriptions of a duty) in attempts to blur what it really means in English, just a servant. Words such as 'deacon' (from diakonos), minister, and even the redundancy 'ministerial servant' have been employed. However, what the qualified men who handled the work and odd jobs that were necessary in running the day-to-day affairs of a Christian gathering were called in the First Century, was just servants.

A later position of responsibility that was spoken of by Paul was the appointment of 'elders' or 'overseers' in the emerging Christian congregations. Elders likely had to be males, and their job was to shepherd and teach in the congregations. However, elders were also just servants – that is, servants with a small 's.' For, following Jesus' instructions found at Matthew 23:8-11, all Christians were to be considered as equals; so the taking of titles and the assigning of leaders was contrary to the instructions of Jesus. For, notice what Jesus actually said there: 'But not you! Don't [have people] call you rabbi, for you have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. So, don't address anyone on earth as Father, because there's just One who is your Father, the Heavenly One. Nor should you be called leaders, for you have but one Leader, the Anointed One. However, the greatest among you must be your servant. For, whoever promotes himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be promoted.'

The Scriptures also show that these servants in the congregation were then responsible to meet high standards of conduct and reputation. And although Paul didn't mention it specifically, they were expected to be able to make wise decisions and to show signs of having God's Breath. Notice that these were the qualifications for all who served in the Christian Congregation, since the first requirements to be considered as congregational servants (found at Acts 6:3) were: 'males (gr. andras) … among you who are filled with wisdom and the Breath [of God].'

For more information, see the linked document, Arrangement of the First Christian Churches.

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Eunuch

When we hear the word eunuch, we usually think of a man who has been castrated, because that's what the term has come to mean through the years. However, when someone is described as a eunuch in the Bible, it doesn't necessarily mean that he was sexually mutilated. In fact, during the reigns of faithful kings of IsraEl, such mutilation would have been considered repulsive; for a sexually-mutilated person, by Law, couldn't serve as a Priest or worship at the Temple of Jehovah.

Does this mean then, that God dislikes men whose testicles have been forcibly or accidentally removed? No, surely the reasons for this law involved His knowledge that some men, in their desire to better serve Him, may have considered castration to remove any carnal desires; and He clearly didn't want that to happen. So, God provided a law to disallow any who were castrated from serving Him in these special ways.

Notice that the Greek word eunuch doesn't really carry the meaning of castration. Rather, it means bed keeper. However, most bed keepers (or harem watchers) for kings were in fact castrated to keep them from temptation. Yet, eunuchs are frequently mentioned in the Bible as holding other offices (such as the Ethiopian Eunuch), which didn't necessarily require castration. So, why were they then referred to as bed keepers? Because the term had come under common use to apply to all trusted servants of kings.

Was DaniEl (who served under the chief Babylonian eunuch) a eunuch? His position as a special servant to the king would indicate that he held the title of eunuch. But is it possible that he had also been castrated? Well, as an early captive from JeruSalem, he was a member of the nobility or royalty, and notice the prophecy that God gave to King HezekiAh at Isaiah 39:7, where we read, 'They will take your children – those who you have fathered – and make them eunuchs in the houses of the Babylonians.'

In the above case, the Greek word that we have translated as eunuch (which is also a Greek word) is castrati, or one who has been sexually mutilated. And the fact that there is no mention of DaniEl having a wife or children, and that none of his descendants are listed among those who returned to JeruSalem, makes this a possible conclusion.

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Fornication or Sexual Immorality?

The Greek word porneia means more than just copulation between individuals who aren't married to each other. The term literally means that which is sold (by prostitutes). So, it includes all types of sexual acts that might be sold by prostitutes; and it applies to such actions between those (whether male or female) who are not married to each other, even when there may be no exchange of money, because, wherever we find the word porneia in the Bible, the Hebrew Law shows that it involves any intimate relations between unmarried persons.

Therefore, because the English word fornication carries the nuance of just copulation between unmarried persons, we have used the broader term sexual immorality in this Bible to indicate the full range of meaning.

For more information, see the linked document Christian Morality.

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Demons

2 Peter 2:4 speaks of 'messengers' or 'angels' who were put into 'Tartarus' for bad acts they committed during the time of Noah. Genesis 6:3 speaks of these as 'sons of God' (gr. uioi tou Theou) and it tells of their coming to earth to marry 'the daughters of men' (gr. thygateras ton anthropon). However, these 'sons of God' don't appear to be quite the same as the 'messengers' who are to be thrown out of heaven during 'the Lord's Day,' mentioned at Revelation 12:7-9. Since the 'sons of God' who came to earth and assumed human bodies in Noah's day couldn't be destroyed by the downpour (flood) and they had forsaken heaven, they were apparently put into a prison-like state here on the earth, where they are no longer able to roam. This group is specifically referred to as the demons in the Bible.

It is interesting that; except among modern materialistic and scientific societies, demons are recognized as real throughout the world by almost all of its religions. And such universal acknowledgement by diverse peoples with no cultural ties, is one of the strongest arguments for their existence.

Demon is a Greek word that seems to be derived from diameno, which means, fixed in one place. From other Bible accounts about demons, it appears as though this 'fixing in one place' means that they must be associated with either living or non-living things, which is referred to as 'possession.'

At Acts 17:18 the Epicureans and Stoic Philosophers of Greece asked about Paul's teaching a 'foreign demon.' And although most translations render his words as 'foreign god,' they truly said 'demon' (gr. daimonion). This is also true of Paul's reply found at Acts 17:22, 'Men of Athens; I see that you have a greater fear of the demons than do others.'

The reason why this term was used is obvious: The many pagan idols and Gods of Athens, although made of metal and stone, had the backing of demons. And the people recognized the power that was given to these lifeless objects through 'possession' by their gods.

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Luke

Notice that the Bible book of Luke starts out by addressing the same man as does the book of Acts; someone with the Greek name (or title) TheoPhilus. So, we have good reason to believe that the person who wrote the book of Acts also wrote Luke (and about the same time), 'the beloved Physician,' Luke.

Who was Luke? The Bible doesn't tell us much about him, other than he was a regular traveling companion of Paul. Notice that; throughout the book of Acts he writes that 'we' did this or that. So, Luke was likely someone who was also assigned to preach to Gentiles. And although there is no record of him being an eye-witness to the events of the life of Jesus, that isn't true of the events recorded in the book of Acts, because the accounts show that he lived most of it, especially the journeys of Paul. And because he ended Acts with the imprisonment of Paul in Rome, we have to assume that he did all his writing about the year 62-C.E., which is almost thirty years after Jesus' death.

Luke was quite a chronicler, since (according to his own words), the book of Luke in particular was a compilation of things he had researched. And something that only a translator would notice, is that quite a bit of Luke's Gospel is borrowed from Matthew's, although it doesn't follow in the same chronological order. There is nothing wrong with him quoting Matthew, because he admits that his was a compiled account, and Matthew's writing was just one of his sources (see the link, Augustinian Hypothesis)

Also, if you look at his writing style (Luke's writing is flowery and educated, and his greetings can go on for paragraphs), you can see that he likely wrote some of the epistles that are attributed to Paul. For, it appears as though Paul may have told him what to write (because Paul himself had very poor vision), and Luke, on occasion, served as Paul's secretary.

The reason why Luke prepared the book bearing his name, was to set matters straight when it came to all the stories that were being told about Jesus at that late date. For, notice what he wrote at Luke 1:1-3: 'Since many others have already taken on the job of putting together a statement of the facts of the things we believe as they were given to us by those who were eyewitnesses from long ago, and by caretakers of the message; it seemed good for me to trace everything accurately from the start, then write them to you in the order they happened, mighty Theophilus, so you can feel confident about the things you've been taught by word of mouth.'

There are a number of places where Luke's Gospel disagrees with Matthew's Gospel. However, that is simply to be expected when several people tell the same story from different points of view.

Also, many of the things that Jesus said and did are shown as happening in a different order than in Matthew. And this could be:

· Because Jesus said and did similar things on other occasions

· Because someone remembered them as happening on other occasions

· Because one of the writers (likely Matthew) was more concerned with the subject than the chronology.

Is Luke's Gospel more accurate than Matthew's Gospel? Well, he did have a second look at what Matthew wrote, which usually provides an edge when it comes to accuracy. And the extensive use of the poetry of Jesus' words in Luke's account does seem to indicate a better recollection of things exactly as he said them.

In addition; the book of Luke appears to have been written in Greek, whereas the book of Matthew (in particular) was written in Hebrew or Aramaic, and was translated into Greek early in the 2^nd Century, where errors were made and spurious words started to be introduced. And Luke's account doesn't appear to have been as 'messed with' as do the books of Matthew and Mark, where many changes and additions can be documented. So, wherever major difference between the accounts are found, we have learned to defer to and trust the words of Luke.

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Who Was Mark?

Mark was really named John Mark, but he was referred to as just Mark to distinguish him from the others named John.

Mark was an eyewitness to Jesus' arrest in the Garden of GethSemane, for his account tells us (at Mark 14:50-52), 'Then [the Apostles] all abandoned him and ran. But, a certain young man who had slipped a linen nightgown over his naked body, started following close behind. However, [the mob] tried to grab him, so he ran away naked, leaving his covering behind.' The fact that mark doesn't identify this young man by name, indicates that he was talking about himself.

The next mentioning of him in the Bible, is when he traveled with Paul and BarNabas to AntiOch, then on to the Island of Cyprus. From there, he (against Paul's wishes) returned home to JeruSalem. And that departure later caused quite an argument between Paul and BarNabas, when BarNabas wanted to take Mark along on a subsequent missionary journey. However, in a letter written several years after that, Paul indicated that he had forgiven Mark and asked him to come to him.

Mark was a resident of JeruSalem, because the Bible tells us that Peter went to the home of Mark's mother (in JeruSalem) after a messenger from God freed Peter from the jail there. And the fact that Mark was present in a nightgown at Jesus' arrest, indicates that he lived nearby.

Some commentators have claimed that Mark's Gospel was the first to be written, but it is clear that much of Mark's story is actually borrowed from the more detailed account of Matthew. Note, for example, the comment at Mark 13:14, advising the readers to pay attention (or understand), and then compare this to the same comment made by Matthew at Matthew 24:15. So it can be seen that one borrowed the words from the other; but was it Matthew or Mark?

Now notice how Mark corrected Matthew's account in his description about the things that Jesus did after arriving at the Temple, shortly before his death. Matthew 21:10-12 tells us, 'Well, when he entered JeruSalem, the whole city was stirred up [as people asked], Who is this? But the crowd [that was with Jesus] answered, He's Jesus, the Prophet from NazarEth of GaliLee! Then Jesus went into the Temple and threw out all those who were buying and selling there, and he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those who were selling doves.' As you can see, Matthew's Gospel indicates that Jesus did this all on the same day! However, Mark wrote (at Mark 11:11), 'Then he rode into JeruSalem, went into the Temple, and looked around at everything; but because it was late, he [went back] to BethAny with the twelve.'

So it can be proven from the texts that Matthew wrote first, and then Mark borrowed from some of his writings (see the link, Augustinian Hypothesis). Of course, there is nothing wrong with one writer copying the words of another, since the books of Mark and Luke are admittedly compiled accounts, and the writings of Matthew were surely included in those compilations. While many of the things that Jesus said and did followed the same order as they are told in Matthew (but not in the same order as in Luke's Gospel), someone (probably Peter) appears to have added comments where his recollections differed, or where he remembered more.

The reason why Mark wrote this book, was apparently to eliminate many of Matthew's references to Hebrew prophecies. He likely did this so that gentiles (those to whom he was preaching) could see how Jesus' life and words applied to them, rather than to the Jews. His writing is definitely more direct, interesting, and abbreviated than the Book of Matthew.

Is Mark's Gospel more accurate than Matthew's Gospel? Well, he did have a second look at what Matthew wrote, which always provides an edge when it comes to accuracy. And his close adherence to the words of Matthew would indicate that his revisions are corrections. However, most of the poetry of Jesus' words is missing, so the beauty of what Jesus said was sacrificed for brevity.

Mark's Gospel seems to end in the middle of the story, which likely caused two later writers to add their own conclusions to his words. However, a study of ancient Bible manuscripts indicates that neither conclusion is likely authentic, so both have been omitted here.

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Christian

Some have commented on the fact that; although this Bible translates the Greek word Christon (Christ) as Anointed One, we have left the words Christian and Antichrist unchanged. Why is this?

Under the Note heading, 'Who are God's Anointed?,' we pointed out that Christon means Anointed or Chosen One, and using the Anglicized corruption of the Greek word Christon doesn't really convey the proper meaning to most Bible readers today. This is why, rather than speaking of Jesus as the Christ, we have chosen to speak of him as the Anointed One.

However, this isn't the case with the word Christian (which literally means Follower of the Anointed), because, nothing is commonly misunderstood about that term. Rendering it as 'Anointed One-ians,' or anything similar, would simply be confusing, since the term Christian has been the name that is universally applied to Jesus' followers since the time of the Apostles, and it doesn't lead to a misunderstanding, as does the word Christ. This is also the reason why we have left the word Antichrist unchanged.

Please note that the purpose here is not to use obscure terms for consistency, but rather, to help readers understand the true meanings of the words that are used in the Bible.

For more information, see the linked document, Christians, Jews, and Moslems.

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The Last Days

Throughout the Christian Era Scriptures (New Testament), we read of a time that is referred to as 'the last days' (gr. tas hemera eschata). And in each case, these words seem to be speaking of the same period or periods; however, many religious groups prefer to identify them as separate and distinct eras. Take for example, the prophecy of Joel that Peter quoted on the day of Pentecost, 33-C.E. There we read (at Acts 2:17-21):
'In the last days
I'll pour some of my Breath on all flesh,
And your sons and daughters will then prophesy,
Your young men will have visions,
And your old men will dream dreams.
I will pour out some of My Breath in those days,
And My male and female slaves will then prophesy.
And from the skies above I'll send omens and signs,
And to the earth below, blood, fire, and smoky mist.
Before the great and shining day of the Lord,
The sun will be changed into darkness
And the moon into blood.
And all calling on the Name of the Lord will be saved.'

Peter's application of this prophecy clearly indicates that it was fulfilled (at least initially) at the time he was saying this… during and after Pentecost 33-C.E. So, many religions teach that Joel's prophecy concerning the last days only applied to the last days of ancient JeruSalem… before its destruction by Roman armies in 70-C.E. On the other hand, where these same words (last days) are found in other Bible verses, the same religions teach that the fulfillment comes just during 'the Lord's Day.' For example, notice the words found at 2 Timothy 3:1-5:
'Recognize that the last days will bring fierce times. People will love themselves and money. They will be braggers, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to their parents, unthankful and disloyal. They won't love their families or be willing to agree on anything. They will be slanderers who don't have any self-control. They will be wild and won't love anything that is good. They will be betrayers who are headstrong and proud. They will prefer pleasures to caring about God. They will have some form of religion, but they won't follow it.'

Obviously, at least in the prophecy of Joel, the last days do refer to the time between Pentecost of 33-C.E. and 70-C.E. However, notice that the prophecy also mentions its fulfillment as happening during 'the great and shining day of the Lord;' so it seems to also indicate another fulfillment as coming in some future last days.

That there would be such a future period of last days (which would come after JeruSalem's destruction), appears to be indicated by Jesus' words as found throughout the Bible book of John. For example, John wrote (some 29 years after JeruSalem's destruction) that Jesus said (at John 6:39. 40), 'This is what the Will of the One who sent me is: That I shouldn't destroy anything He has given me, but that I should resurrect it on the Last Day. This is what my Father's will is: That everyone who pays close attention to the Son and believes in him should have age-long life, and I will resurrect him on the Last Day.'

It is noteworthy that John didn't thereafter add any comment to explain that the resurrection had already started back on Pentecost 33-C.E. (before JeruSalem was destroyed). So apparently it hadn't, and the resurrection was still to come in some future last day. In fact, John's writing of the Revelation indicates that the resurrection wouldn't come until after 'the battle of Armageddon' (Revelation 16-20) is fought. Such conclusions lead us to believe that there are actually two periods referred to in the Bible as the last days:

1. The last days of JeruSalem

2. The Lord's Day.

That both last days would see similar fulfillments is indicated by Jesus' words as found in Matthew 24 and Mark 13. If you read these chapters and reference the linked Notes, it seems clear that both last days would see the fulfillment of many (but not all of the same) prophecies. So, is there to be some future fulfillment of the outpouring of God's Breath and its gifts as seen at Pentecost? Although every religion has reached strong (but differing) opinions and doctrines on this, the answer isn't totally clear.

That there will be some special outpouring of God's Breath in the last days, is clearly indicated by Joel's prophecy. However, while many religions that already claim to experience these gifts usually express it through healing, snake handling, and speaking in tongues; notice that Joel's prophecy speaks specifically of miraculous prophesying. And Paul, when speaking of such gifts at 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14, actually discouraged speaking in tongues, putting prophesying and developing Christian love as foremost. Also, although the early Christians actually did Divine healing, this gift isn't mentioned in Joel's prophecy. So, if there is to be some modern fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, it seems to center on prophesying (something more than sharing our personal interpretations of Bible doctrines) and on an unusual outpouring of brotherly love.

See also the linked documents, The Last Days, and The Powers of God's Holy Spirit.

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The Anointed

Notice that in this Bible translation, 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 (for example) says, 'The One who guarantees that we all belong to the Anointed One, and He who anointed us, is God.'

So, why didn't these translators just go ahead and render the word (Anointed) as Christ – as countless other translators have done? For two reasons:

· Because Christ has almost totally lost its meaning to most Bible readers today, and most have come to believe that 'Christ' was Jesus' last name. It wasn't.

· Because Christ is a word that was made up by early Bible translators and is only used in that form when they think that the Bible was speaking of Jesus. In other places it is correctly translated as anointed.

If you look at the above verse in Greek, you'll see that it reads, 'Ho de bebaion hemas syn hymin eis Christon kai chrisas hemas Theos,' or, 'The of stabilizing us with you into Anointed and anointing us God.'

You will notice here that Christon (Christ or Anointed) and chrisas (anointing) are both derived from the same root word, which by the way, is Greek for olive oil. Why olive oil? Because that substance was traditionally poured over the heads of those whom God chose to be kings or priests over IsraEl. For example, David and Solomon were both anointed (oil was poured over their heads) in proof of the fact that they had been chosen by God to be kings over IsraEl.

So, the word means anointed. But if you prefer the word Christ, then Saul, David, and Solomon were Christs, for you can't have it both ways. As an example; look at the words that David spoke about Saul, as found at 1 Samuel 24:6 LXX): 'Kai eipin David pros tous andras autou: Medamos moi para kiriou ei poieso to hrema touto to kyrio mou to christo kyriou epenegkai cheira mou ep auton hoti christos kyriou estin autos,' or 'Said David to the men of/his: By/no/means of/me from the/Lord if I/should/do this thing to my/Lord to/the Christ (Anointed) of/the/Lord to/raise my/hand against him, for the/Christ (Anointed) of/the/Lord this is.'

So as you can see; if Christos should be translated as Christ, then unrighteous King Saul was also Christ. However, almost all Bibles translate christos as anointed in this case (one of many instances).

Such a physical anointing with oil appeared to picture receiving God's Holy Breath, which happened to Jesus at his baptism, to 120 of Jesus' disciples at Pentecost of 33-C.E., and to other First-century Christians. So Jesus didn't really become the Christon (Christ, Anointed, or Chosen One) until he was anointed with Holy Breath at his baptism (when the 'dove' came down on him).

If you understand this nuance, you get the true meaning of the word Christ (Anointed) as it applies to Jesus; it means that he was the one who God chose to be king over His people. Also, Paul was telling the Christians in Corinth that they too would be anointed… become 'christs.' For, when they were 'anointed' and sealed in their hearts by God's Holy Breath, they were selected to be 'kings on the earth' (Revelation 5:10).

Notice what can be learned from a proper understanding of the Greek words by looking at Matthew 24:24. For there, many Bibles say that Jesus foretold the coming of false Christs and false prophets. But what he actually said was, 'Because false anointed ones and false prophets (gr. pseudo christon kai pseudo prophetai) will arise and they will perform great signs and omens to mislead (if possible) even the elected.'

So, Jesus wasn't necessarily saying that people would come claiming to be him, but people would come falsely claiming to be the anointed and prophets. For more information, see the linked document, False Anointed and False Prophets.

Another example of the poor use of the title Christ (implying Jesus) by Bible translators can be found at 1 Peter 1:10, 11, which reads in this Bible: 'When it comes to salvation, the Prophets looked and searched for this loving-care that's being shown to you. They tried, through the spirit of anointing that was in them, to determine the exact time and circumstances of the sufferings of the Anointed One and of his being glorified, which they knew about even back then.'

Other Bible say that it was the Spirit of Christ that was in the ancient Prophets. However, as we pointed out above, Jesus didn't become the Christ or the Anointed until after his baptism.

So, what Peter was saying in those verses, is that those ancient Prophets tried through the power of God's Breath which had anointed them to be Prophets, to determine the time and circumstances of the glorification of Jesus. For, if you check the wording of those verses in Greek, you'll see that there is no definite article preceding the first christou (anointed), which would be required if it was saying that the Spirit of the Christ (or the Anointed One) was in them.

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Noble Bereans

The words of Acts 17:10 are often quoted to show why Christians should follow along in their Bibles as its verses are being read by others in Church. And while this is an excellent practice, the actual reason for following along is often overlooked or glossed over. Notice what Luke wrote, 'Now, these people were nobler than those who were in Thessalonica, because they eagerly welcomed the Word and examined the Scriptures every day, to make sure the things [they were being told] were true.'

It's an unfortunate fact that, while we are often told that we must 'examine the scriptures every day,' we are seldom reminded that the reason for this is to make sure the things we are being told are true.

Checking to make sure that a teacher, preacher, magazine, or book is properly applying the Scriptures, is vital for true Christians, and asking questions should never be avoided. For, far too often, people quote Bible verses out of context, without considering the circumstances under which the things were written or said, and the result is wrong interpretations of the verses being quoted. Is this acceptable in the eyes of God? Notice Paul's answer as found at Romans 3:7, 8:
'Now, if I tell a lie and that makes the truth of God and His glory grow, then why should I be judged a sinner? Well, that is why people are saying so many bad things about us. They claim that some of us are saying, Let's do bad things, so good things can happen. This is why that judgment is righteous.'

It has long been said that 'the Bible is a fiddle that you can play any old tune on.' However, this really isn't true; for when the context of any verse is fully considered, the Bible is found to be a harmonious writing with a single theme and purpose. Yet, the statement above can be made true by using the Scriptures out of their context.

It's unfortunate that many sincere Christians will quote scriptures that don't really apply to their argument or circumstances to make a point. It's also unfortunate that; because they haven't searched the Scriptures for themselves (to read the context of the things they are taught), this has caused many to embrace erroneous beliefs. Can this be excused? No, not when we all have easy access to God's Word and simply choose not to read and examine it, preferring to trust others to make up our minds as to what we should believe.

So, after reading religious literature or listening to an interesting speaker, each of us should ask, 'Do I just remember what was said, or do I also remember the scriptures that prove what was said?' If we can only quote what others say or write, we have missed the point, because we are neither sure of its truth, nor can we explain it to others.

Are there many today who are like those noble people in the synagogue at Berea? Unfortunately, no. We live in a world of fast food and packaging, and such quick solutions often include accepting pre-packaged beliefs. Why, even the arguments for or against such beliefs come prepackaged in magazines, books, tracts, and brochures, so nobody has to do any research. All they have to do is to quote what they've been told.

Anyhow, if you've come this far, hopefully you can see the advantage of the format of this Bible. Small sections of verses aren't just quoted here; you can read the context and the rest of the Bible if you wish. Also, if you find some omission or error, you may contact us and discuss it, for we are truly interested in what you have to say.

For more information, see the linked document, What Is Truth?

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The Breath

The Greek word pneuma (as in pneumonia, a breathing disease) means breath or wind – the movement of air. In other Bible translations, this word is often translated as spirit or ghost, as in Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. However, spirit is just a shortened form of the Latin word spiritu, which just means breath in Latin. And ghost conveys another meaning altogether.

In the Bible, the most common use of the word pneuma is to convey the idea of a force that can't be seen, such as breath or wind. And the problem with translating it as spirit or ghost, is that those words have been given religious meanings that aren't implied by the Greek texts.

Therefore, to prevent confusion, the Greek word pneuma is frequently translated as breath herein. However, there are exceptions, as in instances where the Bible refers to demons as 'spirits.' Translating pneuma as breath in these cases, although correct, might just be confusing. There are also places where we have left pneuma translated as spirit, when the word implies a person's tendency (or spirit). And, since the nuance implied by the word spirit in the English language (an unseen power) is correct, we recently changed back to translating pneuma as spirit in several places, when referring to God's Holy Spirit. However, recognize that pneuma is often best defined by calling it [God's] Holy Breath. For an example, see the Note Worshiping God In Spirit and Truth.

Another important use of the word pneuma is in the phrase, 'Breath of Life.' This phrase appears to mean more than just breathing, for it seems to refer to the entire mechanics of life itself. It's the unseen force of life for all creatures… it's what makes each cell alive. However, nowhere does the Bible describe the 'pneuma' as immortal, nor is it the same as the soul (a breathing thing), so it can (figuratively) 'return to God' at death,' because all hope of future life depends on God and His promise of a resurrection.

Note in particular how the term Breath is used at Job 27:3, where Job spoke of God's Breath or Spirit. For there he asked, 'Does the Breath of the Divine One remain in my nose?' As you can see from his application of this word, pneuma obviously referred to God's Breath, not to a person or to an unseen force. He was talking about that which comes from God and which caused him (Job) to breathe… the Breath of Life.

It is interesting that at Genesis 6:3, God said concerning the wicked people on earth before the Downpour: 'I won't allow My Breath to stay with these men through the age, for they are fleshly.' In Greek that reads, 'Ou me katameine to pneuma mou en tois anthropois toutoiseis ton aiona, dia ai einai autous sarka,' or, 'Not not should stay the Breath Mine with these men the age through, their being flesh.'

While the words Breath Mine (pneuma mou) here can refer to God's Holy Breath, it seems more likely that He is referring to the breath of life that He gave to Adam. So it appears as though what God was saying here, is that the breath of life (of the people of that age) would be removed prematurely. However, since God referred to it as 'My Breath,' there may be a link implied between God's Holy Breath and the breath of life.
For more information, see the linked document, 'The Powers of God's Holy Spirit.'

However, when Jesus died (as the words recorded at John 19:30 say), 'he hung his head and gave up the breath' (gr. kai klinas ten kephalen paredoken to pneuma, or, and inclined his head giving/up the breath). In this case, the obvious reference is to 'the breath of life,' or that force which gave him life as a human.

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Getting Saved

Although the term 'getting saved' is used throughout the Bible, we gain a real sense of the meaning of this term from Acts 16:29, 30, which tells of a Greek jailer (someone who was unfamiliar with Christianity and its terms) who asked Paul and Silas, 'Lords, what must I to do to get saved?' And they replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your household will be saved.'

The question that naturally come to mind here is, what the jailer thought that he and his family were going to be saved from. For, going back to the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (O.T.), the only mention of salvation appears to have been in connection with being saved through the destruction of IsraEl or Jerusalem. However, this man and his family didn't live anywhere near Jerusalem, so they weren't in danger of being destroyed when that city was conquered by the Romans in 70-C.E. Therefore, it doesn't seem likely that he was talking about a physical salvation from a coming destruction.

Among modern Christians, however, the term 'salvation' has come to mean 'being saved from damnation.' And something like that must have been what the man was referring to, since there was no indication that he and his family were in immanent danger from another source. Yet, the question and the answer he was given are still a bit philosophical, since we really don't know what was going through the man's mind when he asked it.

However, is simple 'belief in Jesus' all that is required for 'salvation from damnation?' In this case, there was a lot more that the jailer needed to understand, because, as a virtual pagan, there was a world of things for him to learn about monotheism, Christian conduct, the resurrection, and of God's Kingdom. So, much more than just belief in Jesus would actually have been required for them to be saved. This is why the account continues with the words, 'Then they told him and all those in his house about the Word of God.'

Unfortunately, many who call themselves Christians today are actually in the the same condition as that jailer, before Paul and Silas 'told him and all those in his house about the Word of God.' For, many still don't understand Christian living (Jesus' instructions on morality and love, for example); so, notice what Jesus himself said at Matthew 7:22, 23, 'In that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, and perform many great works in your name? Then I'll admit to them: I never knew you! Get away from me you lawbreakers!'

Therefore, it appears as though more than simple belief is required. For, to keep from being a 'lawbreaker' and in order to be 'known' by Jesus, a person must believe in him and in everything that he taught, including understanding his instructions on how to live a life as one of his followers.

And who will actually be saved? Jesus answered this question himself when he said what was recorded at Matthew 24:13, 'But he who endures to the end will be saved.' So, in order for that jailer and his family to continue in a 'saved' condition, they had to follow a faithful course to the end of their lives.

Thus, from the above, we must conclude that; while belief in Jesus is required for salvation, knowledge of how to live a Christian life is also required. And to continue in this saved condition, one must maintain a clean relationship with God until 'the end.' That is, until the end of their lives, or until the coming of Jesus.

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Spiritual Jews

During Jesus' three-and-a-half year preaching campaign (C.E. 29-33), he had specifically instructed his disciples not to preach to anyone other than the people living in Palestine. The reason for this, was to allow 'the Sons of the Kingdom' (the Jews) first choice to be rulers (kings) of God's Kingdom. However, about three-and-a-half years after they rejected and murdered His Son, God started selecting members of the ruling portion of that Kingdom from among 'people of the nations' (gr. te ethne).

Of course, for Jesus' IsraElite disciples, it was hard to understand that there would be a change in the ethnic backgrounds of the Kingdom ruling group. So, despite repeated clues (such as what Jesus said at Acts 1:8 about their preaching 'to the ends of the earth'), it came as a shock to them when the first 'gentiles' were converted and received God's Holy Breath, which indicated His adoption of them as 'spiritual sons.'

This misunderstanding of the meaning of God's Kingdom continued to plague Jewish Christians until the destruction of JeruSalem and its Temple in 70-C.E. So Paul, throughout his letters to the congregations, continued to warn of Jewish 'Christians' who were trying to teach adherence to the Old Law and circumcision.

It was difficult for these Jews to understand that God's promises were no longer centered on the nation of IsraEl (with its Law, Temple, and Levitical Priesthood), and on earthly JeruSalem in particular, as the center of that rulership. And this is still misunderstood by many who claim to be Christians today, because they believe that Jews are still 'God's Chosen People,' and that the Bible's prophecies center around what is happening and will happen around earthly JeruSalem. They don't remember Jesus' words at Luke 13:35, 'Look! Your house has been taken from you!'

For more information, see the linked document, JeruSalem and the IsraEl of God.

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The Messengers

Most Bible translations render the Greek word aggelos (pronounced ahn-gel-ose – with a hard g) as angel wherever it is found. However, aggelos is just the Greek word for messenger. True, in most cases where the Bible speaks of angels, it is referring to spirit messengers from God. However, this may not be the meaning in every instance, and always translating it as angel may distort what was meant.

For example, consider the words at Acts 12:15, where Peter had just been released from prison and came to the door of some faithful Christians. Here the housemaid told the people inside that Peter was outside. And according to many other Bibles, they thought that it was 'his angel' at the door. However, this rendering doesn't sound reasonable, for it would have been unusual for Christians to assume that an angel from God (who looked like Peter) was standing and knocking at their door. Rather, the rendering we have used herein makes more sense, 'So they said, It's his messenger.'

Another good example of why aggelos shouldn't always be translated as angel can be found at Genesis 32:3, which reads in Greek, 'Apasteile de Iakob aggelous emprosthen autou pros Hesau ton adelphon autou' or, 'Sent of Jacob angels(?) ahead of/him toward Esau the brother of/him.' Here Jacob was obviously sending human messengers to his brother, not heavenly ones (angels).

And consider the words at Numbers 20:14, where we read that Moses sent messengers (gr. aggelous – messengers, plural) from Cades to the king of Edom.' Then in verse 16, it says that 'Jehovah … heard our voice and sent His messenger (gr. aggelon – messenger, singular) who brought us out of Egypt.'

Obviously, the same word (with only conjugated variations) is used there to speak of two different types of messengers… those who were human and the one who was sent from heaven by God. And in this case, most Bibles translate the first instance as messengers, but the second as angel. We have not chosen to make this distinction, however, for the readers should be able to discern from the context which ones are human and which ones are spirit by themselves. And when there is some question, each person should keep an open mind.

Consider the words of Haggai 1:13, where we read: 'Then the Messenger (or angel) of Jehovah, Haggai, one of the messengers (or angels) of Jehovah, said to the people: Jehovah says, I am with you!'

Yet, Haggai was just a man, not a spirit. So, there may be other cases in the Bible where some translations have presumptuously written angel, when the one that God sent was a human messenger!

Also consider that; Translating aggelos as messenger when it is truly speaking of a spirit from God, helps to provide readers a better, deeper understanding of the actual role that such sons of God play in His dealings with mankind… and that the term angel isn't a type of creature or a heavenly rank (as most think), but an assignment that may even be temporary. It also helps us to understand why the Bible never speaks of female or baby angels (because dead men, dead women, and dead babies don't become angels, since heavenly spirits are direct creations by God).

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Lottery or Lot

To many, the thought of choosing by lot (possibly by rolling dice or using some other form of lottery) sounds immoral and quite like gambling. However, in the Bible, that was the correct way to show the selection or choice of God. In fact, the word for inherit (kleronomesousi), means to receive by lot or lottery.

The reason why this method was used by the ancient faithful, was because they wished to allow God's hand in the decision, rather than trusting in the viewpoints or opinions of men. And there is good reason to believe that this method of choosing did in fact result in the manifestation of God's hand. For example, consider how John the Baptist's father (ZechariAh) was chosen by lot to serve in the Holy Place at the exact time for him to be told by a messenger of God about the upcoming birth of his son and of his son's responsibilities concerning the Messiah (Luke 1:8, 9). Also, consider the fact that Matthias was chosen by lottery to replace unfaithful Judas as one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

The good sense of letting things be decided by apparent chance can be found in the wise words of Solomon at Proverbs 18:18, where he said, 'Choosing by lottery ends a dispute, and it defines the boundaries of rulers.'

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Star of Raiphan

We have often wondered about the origin of the star of David that holds such a prominent place in the nation of IsraEl, for it seems unusual that a nation that was to have no images would select a star as its symbol. But when we came across the words of Amos 5:26 while translating that book from the Septuagint, something became very clear.

Now, the origination of the star of David is said to have come from the prophecy found at Numbers 24:17, which says, 'A star must rise from Jacob, and a man must spring from IsraEl. He will crush the leaders of Moab and plunder all the sons of Seth.' And since it was thought that this prophecy was fulfilled in King David, the star of David was apparently born.

However, notice the mention of another star that was worshiped by IsraEl at Amos 5:26, where we read, 'But then you chose the tent of Molech, and the star of Raiphan as your god, and images of them you made for yourselves.'

So, there seems to have been a star of a false god that was worshiped and worn as a sign (possibly around the neck) by apostate IsraElites.

Yet, it could be argued that the Bible never mentioned anything like the star of Raiphan, for the Hebrew texts actually reads (NW), 'And will actually carry Sukkuth your king, and Kaiwan, your images, the star of your god, whom you made for yourselves.'

So, the meaning of this text is quite unclear. Which rendering is right?

Notice that it was the Greek text of Amos, which Stephen quoted just before he was killed. For he said at Acts 7:43: 'Rather, you took the images that you made for worship to the tent of Moloch and to the star of the god Rephan.'

So, although the spelling is a bit different, Stephen obviously spoke of the star of Rephan (or Raiphan).

What was this star? According to A Student's Guide to New Testament Textual Variants, 'Other spellings found in manuscripts (of Acts) are Repha, Rempha, and Rephphan. The Greek Old Testament spells the name Raiphan. All of these are variations of the Egyptian name Repa for the god Saturn.'

So, a conclusion might be reached that the star of David actually came from a worship of the star god Saturn, since there is no Bible record of the star being used as a symbol of either David or IsraEl… and since God specifically banned the use of such images in His Law.

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The Foreskin

It appears as though God has provided a secret sign, known only to God and a person's mate, to indicate a desire to be righteous… the foreskin of the genitalia. On males, this is the extra fold of skin around the top of the penis; and on females, it is the small piece of skin called the hymen. So, whether this skin remains unbroken or is removed, is something that is quite secret and unseen by others, but known by God and one's mate.

It seems unusual that both of these small pieces of skin appear to have been made to be broken or cut off without creating any long-term injury or harm; and in the case of the hymen, is exclusive to humans. So, it appears as though man was deliberately created with these extra pieces of skin, so that those who wish to remain faithful before God and their mate can choose to indicate this in a very private way.

We first learned of the meaning of and need for males to be circumcised, when God told AbraHam that he, his entire household, and all his descendants should have their foreskin removed. Note what He said as found at Genesis 17:10-12: 'This is the Sacred Agreement between you and your seed (through all its generations) and Me: All of your males must be circumcised. The foreskin of your flesh must be circumcised. This will be the sign of the Sacred Agreement between you and Me. You must circumcise all of your male children when they are eight-days old, throughout all your generations. [This includes all the] servants that are born in your house, those who are bought with money, and it includes the sons of aliens who are not your seed.'

It is also interesting that new-born males were to be circumcised on the eighth day after their birth, because that is precisely the best time to perform this delicate operation, since this is when the least bleeding will occur. Who would have known this, other than God?

It was later on, after the death of Jesus, when many gentile converts were coming into the Christian Congregation, that the question of circumcision arose; for circumcised Jewish Christians were demanding that uncircumcised gentile converts also be circumcised. And when the matter was brought before 'the Holy Ones' in JeruSalem, they decided that physical circumcision was just a sign that God required of the descendants of AbraHam. So they decreed (as found at Acts 15:28, 29), 'It's apparent to the Holy Breath [of God] and to us that we shouldn't put any burdens on you other than these necessary things: Stay away from things that are sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things that are strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you stay away from these things, you will do well. Good health to you!'

In other words, physical circumcision was no longer required. However, notice what Moses wrote (as recorded at Deuteronomy 10:16, 17), 'So, circumcise the hardness from your hearts and don't be [rebellious], for Jehovah your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords.'

As you can see, there is both physical circumcision and a spiritual circumcision, which both amount to a removing of the sign of impurity (for males).

Females, of course, were not to be circumcised, because their foreskin is a sign of their virginity. And although modern people call the cruel practice of surgically removing the clitoris (as is practiced by many peoples on the African continent today) 'female circumcision,' that is just mutilation, not a removal of the foreskin.

What is the purpose of establishing virginity among women? God's view is that a husband has a right to choose a wife of high moral character who is clean and untouched. And for this, He provided the sign of the foreskin, which bleeds when first broken in sexual relations. So in ancient IsraEl (and among other descendants of AbraHam), the custom was to provide the blanket or rug on which the marriage was consummated to the parents of the bride, as proof that she was a virgin. For we read at Deuteronomy 32:13-15, 'If any man should take a wife whom he comes to dislike after he has lived with her, then starts saying bad things about her and calling her bad names, saying, When I took this woman and had sex with her, she didn't prove to be a virgin, her father and mother must bring the girl's proof of virginity to the elders at the city gate.'

And, just as one can choose to be circumcised in the heart, one can also choose to be a spiritual virgin; for at Revelation 14:4 we read of such individuals: 'These didn't dirty themselves with women. In fact, they are virgins who keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. They were bought from mankind [and offered] as the first fruitage to God and to the Lamb.'

What type of virginity is being spoken of here? This scripture isn't talking about living the life of a monk or a nun, but of someone who has kept him/herself pure in their worship of God. A contrasting person would be one whom the Disciple James spoke of at James 4:4, where he said, 'Adulteresses, don't you know that if you're a friend of the world, you're an enemy of God? So, whoever wants to be a friend of the world is putting himself down as God's enemy.'

For a graphic view of what a spiritual whore is to God, read His description of the unfaithfulness of Judah and IsraEl, using the pseudonyms Aholah and Aholibah, as found in EzekiEl 23.

On the other hand; in the account of the Bride of the Lamb found in Revelation 19:7, 8, we read, 'Let's rejoice, shout in joy, and glorify Him, because it's time for the Lamb's wedding! His bride has prepared herself, and she was found worthy to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen. This fine linen represents the righteous actions of the Holy Ones.'

Of course, according to the Law of God, this bride of Jesus (the Lamb) must be a virgin because of his heavenly position as the High Priest before God. For, notice what God required of the brides of the entire Priesthood class of IsraEl (Leviticus 21:13-15): 'He may only take a wife who is a virgin and from his own tribe… not a widow, a divorcee, someone who has been violated, or a prostitute. He may only take a virgin from his own people as a wife, for he must not profane his seed among his people. I am Jehovah who makes him holy.'

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Heavens or Sky, Earth or Land?

In both the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (OT) and the Christian Era Scriptures (NT), we find all the realm of non-living creation divided into just three entities; the heavens (or sky), the earth (the land or ground), and the seas (or the waters) and rivers.

Now, in contemporary English, we understand that there is a difference between the heavens and the sky, the earth and the land (or ground), and the seas and waters. However, in both Hebrew and Greek, these fine distinctions that we accept because of our modern technology, can't be found. So, Genesis 1:1 is literally translated herein as, 'In the beginning, The God created the skies and the lands.' This is very accurate, because it was man's view of creation from the earth. There was just the land that he stood on, the sky above him, and the waters or seas over there. He had no technical understanding of the earth as a planet, because men had never seen the earth as a globe in space, as most of us have done today. However, because of these distinctions that we are aware of, translators must choose the proper words to provide the right nuances in English, in order for readers to grasp the proper meaning of each text. And as you will see, something as simple as selecting another synonym can give us a quite different view of the meanings of some common verses.

The Greek word ourano(n), for example, can be correctly translated as heaven, heavens, sky, and skies, depending on the context and tense. But if the translator should choose the wrong word, people will reach very different (and often wrong) conclusions, because of the nuances implied in English.

Likewise, the Greek words ge, ges, and gen can be translated as earth, earths, ground, grounds, land, or lands, depending on the context and tense. So, the symbolic words at 2 Peter 3:5, 6, for example, are translated herein as, 'The thing that they don't want to understand is this: That the ancient skies and land were out of the water, but (in obedience to God's instructions) they stood together between the waters.' (For an example of the problems created by the wrong use of the words ge, ges, and gen, see the linked document Isaiah 24 - Is It Speaking of Armageddon?).

Notice that the 'skies and land' were located 'between the water.' So, although other Bibles translated this verse as speaking of the 'heavens and earth,' the reference is to the portion of the heavens that are close to the earth… to the skies.

The same is true of the famous words of Jesus at Matthew 5:5, which read in Greek: 'Makarioi oi praeis hoti outoi kleronomesousin ten gen,' or, Blest the gentle for they will/inherit the (earth, ground, or land).' Notice that in some Bibles Jesus is recorded as saying, 'The meek will inherit the earth;' while in others he said, 'The meek will inherit the land.' Do you see the difference in nuances implied here? Yet, both word choices are equally correct.

And finally, when it comes to the seas (gr. tas thalassan), there are already distinctions as to different types of waters in the Greek text. For instance, seas are called thalassan and rivers are called potamos (or 'flowing'). However, notice (in Revelation 20: 13) how the resurrection of the dead is divided between those who died on land and those who were lost in the water; 'The sea gave up its dead, death and the grave gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things that they did.'

We again find all three of these realms of creation brought together symbolically at Revelation 21:1, whIch we have translated as saying, 'Then I saw new skies and new lands, because the previous sky and land had disappeared, as did the sea.' So, did John see 'a new heavens and a new earth,' as some translate his words, or did he see 'new skies and new lands,' as we have quoted him? The Greek words that are used in the beginning of this verse are both in the plural tense, but in the singular tense in the latter half of the verse. So, what John says that he saw was 'new skies and new lands' which took the place of the old 'sky, land, and sea' that had just disappeared before him (he didn't see the globe and the realm of God disappear).

Also, in the case of where EliJah was taken away in a celestial chariot; most people think he was taken (as their Bibles put it) 'to heaven,' where he went to live with God. This isn't true, because King JehoRam later received a letter from Elijah (see 2 Chronicles 21:12). So, God had apparently used the celestial chariot to take him into 'the sky' (the proper translation here), where he was then sent to another place here on the earth. For more information on this, see the linked document, The Hereafter.

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Who Are the Dead?

Revelation 20:12 speaks of the 'dead' 'standing before the throne' and 'being judged.' Since they are able to stand for judgment, in what sense are they dead?

Note that at Matthew 9:60, Jesus said, 'Let the dead bury their dead.' And at Romans 8:10, Paul speaks of the body being 'dead' because of sin. Then at 1 Corinthians 15:22 he explains that, 'Because of Adam, all men are dying.'

So the conclusion we must reach is that all men are considered as dead and dying before God, due to inherited (and their own) sins. Thus, the scriptures in Revelation Twenty appear to be speaking of people who are no longer physically dead (for they will have already been resurrected), that will stand before God and be judged either to age-long life, or to the permanent destruction of the 'lake of fire.'

However, from the promises of Jesus, it does appear as though people can be considered no longer dead even before the resurrection. For, notice what is recorded that he said, at John 5:24: 'I tell you the truth; He who hears what I say and believes in the One that sent me, will have age-long life… he won't come into the judgment, for he has crossed over out of the death and into the life!'

And John wrote again at 1 John 3:14 'Because we love our brothers, we know that we've crossed over from death to life. However, those who don't love stay dead.'

So, it appears as though a person is no longer considered to be 'dead' by God, when his/her name is written in 'the book of life.' This doesn't mean that they won't die, but that they are considered as 'alive' in God's eyes, and they will not be counted among the dead who are raised in the resurrection (for more information, see the linked document, The Resurrection).

This appears to be the meaning of Jesus' words at Matthew 22:32, which say, 'Haven't you read what God told you about the resurrection of the dead, [when he said], I am the God of AbraHam, the God of IsaAc, and the God of Jacob? He isn't the God of the dead, but of the living!'

Also, this appears to be the meaning of his words as found at John 6:54-56, where he said, 'For, if you chew my flesh and drink my blood, you will have life within yourselves, and then I'll resurrect you on the Last Day, because my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. Those who chew on my flesh and drink my blood will stay in me and I [will stay] in them.'

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Advocate, Helper, Comforter, or Savior?

The Greek word ParaCletos (pronounced: para-clay-toss), as found at John 16:7, has been translated many ways, and we aren't implying that these translations are wrong. However, the two words that make up this single combined word are para (next to) and cletos (caller), so this combination of words appears to refer to an entity that stands next to us and calls out to God on our behalf. An online search for other meanings of ParaCletos turned up the word Lawyer, which implies someone who represents us legally, but we have chosen to translate it as Advocate there, as we also did at 1 John 2:1, 2.

Another view of the meaning of ParaCletos comes from an Aramaic translator, who claims that the word is of Aramaic origin, and means Savior, or, Another Savior. And we will allow that this quite different translation could be correct, because we know that Jesus likely spoke Aramaic to his Jewish disciples.

One argument that we found online, presented Jesus as being the ParaCletos, because he was called the paraclete at 1 John 2:1, 2. However, the words of Jesus himself at John 16:7 seem to dispel that theory, for he said: 'For, if I didn't go away, the Advocate wouldn't come to you. But if I go, I'll send him to you.' In Greek this reads: 'εαν γαρ μη απελθω ο παρακλητος ου μη ελθη προς υμας εαν δε πορευθω πεμψω αυτον προς υμας,' or (literally), 'if/ever for not I/should/go/off the ParaCletos not not would/come toward you. If/ever but I/should/go I/shall/send him toward you.' And if Jesus was the ParaCletos, he would simply have said, 'I will come to you.'

Therefore, we have assumed that the reference to Jesus being the ParaCletos in First John was not implying that Jesus was the Holy Spirit, but this is a simple reference to the fact that Jesus is also our advocate before God.

Of course, much has been made of Jesus' use of the personal pronoun him, when speaking of the ParaCletos or the Holy Spirit. This is because Trinitarians, in an attempt to tie him (or it) into a triune relationship with God and Jesus, like to speak of the ParaCletos as a person. So, the use of the word him here is a hotly-debated topic.

Then, what is the ParaCletos? It appears to be the Breath (or Spirit) of Jesus, and the power that makes faithful Christian one with him. We have concluded this from Paul's words at Romans 8:9, 10, where he wrote: 'However, if God's Breath lives in us, we aren't fleshly but spiritual… and whoever doesn't have the Spirit of the Anointed One doesn't belong to him. So, if the Anointed One is in you, your body is indeed dead through sin, but the spirit is alive through righteousness.'

So, since Jesus' Apostles already had God's Spirit or Breath, as did many other ancient faithful Prophets and leaders, we must assume that this Advocate (ParaCletos), which arrived on Pentecost of 33-C.E. was the Spirit of Jesus, and that it performed in an even more powerful way on behalf of early Christians, literally calling out to God on their behalf, and making them one with Jesus. However, at Acts 1:4, this Spirit or Breath was said to have come from the Father.

But then, Jesus gave a further description of this special Spirit at John 14:16, where he called it the Spirit of Truth. And at Acts 1:5, Jesus said that his disciples would be baptized in it. So, similar to the visible outpouring of God's Spirit or Breath on Jesus at his baptism (which appears to be the point of his anointing and receiving special powers), the outpouring of Holy Spirit on Pentecost appears to be the point where the disciples were anointed, given special powers, and it is when they were born from above (John 3:3).

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House to House?

Most Bible translations render Paul's words at Acts 20:20 as saying that he had taught 'publicly and from house to house.' Yet, that isn't exactly what he said, for the Greek words were actually, 'demosia kai kat oikous,' or, 'in/public and according/to house.' So, notice that there is no mention of moving between houses. Therefore, The New Living Translation rendered Paul's words as, 'publicly or in your homes,' and The Bible in Basic English renders them as 'publicly and privately.' So, which is correct?

Well, to better understand the actual meaning of the words, it is important to look at the context. Notice the entire setting, as shown in verses seventeen through twenty-one: 'However, [while he was] in Miletus, he sent word to Ephesus to call the elders of the congregation to him. And when they arrived, he told them, You know very well that, from the first day I stepped into Asia, I was with you all along, humbly slaving for the Lord. And [you know] of all the tears and trials I endured because of the plots of the Jews. Yet, I didn't fail to remind you and teach you both in public and in [your] homes, for I gave a thorough witness to both Jews and Greeks about [the need to] repent before God, and [to have] faith in our Lord Jesus.'

As you can see; Paul wasn't speaking of his preaching from house to house, but rather, he was reminding the elders of how he had preached to them both publicly and in the privacy of their homes.

So, does this mean that Paul didn't preach from house to house in cities? No, for there is little record of how early Christians preached the Word of Christianity so successfully, so we can't say for sure. However, the only Bible records show that Paul spoke in public places, such as in synagogues, in auditoriums, in an area of washerwomen, and in market places.

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