COMMENT: He is referring to the gospel of Luke which he wrote.

2 This included Him being taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to His chosen apostles. 3 He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering and death, using many infallible proofs of Who He was. He did this for forty days, teaching those things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

COMMENT: Why forty days? What other stories in the Bible about forty days?
It rained for forty days at the flood.
Moses was twice on the mountain with God for forty days.
The twelve spies were forty days spying out the land of Canaan.
Elijah went forty days on the strength of the food and water the angel had given him.
Jonah warned Nineveh that in forty days the city would be overthrown.
Jesus was tempted for forty days in the wilderness.
And Jesus was with the apostles for forty days before going back to heaven.

4 Having gathered them together, He told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father's promise, which He had already told them about. 5 He had explained that John baptized with water but that in a few days they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 6 So when they were all together they asked Him, "Lord, is the kingdom of Israel being restored at this time?" 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know the time for the things the Father has set by His own authority." 8 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth." 9 And after He had said these things. He was lifted up from them. As they watched a cloud receive Him out of their sight. 10 As they continued gazing intently into the sky, having watched Him rise, two men in white clothing stood next to them. 11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus, whom you have watched go up, shall come back in the same manner."

12 They returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which was a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 Entering the city they repaired to the upper room where Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas the brother of James, were staying. 14 They all with one mind were continually praying. Some women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers were with them.

15 At this time Peter stood up in their midst. There were about one hundred and twenty gathered together there. And he said, 16 "Men and brethren, the scripture foretold through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus."

COMMENT:

Psalms 41:9 Even my close friend whom I trusted has lifted his heel against me.

17 "He was counted among us and had his share in this ministry." 18 "He purchased a field with the reward of his iniquity, and falling headlong, his middle burst open and his insides gushed out."

COMMENT:

Matthew 27:3-10 When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, was sorry for what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, [4] saying to them, "I have betrayed an innocent Man." They replied, "What is that to us? That's your problem." [5] Judas threw the money on the temple floor and went out and hanged himself. [6] Picking up the money, the chief priests said, "This is blood money. The law will not allow us to put this money into the temple treasury." [7] Conferring together, they decided that the money should be used to buy the Potter's Field to be used as a burial place for strangers. [8] That is how that field came to be known as the Field of Blood. [9] The words of the prophet Jeremiah were fulfilled where he said, "They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set by the children of Israel." [10] "They gave it for the Potter's Field, as the LORD directed."

Zechariah 11:13 Then the LORD said to me, "Throw your wages to the potter, to show the magnificent price of which I was valued by them." So I threw the thirty pieces of silver to the potter in the LORD's house.

19 "Everyone living in Jerusalem has heard of this and the field is called the Field of Blood." 20 "For so it is written in the Psalms, 'Let his habitation be made desolate so that no one will dwell in it and let another man take his office.'"

COMMENT:

Psalms 109:8 Let his days be few and another take his office.

21 "Because of this it is necessary that one who has been with us since Jesus became known to us," 22 "beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us, is to become a witness with us to His resurrection." 23 So they selected two men, Joseph called Barsabas, also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, saying, "Lord, you know the hearts of all men. Show us which one of these two You have chosen," 25 "to take part in this ministry and apostleship, to take the place of Judas, who fell by his transgression." 26 Then they drew lots to choose between the two and the lot fell to Matthias, and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Acts 2 - RWB Paraphrase (47 V)
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1 On the day of Pentecost they had come together in one place. 2 Suddenly there came from heaven the sound of a rushing wind that filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Tongues of fire appeared sitting on each of them. 4 And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 There were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 A crowd gathered because of the sound. They were surprised as each person heard the apostles speaking in their own language. 7 In amazement they said, "Are not these who are speaking from Galilee?" 8 "How can we be hearing them in our own language, the place where we were born?" 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, those from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the districts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs."We hear them in our own language, speaking of the mighty deeds of God." 12 They all wondered in perplexed amazement, saying, "What does this mean?" 13 But others mocked them, saying, "They are full of sweet wine." 14 But Peter stood up with the eleven and said to those who had gathered to them, "Men of Jerusalem and Judea, listen to what I have to say." 15 "These men are not drunk, as you may have thought. It is only nine o'clock." 16 "The prophet Joel spoke of what you are seeing." 17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams," 18 "I will pour out My Spirit on My servants, both men and women, and they shall prophesy." 19 "And I will show wonders in the heavens above, and signs in the earth, blood and fire, vapor and smoke." 20 "The sun shall be darkened and the moon turned to blood, before that great and glorious day of the LORD." 21 "And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved."

COMMENT:

Joel 2:28-32 "After this I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams and your young men will see visions." [29] "In those days I will even pour out My Spirit on your men and women servants." [30] "I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke." [31] "The sun will be darkened and the moon will appear as blood before the great and terrible day of the LORD." [32] "At that time whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered. There will be those who escape on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, survivors among whom the LORD calls."

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God, Who did by Him signs and wonders in your midst." 23 This Man was delivered with God's foreknowledge to be crucified by the hands of godless men. 24 "But God raised Him up and put an end to the agony of death because it was not possible for Him to be held by its power." 25 "David spoke concerning Him: 'I saw the LORD always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.'." 26 "Therefore my heart rejoiced, my tongue exulted and my flesh shall rest in hope:" 27 "because You will not leave My soul in the grave, nor allow Your Holy One to see corruption." 28 "You have made known to Me the ways of life and You will make Me full of joy with Your countenance."

COMMENT:

Psalms 16:8-11 I have set the LORD continually before me, and because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. [9] For this reason my heart is glad. I will dwell securely. [10] You will not abandon my soul to the grave, O LORD. Neither will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. [11] You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy. In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

29 "Men and brethren, I can say to you with confidence, the patriarch David died and was buried. His tomb is with us Today." 30 "Because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that one of his descendants would be the Christ who would sit on his throne."

COMMENT:

Psalms 132:11 The LORD has sworn in truth to David, and He will not turn from it, saying, "I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body."

31 "He looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He would not be abandoned to the grave, nor would His flesh suffer decay." 32 "God raised this Jesus up from the grave and we are witnesses to this fact." 33 "And now that He has been exalted to the right hand of God, having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured on us what you have seen and heard." 34 "For it was not David who ascended to heaven, but he himself said, the LORD said, sit at My right hand," 35 "until I make Your enemies Your footstool."

COMMENT:

Psalms 110:1 The LORD says to my lord: "Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool."

36 "Therefore let all Israel know for certain that God has made this same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." 37 Now when they heard this they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter, and the rest of the apostles, "What shall we do?" 38 Peter said to them, "Repent and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." 39 "For the promise is for you and your children, and those who are far off, as many as the LORD shall call to Himself."

COMMENT:

Isaiah 54:13 "All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and their peace will be great."

Joel 2:32 "At that time whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered. There will be those who escape on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, survivors among whom the LORD calls."

40 And with many other words Peter solemnly testified, exhorting them, saying, "Save yourself from this wicked generation."

41 So about three thousand received his words and were baptized. 42 And they continually devoted themselves to what the apostles taught and were in fellowship with them, breaking bread and praying. 43 Everyone felt a sense of awe as many signs and wonders were performed through the apostles. 44 Those who believed continued together having all things in common. 45 They sold what they had so that it might be distributed to any in need. 46 Day by day they continued with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house. They ate together with gladness and singleness of purpose, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the LORD added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 3 - RWB Paraphrase (26 V)
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1 Peter and John went up to the temple at three o'clock, the hour of prayer. 2 There was a man who had been lame since he was born and each day he was laid by the temple gate Beautiful, where he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John as they came to the temple, he asked them for alms. 4 But Peter, along with John, said, "Look at us!" 5 He gave them his full attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, "I do not have silver or gold. But what I have I will give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" 7 And taking him by his right hand, he lifted him up. Immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened. 8 Leaping up, he began walking. As he entered the temple with them, he was walking, leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw this. 10 They recognized him as the one who used to sit at the gate Beautiful and beg for alms. They were amazed to see him as he now was. 11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people crowded around them at the portico of Solomon. 12 Seeing their reaction Peter said to them, "Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? You are looking at us as though we made him walk by our own power." 13 "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and of our fathers, has glorified His Son Jesus, whom you denied and delivered to Pilate when he had decided to release Him."

COMMENT:

Exodus 3:15 God continued by saying, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is a memorial to all generations.'"

14 "You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked instead for the release of a murderer." 15 "You put to death the Prince of Life, the One whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses to this fact." 16 "This man was made strong through faith in His name." 17 "I realize that you acted in ignorance, as did your rulers." 18 "Scripture was fulfilled because God announced all this beforehand by His prophets, saying that Christ would suffer." 19 "Knowing this, you must repent and be converted, so that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing comes from the presence of the LORD." 20 "Then He will send Jesus Christ who has been preached to you." 21 "In the meantime, heaven has received Him until the time of restoration of all things spoken of by God's holy prophets of old." 22 "Moses himself said to our fathers, the LORD shall raise up for you a prophet like me. You must listen to whatever He says."

COMMENT:

Deuteronomy 18:18 "He said that He would raise up a prophet from among you like me, and He would put His words in His mouth. He shall speak everything the LORD commands Him."

23 "And it shall be that everyone who does not listen to Him shall be destroyed from among the people."

COMMENT:

Deuteronomy 18:19 "It shall come about that whoever will not listen to the LORD's words, that one will be called to give an account for not having listened."

24 "From Samuel on the prophets have spoken of these things." 25 "You are the children of these prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, when He said to Abraham, in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed."

COMMENT:

Genesis 22:18 "All the nations of the earth shall be blessed through your seed because you have obeyed My voice."

26 "God sent His Son Jesus Christ to you first, to bless you and turn you from your sinful ways."

Acts 4 - RWB Paraphrase (37 V)
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1 As they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came up to them, 2 being very disturbed by what was being said to the people because they were proclaiming Jesus and the resurrection from the dead.

COMMENT: The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection.

3 So they placed Peter and John in jail until the next day. 4 Many who heard their words believed. There were about five thousand men. 5 The next day the rulers, elders and scribes, 6 and Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander and many of the high priests family gathered together in Jerusalem.

7 Placing Peter and John in their midst they asked them, "By what power and in whose name have you done this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people," 9 "if we are on trial for the good deed done to the lame man who was made whole," 10 "let it be known to everyone that it was done by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, and whom God raised from the dead." 11 "He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the chief corner stone."

COMMENT:

Psalms 118:22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone.

Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them, "Haven't you read in the scriptures, the stone the builders rejected became the chief corner stone. This is the LORD's doing and it is wonderful to behold."

12 "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which men may be saved." 13 They marveled at the confidence of Peter and John, as they realized that they had no formal education. It was clear that they had been with Jesus. 14 And as the man who had been healed stood before them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they put them outside the Council room and conferred together. 16 "What can we do with these men? We cannot deny that a noteworthy miracle has taken place. And all Jerusalem has witnessed it." 17 "We do not want this to spread any further among the people. Let's warn them not to speak of this name any more." 18 Summoning them they commanded them not to speak or teach any more in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, saying, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you or to God, you be the judge." 20 "We cannot stop speaking of the things we have seen and heard." 21 Finding no reason to punish them, the Council threatened them and let them go, because all the people were glorifying God for the healing of the lame man, 22 who was more than forty years old. 23 When they had been released they returned to their companions and reported everything the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 And hearing this, they lifted their praise to God, saying, "O LORD, it is You who made the heaven and earth and sea,"

COMMENT:

Exodus 20:11 "For the LORD made the heavens, the earth and the seas, and everything in them in six days, and rested on the seventh day. So the LORD blessed the Sabbath day making it holy."

Psalms 146:6 who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and Who keeps faith forever.

25 "and all, who by the mouth of David Your servant said, 'Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things?'"

COMMENT:

Psalms 2:1 Why are the nations in an uproar? Why do the people devising vain plans?

26 "The kings of the earth stood up and the rulers gathered against the LORD and His Christ."

COMMENT:

Psalms 2:2-3 The kings and rulers counsel together against the LORD and His Anointed, saying, [3] "Let us be free of their authority over us!"

27 "In truth they gathered against the Holy Child Jesus whom You anointed. This was true of both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles as well as the people of Israel." 28 "They did this according to Your predestined purpose." 29 "And now Lord, notice their threats and grant Your servants boldness to speak Your word." 30 "Stretch forth Your hand to heal, so that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Jesus." 31 When they had prayed, the place where they had gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak the word of God with boldness. 32 All of those who believed were of one heart, and not one of them claimed anything as his own because they shared all things in common. 33 The apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of Jesus with great power. And abundant grace was on them all.

34 None of them lacked for anything. Those owning land sold it and brought the proceeds of what had been sold, 35 and laid it at the apostles feet who then distributed to each according to his need. 36 A Levite by the name of Joseph, also known as Barnabas, which is translated as Son of Encouragement, 37 owned a tract of land, sold it, and laid the money at the apostles feet.

Acts 5 - RWB Paraphrase (42 V)
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1 But a man named Ananias, and his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. 2 Instead of giving it all, as they had pledged, they kept back some of the value for themselves and brought the rest to the apostles. 3 Peter said to Ananias, "Why have you let Satan inspire you to lie to the Holy Spirit by keeping back a part of the price of the land?"

COMMENT: They has told the group that they were giving the entire proceeds of the sale of the property.

4 "Before it was sold it was your own, wasn't it? And after you sold it the value was still under your control. Why have you lied about its value? You have not lied to men, but to God." 5 Hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. Great fear came over all who heard of it. 6 The young men came and covered him, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in. She had not heard about what had happened to her husband. 8 Peter asked her, "Did you sell the land for such and such a price?" She answered, "Yes. That was the price." 9 Then Peter said to her, "Why did you and your husband agree to test the Spirit of the LORD? Those who just finished burying your husband are at the door and they will carry you out, as well." 10 Immediately she fell down and died. The young men came and finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear came over the church and everyone who heard of this.

12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people and they were all in one accord in Solomon's portico. 13 No one else dared to associate with them, and they were held in high esteem. 14 More and more became believers in the LORD causing their numbers to increase. 15 It got so that the sick were laid out in the streets on cots and pallets so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on them. 16 People from other cities near Jerusalem were also bringing their sick and those with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

17 The high priest rose up with his associates who were Sadducees, for they were filled with jealousy. 18 They put the apostles in jail, 19 but during the night the angel of the LORD opened the prison gates and led them out, saying to them, 20 "go, stand in the temple and tell the people everything about this good news." 21 So they entered the temple early the next morning and taught the people. When the high priest had called the Council together, he sent to the prison to have the apostles brought out to them. 22 But the officers did not find them in the prison and came back to the Council with the news. 23 They said, "We found the prison gates locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but no one was inside." 24 The high priest and the Council questioned how this could be true. If it was true, they wondered what would be the outcome for them. 25 Then someone came and reported that the men they had placed in prison were in the temple teaching. 26 So the captain along with the officers went to the temple to bring them to the Council without violence, for they were afraid the people might stone them. 27 When they were once more before the Council, the high priest questioned them. 28 He said, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name any more. And yet, you have filled Jerusalem with this teaching, as though you intend to bring this man's blood upon us." 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, saying, "We must obey God rather than man." 30 "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had crucified." 31 "God has exalted Him to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel." 32 "We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him."

33 When the Council heard these words they were so angry they planned to kill the apostles. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, and respected by everyone, stood up in the Council and asked that the men be put outside while they discussed this. 35 Then he said to them, "Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do to these men." 36 "Remember some time ago when Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody important. About four hundred men followed him but when he was killed, they scattered and it all came to nothing." 37 "Then there was Judas of Galilee who rose up in the days of the census, drawing many people after him. When he perished, his followers were scattered." 38 "So in this present situation, I recommend that you leave these men alone. If what they are doing is of men, it will come to nothing." 39 "But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might find yourself fighting against God."

COMMENT: Such wisdom!

40 The Council took his advice. However, they called the apostles in and had them flogged and ordered them not to speak of the name of Jesus. Then they were released. 41 So the apostles left the Council rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer for His name. 42 And every day in the temple, and from house to house, they preached and taught continually about Jesus being the Christ.

Acts 6 - RWB Paraphrase (15 V)
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1 As the disciples increased in number, a complaint arose from some of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews. They felt their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the congregation and said, "It is not our desire to neglect the word of God while serving tables." 3 "Therefore, brethren, select from among yourselves seven good and wise men who are full of the Holy Spirit, whom we may place in charge of this activity." 4 "And we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word." 5 The congregation approved of this idea. They choose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Porchorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. 6 These were brought before the apostles, and after they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

7 The word of God continued to increase as the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem. And many of the priests became obedient to the faith. 8 Stephen, being full of faith and power, performed great signs and wonders among the people.

COMMENT: Anyone full of the Holy Spirit did these signs and wonders.

9 But there were some from the synagogue, known as Libertines, and Cyrenians, Alexandrians, others of Cilicia of Asia, who disagreed with Stephen. 10 But they could not resist his wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

COMMENT: This was an example of the gift of the Holy Spirit spoken of by Jesus.

Luke 12:12 "The Holy Spirit will show you what to say when you need to say it."

11 So they induced false witnesses to say that they had heard him blaspheme against Moses and God. 12 They stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and brought Stephen before the Council. 13 They then produced their false witnesses who claimed that Stephen was continually speaking against this holy place and the law. 14 They said that they had heard him say that Jesus the Nazarene would destroy this place and change the customs handed down from Moses. 15 As they fixed their gaze on him, they saw his face light up like the face of an angel.

Acts 7 - RWB Paraphrase (60 V)
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1 The high priest said to Stephen, "Are these things true?" 2 And he said in reply, "Men, brethren, and fathers, the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran," 3 "and said to him, leave your country and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you." 4 "So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died Abram came to this country where you now dwell." 5 "But God gave him no inheritance, not even a foot of ground. Yet while he had no children he was promised the land as a possession for his descendants."

COMMENT:

Genesis 12:7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "I am giving this land to your descendants." So Abram built and alter to the LORD who had appeared to him there.

6 "God said that his seed would sojourn in a foreign land and become slaves. They would be mistreated for four hundred years."

COMMENT:

Genesis 15:13 God said to Abram, "Know and understand that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own. They will be oppressed as slaves for four hundred years."

7 "And God said, 'I will judge the nation that holds them in bondage, and after that your seed will come out and serve Me in this place.'."

COMMENT:

Exodus 3:12 God said, "I will be with you. This shall be the sign to you that I am sending you. When you have brought the children of Israel out of Egypt you shall worship God on this mountain."

8 "And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; And Isaac became the father of Jacob and the twelve patriarchs."

COMMENT:

Genesis 21:2-4 She conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age at the very time God had appointed. [3] Abraham named him Isaac. [4] He circumcised his son when he was eight days old, just as the LORD had commanded.

9 "The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him to be taken to Egypt. But God was with him," 10 "and rescued him from all his afflictions. He granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over all of Egypt." 11 "A severe famine came over Egypt and Canaan so that our fathers ran out of food." 12 "Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, so he sent our fathers to buy some." 13 "On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers and Pharaoh learned of Joseph's family." 14 "Joseph invited his father Jacob and all his family to come to Egypt. All together there were seventy five people." 15 "So Jacob went down to Egypt and he and our fathers died there." 16 "Jacob was carried to Shechem and buried in the tomb Abraham purchased from the sons of Hamor." 17 "As the time of the promise approached, which God had made to Abraham, our people increased greatly in Egypt."

COMMENT:

Exodus 1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly and the land was filled with them.

18 "There arose a king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph." 19 "He took advantage of our people mistreating them and causing their children to be destroyed."

COMMENT:

Exodus 1:8-10 A new king came to power in Egypt who did not know Joseph. [9] He said to his own people, "Behold, the people of Israel are becoming mightier than we are." [10] "Let us deal wisely with them, lest they continue to multiply and during a war join with our enemies and leave the land."

20 "It was at this time that Moses was born. God blessed him and saw that he came to no harm for three months in his father's house." 21 "When he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter took him as her own son." 22 "Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds." 23 "But when he was nearly forty, he decided to visit his brethren, the children of Israel." 24 "When he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he avenged him by smiting the Egyptian."

COMMENT:

Exodus 2:11-12 It came to pass that when Moses grew up, he went out among his brethren and saw their distress. He saw one of the Egyptians beating a Hebrew. [12] Looking both ways and thinking no one would see him, he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand.

25 "He thought his brethren would understand that God was giving them deliverance through him, but they did not." 26 "The following day he saw two of them fighting together and tried to reconcile them, encouraging them to not hurt one another." 27 "But the one who was hurting his neighbor pushed Moses away, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?'" 28 "Will you kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" 29 "Hearing this remark, Moses fled from Egypt to Midian. Here he became the father of two sons." 30 "After forty years had passed, an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a burning bush in the wilderness of Mount Sinai." 31 "Moses marveled and as he came closer to it. He heard the voice of the LORD, saying." 32 "I AM THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses trembled with fear and would not look at the burning bush." 33 "The LORD said to him, take off your shoes, for you are standing on holy ground." 34 "I have seen the oppression of my people in Egypt and I have heard their groaning. I am coming down to rescue them. Come, I will send you to Egypt."

COMMENT:

Exodus 3:9-10 "I have heard the cry of the children of Israel and I have seen the oppression they have experienced at the hand of the Egyptians." [10] "Therefore, I am sending you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

35 "God sent the one they had disowned, when they said, 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?' God sent him as both ruler and deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush." 36 "Moses led them out of Egypt, having performed signs and wonders in Egypt, again at the Red Sea as well as in the wilderness for forty years." 37 "And it was this Moses who said to the children of Israel, God will raise up for you a Prophet like me. You are to listen to Him."

COMMENT:

Deuteronomy 18:18 "He said that He would raise up a prophet from among you like me, and He would put His words in His mouth. He shall speak everything the LORD commands Him."

38 "Moses spoke with the Angel on Mount Sinai. He was with our fathers in the wilderness and received living oracles to pass on to you."

COMMENT: This angel on Sinai was Christ. Angel mean messenger and Jesus was heaven's greatest Messenger.

39 "Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him. They were ready to turn back to Egypt," 40 "saying to Aaron, 'Make gods to go before us. As for Moses, we don't know what has become of him.'" 41 "At that time they made a golden calf and sacrificed to it, rejoicing in the work of their hands." 42 "Then God turned away from them and delivered them up to worship the host of heaven. As it is written in the book of the prophets, 'O house of Israel, it was not to Me that you offered your sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness?'" 43 "In fact, you worshiped Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, idols you made to worship. Therefore I will carry you away beyond Babylon." 44 "Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, which God appointed through Moses who made it according to the pattern God showed him." 45 "Our fathers brought this tabernacle into the promised land with Joshua as God drove the nations out before them, up until the time of David." 46 "David found favor in God's sight, and wanted to build a permanent dwelling place for the God of Jacob." 47 "But it was Solomon who built the house for Him." 48 "However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says," 49 "heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or what place is there for My repose?" 50 "Was it not My hand that made all these thing?"

COMMENT:

Isaiah 66:1-2 Thus says the LORD, "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place for Me to rest?" [2] "For My hand made everything that came to be, " declares the LORD."I will look to the one who is humble and contrite, the one who trembles at My word."

51 "You men are stiff necked and your hearts have not been circumcised. Your ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit. You are doing just as your fathers did." 52 "Which prophet did your fathers not persecute? They kill those who announced the coming of the Righteous One whom you betrayed and murdered." 53 "You have received the law as ordained by angels but you have not kept it."

54 Now when they heard these words spoken by Stephen, they were cut to the heart and began grinding their teeth. 55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he looked intently into heaven, seeing the glory of God, and Jesus standing at His right hand. 56 And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." 57 His accusers covered their ears as they cried out with a loud voice and rushing to him,

COMMENT: When we do not want to hear something, we find a way to ignore it or drown it out.

58 they drove him out of the city where they began stoning him. And the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they were stoning Stephen, he called upon God, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then, falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" After saying this, he fell asleep.

Acts 8 - RWB Paraphrase (40 V)
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1 Saul was very willing to have Stephen put to death. And at that time a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, causing Christians to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lamentation over him. 3 And Saul began to make havoc of the church, entering every house and dragging men and women off to prison. 4 Those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ there. 6 The crowds were listening carefully to what Philip said, as they saw the miracles he did. 7 Many unclean spirits cried out with a loud voice as they were cast out and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 As a result there was much rejoicing in that city.

COMMENT: Imagine what the leaders in Jerusalem thought when they heard of what was happening in Samaria.

9 There was a man named Simon who had practiced magic in the city and had turned the heads of many people, claiming to be someone great. 10 Everyone took him seriously and said that he had great power from God. 11 He had bewitched them for a long time with his magic arts. 12 But when Philip preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, men and women believed and were baptized. 13 Even Simon was baptized and afterwards followed Philip watching with wonder the miracles and signs he did. 14 When the apostles who were in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen on them. They had only been baptized in the name of the LORD Jesus. 17 When they laid their hands on them they received the Holy Spirit. 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles hands, he offered money to them, 19 saying, "Give this authority to me so that I may be able to lay my hands on someone that they may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could purchase this gift of God with money." 21 "Your heart is not right and you can have no part in this." 22 "You must repent of this wickedness and pray to the LORD that the intention of your heart may be forgiven." 23 "I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and a slave to iniquity." 24 Then Simon said, "Pray to the LORD for me, that none of what you have said comes upon me."

25 So when the apostles had testified and preached the word of the LORD, they started back to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages.

26 An angel of the LORD spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and head south to the road that leaves Jerusalem for the Gaza." This is a road through the desert. 27 So he got up and went, and found an Ethiopian eunuch who was a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28 When Philip found him he was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah as he traveled.

29 The Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join him in his chariot." 30 Philip ran up to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet. He said to him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "How can I unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to ride with him. 32 The passage he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so that He does not open His mouth." 33 "In humiliation His judgment was taken away. Who shall declare his generation? For His life was taken from the earth." 34 The eunuch said, "Please tell me, is the prophet speaking of himself or someone else?" 35 Then Philip explained this scripture, and preached Jesus Christ to him. 36 As they continued along the road they came to some water."Look," the eunuch said, "Here is water! Is there a reason I cannot be baptized?" 37 And Philip replied, "If you believe with all your heart, you may be baptized." And the eunuch said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." 38 And stopping the chariot, they then both went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

COMMENT: Another example of going down into the water and not just sprinkling.

39 When they had come up out of the water, the spirit of the LORD caught Philip away and the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip found himself in Azotus. As he passed through all the cities, he preached the gospel until he came to Caesarea.

Acts 9 - RWB Paraphrase (43 V)
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1 Saul continued breathing threats against the LORD's disciples. Going to the high priest, 2 he asked for letters authorizing him to go to Damascus and look in the synagogues for men and women belonging to the Way. These he would bring bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he approached Damascus a light from heaven suddenly enveloped him. 4 As he fell to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 5 Saul said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He answered, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the pricks."

COMMENT: The prick referred to here is like the ox goad, a stick with a sharp point that is used to prod the animal along. If the animal kicks against it he either cannot reach it, or if he does connect with it, he is hurt worse.

6 Trembling and astonished, he said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" The LORD said, "Get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do." 7 The men traveling with him stood speechless, having heard a voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could not see. Leading him by the hand they brought him into Damascus. 9 For three days he could not see and he neither ate nor drank.

COMMENT: So the Lord had not yet told him what to do. Sometimes we have to wait a while.

10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus by the name of Ananias. The LORD spoke to him in a vision, 11 saying to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight. Inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying." 12 "He has seen you in a vision laying your hands on him so that he may regain his sight." 13 Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard of this man and the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem." 14 "He has come here with authority from the chief priests to bind everyone who calls on Your name." 15 But the LORD said, "Go, for I have chosen him to take My name to the Gentiles, to kings and the children of Israel." 16 "For I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." 17 So Ananias went to the house of Judas and after laying his hands on Saul, said, "Brother Saul, the LORD Jesus, Who appeared to you on the road as you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately something like scales fell from Saul's eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized. 19 He took food and was strengthened. Then he remained with the disciples at Damascus. 20 Right away he began proclaiming Jesus to be the Son of God in the synagogues. 21 All who heard him were amazed. They said, "Isn't this the man from Jerusalem who destroyed all those calling on the name of Jesus? Didn't he come here for the express purpose to bring them bound to Jerusalem?" 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength as he confounded the Jews of Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

COMMENT: He did this from scripture.

23 After many days the Jews made a plot to kill him. 24 But their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night planning to put him to death. 25 But during the night the believers let him down over the wall in a basket. 26 When he arrived at Jerusalem he tried to associate with the disciples, but they were afraid of him and would have nothing to do with him. 27 But Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told how Saul had seen the LORD on the way to Damascus. The LORD had spoken to him and he had preached the name of Jesus boldly in Damascus. 28 Saul then was able to moved among them freely at Jerusalem. 29 As he spoke boldly in the name of the LORD Jesus, he disputed with the Hellenistic Jews. So they planned to put him to death. 30 When the brethren learned of this, they took Saul to Caesarea and from there sent him to Tarsus.

COMMENT: Tarsus was were Saul was from.

31 After this the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace and continued to grow, as they walked in the fear of the LORD, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

32 As Peter traveled throughout the region, he visited the saints at Lydda. 33 It was there that he found a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ makes you whole. Get up and make your bed." Immediately he got up. 35 Those living at Lydda and Sharon saw this and turn to the LORD.

36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which in Greek translates as Dorcas. This woman was full of good works of kindness. 37 It was at this time that she became sick and died. They washed her and laid her in an upper room. 38 Lydda was not far from Joppa and the disciples in Joppa heard that Peter was at Lydda. So two men went to him imploring him to come right away. 39 Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived they took him to the upper room where they had placed Dorcas. All the widows stood by, weeping and showing him the coats and other things she had made for them. 40 After sending them out, Peter knelt down and prayed. Then turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, get up." And she opened her eyes and seeing Peter, she sat up.

COMMENT: Peter sent nearly everyone out the way Jesus did. This was to prevent those without faith from being present.

Mark 5:40-41 Those who had come to mourn laughed with scorn when He said this. Jesus then insisted that they all leave the house. He took only the child's parents and His own companions into the room where the child lay. [41] Taking the child's hand, He said to her, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"

41 Giving her his hand, he helped her up. And calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive to them. 42 This became known all over Joppa and many believed in the LORD. 43 And Peter stayed many days in Joppa living with a tanner named Simon.

Acts 10 - RWB Paraphrase (48 V)
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1 There was a man named Cornelius who was a centurion of an Roman cohort in Caesarea. 2 He was a devout man and he and his entire household feared God. He gave liberally to the Jewish people and prayed continually. 3 At about three o'clock he had a vision of an angel of God who came to him and said, "Cornelius!" 4 He looked at the angel with fear and said, "What, Lord?" The angel replied, "Your prayers and offerings have ascended to God as a memorial." 5 "Send some men to Joppa and find a man named Simon, also called Peter." 6 "He is staying with a tanner named Simon, who lives by the sea." 7 After the angel left, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devoted soldier from among his personal attendants. 8 He explained everything to them and sent them to Joppa. 9 The next day, as they were approaching Joppa, Peter had gone up on the housetop at about noon to pray. 10 He was hungry and while dinner was being prepared he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven open and something like a great sheet coming down from heaven held up by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four footed animals as well as creeping things and birds of the air. 13 He heard a voice say, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat!" 14 But Peter said, "O no Lord, for I have never eaten any unclean thing." 15 The voice then said, "What God has cleansed should not be called unclean." 16 This happened three times before the sheet was taken up into heaven. 17 This perplexed Peter. He didn't understand what the vision could mean. It was at this moment that the men sent to Simon's house appeared at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon, also called Peter, was staying here. 19 While Peter was thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Three men are looking for you." 20 "Go downstairs and go with them for I have sent them." 21 Peter went down to the men sent by Cornelius and asked the reason they had come. 22 They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, and a righteous God fearing man, was directed by God to send for Peter and listen to what he has to say." 23 So Peter invited them in and gave them a place to stay for the night. The next day he, with some of the brethren from Joppa, went with the men who had come to get him. 24 The following day they arrived at Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and friends. 25 When Peter had come, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up, for I am only a man." 27 As they talked, Peter entered the room and found many people had come together. 28 Peter said, "You know that Jews consider it unlawful to keep company with foreigners. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone unclean." 29 "This is why I came as soon as you sent for me. So why did you send for me?" 30 Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was praying at about three o'clock and a man in shining garments stood before me." 31 He said, "Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your offerings have been seen by God." 32 "Therefore, send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is called Peter, to come to you. He is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea." 33 "So I immediately sent for you, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here before God to hear whatever you have been commanded by the LORD." 34 Peter then said, "I now understand that God is not partial." 35 "For there are men in every nation who fear Him and do what is right." 36 "He sent the good news of peace through Jesus Christ to the children of Israel, for He is Lord of all." 37 "You have heard of the things which took place throughout all Judea, beginning at Galilee after the baptism of John was preached." 38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth and how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." 39 "We are witnesses to all the things He did in Jerusalem and throughout the land of the Jews. And you knew that they crucified Him." 40 "Then God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He be seen." 41 "This was not by everyone but by those whom God chose beforehand, including those of us who ate and drank with Him after He rose up from the dead." 42 "And we have been order to preach to the people that He is the one appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead." 43 "All the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."

44 While Peter spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on everyone listening to him. 45 All the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed as they saw the gift of the Holy Spirit being poured out on the Gentiles. 46 They heard them speak with tongues exalting God. Then Peter said, 47 "Can anyone object to these being baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit, just as we did?" 48 And he ordered that they be baptized in the name of the LORD. Then they invited Peter to stay with them for a few more days.

Acts 11 - RWB Paraphrase (30 V)
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1 The apostles and brethren in Judea heard of how the Gentiles had receive the word of God. 2 And when Peter arrived in Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him on what he had done, 3 saying, you have eaten with uncircumcised men. 4 But Peter explained to them just how everything came about. He said, 5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying. I saw in vision an object like a great sheet held by its four corners as it was lowered from heaven to where I was." 6 "I looked at it and saw four footed animals of all kinds, wild beasts, crawling creatures and birds of the air." 7 "Then I heard a voice saying, 'Peter, arise, kill and eat.'" 8 "I answered, saying, 'I cannot do this Lord, for I have never eaten anything unclean.'" 9 "But the voice told me that what God has cleansed I should not consider unclean." 10 "This happen three times. Then the sheet was drawn up into heaven." 11 "At that very moment three men who were sent from Caesarea came to the house where I was staying." 12 "The Spirit told me to go with them without any misgivings. I was accompanied by these six brethren as I went to the house of the man who sent for me." 13 "The man who had sent for me told of how he had seen an angel in his house who had told him to send men to Joppa and ask for a man named Simon, who is called Peter," 14 "and he will tell you how you and your entire household may be saved." 15 "When I began to speak to them, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did on us at the beginning." 16 "I remembered the word of the LORD, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptize with the Holy Spirit.'." 17 "Therefore, if God gave them the same gift He has given to us when we believed in the LORD Jesus, how could I stand in God's way in their case?" 18 They quieted down after hearing Peter's explanation, and glorified God, saying, "So God has granted the Gentiles repentance that leads to life."

19 Those that had scattered because of the persecution at the time Stephen was killed, went to Phoenicia, Cypress and Antioch, preaching the word only to the Jews. 20 But some from Cypress and Cyrene came to Antioch and began preaching the LORD Jesus to the Greeks. 21 And the LORD was with them, for a large number believed and turned to the LORD. 22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God as work, he rejoiced and encouraged them to cling to the LORD and remain true to Him, 24 for he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. Many people were added unto the LORD. 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus looking for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him to Antioch and for an entire year they met with the church teaching many of the people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

27 It was at this time that prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem. 28 One of them named Agabus predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming all over the world. And it came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples with means decided to send relief to the brethren in Judea. 30 They sent this to the elders there by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Acts 12 - RWB Paraphrase (25 V)
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1 It was about this time that king Herod laid hands on some of the church members in order to mistreat them. 2 He killed James, John's brother. 3 Seeing that this pleased the Jews, he also arrested Peter. 4 Placing him in prison he had him guarded with four squads of soldiers. He intended to bring him before the people after Passover. 5 While Peter was kept in prison the church was praying for him without ceasing. 6 On the night before Herod planned to bring Peter out, he was sleeping between two soldiers having been bound with two chains. Additional guards watched the prison door. 7 An angel of the LORD suddenly appeared making the cell light up. He touched Peter's side and woke him up."Get up, " he said, and the chains fell off of his wrists. 8 The angel said, "Put on your clothes and sandals." Then he said, "Put on your coat and follow me." 9 Peter went out, wondering as he went if this was a dream. 10 After passing the first and second gate, they came to the outer iron gate that led to the city. It opened all by itself, and they went out. As they were going down the street the angel left him. 11 Peter then realized that this was not a dream. The LORD had sent His angel to save him from Herod and everything the Jews expected to happen to him. 12 Realizing where he was and what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. Many of the Christians were gathered there to pray. 13 He knocked at the gate and a servant girl came to see who was there. 14 Recognizing Peter's voice, she was so over joyed she forgot to open the gate, but ran to tell everyone that Peter was standing at the front gate. 15 They said to her, "You must be out of your mind." But she insisted that he was out there. They said, "It must be his angel."

COMMENT: Although they were praying for him, evidently they thought he would surely stand before Herod.

16 But Peter continued to knock and when they opened the door, they were amazed to see him. 17 Calling for quiet, he described how the LORD had led him out of prison. After telling them to report everything to James and the others, he left for another place.

COMMENT: This James may have been one of Jesus' brothers.

18 At daylight the soldiers could not explain what had become of Peter. 19 Herod searched for him and examined the prison guards who had no explanation. Finally he had them executed before he left for Caesarea.

20 Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came asking for peace because they needed what he gave to them.

21 He set a day to wear his royal robes and address them from his throne. 22 The people were crying out, your voice is the voice of a God and not of a man! 23 Immediately an angel of the LORD struck Herod because he took the glory for himself and did not give the glory to God. He was eaten by worms and died. 24 After this the word of the LORD continued to multiply.

25 Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled their mission. And they took John Mark with them.

Acts 13 - RWB Paraphrase (52 V)
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1 The church in Antioch had some prophets and teachers, such as Barnabas, Simon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the LORD with fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set Barnabas and Saul apart for the work I have called them to do." 3 And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away. 4 The Holy Spirit sent them to Seleucia and from there they went to Cypress. 5 Reaching Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. John had come with them to minister to them. 6 When they had gone through the island as far as Paphos, they found a Jewish false prophet and magician by the name of BarJesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, who was a prudent man. He summoned Barnabas and Saul, wanting to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician opposed them turning the deputy away from the faith. 9 And Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit and fixed his eyes on the magician, 10 saying, "You are full of deceit and fraud. You are the son of the devil and an enemy of righteousness. You should cease to make crooked the straight ways of the LORD." 11 "Now, behold, the hand of the LORD is upon you, and you shall be blind and shall not see the sun for a time. Immediately a mist of darkness fell on him. He had to be lead about by the hand." 12 Seeing what had happened, the deputy believed and was amazed at the teaching of the LORD.

13 Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. It was here that John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 And going on from Perga, they came to Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials said, "Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation, please say it to us." 16 Paul stood up and motioning to them with his hand, said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen." 17 "The God of Israel chose our fathers and made them multiply during their stay in Egypt. Then He led them out with His uplifted arm." 18 "He put up with them for forty years in the wilderness." 19 "After He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He divided the land between them as an inheritance by lot." 20 "After this He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, up until the time of Samuel the prophet." 21 "They asked for a king and God gave them Saul the son of Kish. He was of the tribe of Benjamin and reigned forty years." 22 "After He had removed Saul, He raised up David to be their king. He said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.'" 23 "According to the promise, from the descendants of David God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus," 24 "after John proclaimed the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel." 25 "As John was coming to the end of his mission he plainly stated that he was not the Christ. He said that he was not worthy to unlace the shoes of the One following after him." 26 "Brethren and sons of Abraham's family, and all of you who fear God, to you this message of salvation has been sent." 27 "The rulers living in Jerusalem did not recognize Him or the things said by the prophets about Him which are read every Sabbath." 28 "Though they did not find any grounds for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed." 29 "When their plan had been carried out, He was taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb." 30 "But God raised Him from the dead," 31 "and for many days He appeared to those who had followed Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people." 32 "And we preach to you the good news of the promise which was made to our fathers," 33 "that God has fulfilled this promise to us who are their children, in that He raised up Jesus, just as it is written in the second Psalm, 'Thou art My Son. Today I have begotten You.'."

COMMENT:

Psalms 2:7 "I will surely tell of the LORD's decree. He had said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.'"

34 "And concerning the fact that He raised Him from the dead to never see corruption, He said, 'I will give You the holy and sure blessings of David.'"

COMMENT:

Isaiah 55:3 "Listen to Me, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the everlasting covenant I made with David."

35 "For He said in another Psalm, 'You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.'"

COMMENT:

Psalms 16:10 You will not abandon my soul to the grave, O LORD. Neither will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

36 "For David, after he had served God's purpose in his generation, fell asleep. He was laid in his grave and underwent decay."

COMMENT:

1 Kings 2:10 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David.

37 "But He who God raised up did not undergo decay." 38 "Let it be known to you, men and brethren, that through this Man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you," 39 "and through Him all who believe are justified and freed from condemnation of the law given by Moses." 40 "Beware lest what the prophet spoke of come upon you." 41 "Behold, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am accomplishing a work in your days, which you will not believe when it is told to you."

COMMENT:

Habakkuk 1:5 "Look among the nations. Observe and be astonished! I am about to do something in your day and you will find it hard to believe."

42 As Paul and Barnabas went out the people begged them speak again the following Sabbath. 43 When the meeting in the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and God fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who urged them to continue in God's grace. 44 The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the LORD. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to speak against Paul, even using blasphemy. 46 Paul and Barnabas spoke boldly to them, saying that it was necessary to speak the word of God to them first. Now that they had rejected it, they would go to the Gentiles. 47 For the LORD commanded us, "I have placed you as a light to the Gentiles, that you may take the news of salvation to the ends of the earth." 48 Hearing this, the Gentiles rejoiced and glorified the word of God. And those who had been appointed to eternal life believed.

COMMENT:

Isaiah 42:6 "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness. I will take you by the hand to keep you. I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, and as a light to the Gentiles."

Isaiah 49:6 He says, "It is a small thing that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and restore the preserved ones of Israel. I will also make you a light to the nations so that My salvation may reach the ends of the earth."

49 The word of God spread through the entire region. 50 But the Jews incited leading men and women of the city to bring persecution on Paul and Barnabas, driving them out of the district. 51 They then shook the dust off of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciple were filled with joy, and with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 14 - RWB Paraphrase (28 V)
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1 In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews and spoke with them. A great number of Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But there were unbelieving Jews who stirred up some Gentiles against them and the brethren. 3 They continued speaking boldly relying on the LORD as they testified to the word of His grace, as He granted signs and wonders done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 And when some of the Jews and Gentiles intended to stone them, 6 they were made aware of it and fled to Lycaonia, Lystra, Derbe and the surrounding region. 7 They continued preaching the gospel in those places.

8 At Lystra a man lame from his mother's womb sat with no strength in his feet. He had never walked. 9 He was listening to Paul as he spoke. Paul fixed his gaze on him, and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said with a loud voice, "Stand up on your feet." And the man leaped up and began walking. 11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done they raised their voices in their own language saying, "The gods have come down to us and become like men." 12 They called Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the people. 14 When Paul and Barnabas understood what they were about to do, they rushed into the crowd, 15 saying, "Men, why are you doing this? We are men with the same nature you have. We have preached the gospel to you so that you may turn from the vain things to a living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in it." 16 "In past generations He permitted each nation to go its own way." 17 "But He did not leave Himself without a witness. He gave you rain from heaven and abundant crops, satisfying you with food and gladness." 18 Even as they said these things, it was with difficulty that they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. 19 But Jews who had come from Antioch and Iconium won over the crowds and they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. 20 And while the disciples stood around him, he got up and went into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. 21 After they had preached and made many disciples in that city, they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. 22 As they went they strengthen the souls of the disciples encouraging them to continue in the faith, telling them, "We must enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations." 23 After appointing elders in every church, having prayed and fasted, they commended them to the LORD on whom they believed. 24 They passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia, 25 they spoke the word in Perga and then went on to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended by the grace of God for the work they had accomplished. 27 When they arrived they gathered the church together and reported all the things God had done through them as He opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they remained a long time with the disciples.

Acts 15 - RWB Paraphrase (41 V)
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1 Some men from Judea came and began teaching that circumcision was necessary for salvation. 2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with this and some of the brethren decided to send them to Jerusalem to talk to the apostles about this. 3 As they traveled they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria. When these Gentiles learned why they were going to Jerusalem it brought great joy to all the brethren. 4 Arriving at Jerusalem they were received by the church, the apostles and elders. They reported all that God had done with them and why they had returned. 5 Some of the Pharisees who now believed said, it is necessary to be circumcised. Moses told us to do this. 6 So the apostles and the elders came together to look into the matter. 7 After much debate, Peter stood up and said, "Men and brethren, you know that early on God said that I should speak of the gospel to the Gentiles, that they might believe." 8 "God knows the heart and gave them the Holy Spirit as He did to us." 9 "He has cleansed their hearts by faith and has made no distinction between us and them." 10 "Why put God to the test by placing a yoke on their neck which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear?" 11 "We believe that both we and the Gentiles are saved through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ." 12 All the people kept silent. Then they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 When they had finished speaking, James said, "Brethren, listen to me." 14 "Simeon related how God took from among the Gentiles a people for Himself." 15 "And the prophets agree with this, for it is written," 16 "after these things I will return and rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen down and I will restore it,"

COMMENT:

Amos 9:11 "On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair it. I will rebuild it as it once was."

17 "so that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, including the Gentiles, says the LORD."

COMMENT:

Amos 9:12 "I will do this that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name," says the LORD who makes this happen.

18 "The LORD God has planned this from the beginning of the world." 19 "Therefore, in my judgment we should not trouble those turning to God from among the Gentiles." 20 "Let us write to them asking them to abstain from things contaminated by idols, from fornication, from that which has been strangled and from blood." 21 "For generations Moses has been read in the synagogues every Sabbath and has those who preach what he wrote." 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles, the elders and the whole church, to choose men to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas who was also called Barnabas and Silas, who were leading men among the brethren. 23 They sent a letter with them saying, "The apostles, the brethren and the elders greet the brethren in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles." 24 "Since we have heard that some of our number came to you without our instruction, disturbing you with unsettling words," 25 "it seemed good to us, having decided together to send men back with Barnabas and Paul." 26 "These have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." 27 "We are sending Judas and Silas with them to confirm what we have decided." 28 "The Holy Spirit has directed us to lay upon you no greater burdens then the following essentials:" 29 "you should abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood and things strangled, and from fornication. If you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell."

30 So they returned to Antioch and gathering the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 They rejoiced and found encouragement as the letter was read. 32 Judas and Silas, being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message. 33 After spending time there they were sent away in peace. 34 But it seemed good for Silas remained behind. 35 Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of God with many others. 36 After some time Paul suggested to Barnabas that they visit the brethren in every city where they had preached the word of the LORD, and see how they were doing. 37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, 38 but Paul insisted that he not come with them because he had deserted them in Pamphylia. 39 This resulted in a sharp disagreement so that they went their separate ways. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cypress. 40 And Paul took Silas with him, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the LORD. 41 They traveled through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches.

Acts 16 - RWB Paraphrase (40 V)
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1 Paul came to Derbe and Lystra. A disciple named Timothy was there. He was a son of a Jewish woman, and his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted to take Timothy with him, so he circumcised him because of the Jews they would meet who knew that his father was Greek. 4 As they traveled from city to city they delivered the decrees made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 As a result the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily. 6 The Holy Spirit would not let them speak the word in Asia, so they passed through the regions of Phrygian and Galatia. 7 After they came to Mysia, they tried to go to Bithynia but the Spirit did not permit this. 8 From Mysia they came down to Troas. 9 Paul had a vision in the night. A man from Macedonia stood and appealed to him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 Having had the vision he immediately made plans to head for Macedonia. He was convinced that God was calling them to preach the gospel there. 11 They put out to sea from Troas, and ran a straight course for Samothrace and the following day to Neaolis. 12 From there they went on to Philippi, which is a principle city of Macedonia, a Roman colony. They stayed in this city for many days. 13 On the Sabbath day they went out of the city to a place by the river, hoping for a place to pray. They spoke to the women who happened to be there. 14 A woman named Lydia, who was from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, was a worshipper of God. The LORD opened her heart as she listened to Paul speak. 15 When she and her household had been baptized, she urged them, saying, "If you have found me to be faithful to the LORD, stay at my house." Thus she prevailed upon them.

16 It happened that as they were going to the place of prayer, a slave girl who had a spirit of divination met them. She had brought her masters much income by telling fortunes. 17 She followed after Paul and the others, crying out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, proclaiming the way of salvation." 18 She continued doing this for many days. It greatly annoyed Paul and he, turning toward her, said to the spirit in her, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out. 19 But when her masters discovered that their profit had been taken away, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the market place. 20 Coming before the chief magistrates, they said, "These Jews are throwing our city into confusion." 21 "They preach of customs which we as Romans cannot lawfully accept."

COMMENT: Always fall back on Rome when you have no other leg to stand on.

22 The crowd was against them and the chief magistrates had their robes torn from them and ordered that they be beaten with rods. 23 After striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison telling the jailer to keep a careful watch over them. 24 The jailer place them in the inner prison and with their feet in stocks. 25 At about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God while the other prisoners listened. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake that shook the foundation of the prison it caused the doors to open and everyone's chains were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he thought the prisoners had escaped and he prepared to take his own life. 28 But Paul cried out to him with a loud voice, saying, "Do not harm yourself. We are all here." 29 The jailer called for lights and rushing in, he trembled as he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 After bringing them out he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They said, "Believe in the LORD Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 They spoke the word of the LORD to him and to everyone in his house. 33 The jailer washed their wounds. Afterwards he and his household were baptized. 34 Then he brought them into his house and set food before them, rejoicing with his household because they all believed in God. 35 When day came, the magistrates sent the police to have them released. 36 So the jailer told Paul that the magistrates had ordered that they be released and that he was free to go. 37 But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us, who are Romans, in public without a trial, and they threw us in prison. Now are they asking us to leave in secret? Let them come and bring us out." 38 When the police brought this message back to the magistrates they were afraid realizing that they had done this to Romans. 39 They came and brought them out of prison and asked them to leave the city. 40 Instead they went to Lydia's to visit with the brethren and then departed.

Acts 17 - RWB Paraphrase (34 V)
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1 After traveling through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 Following his usual custom, Paul reasoned with them from the scriptures for three Sabbaths. 3 He explain everything and provided evidence that Christ had to suffer death and then rise again. He said, "This same Jesus, Whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ."

COMMENT:

Matthew 16:15-17 Then He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" [16] Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." [17] Then Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father in heaven."

4 And some of them believed and joined with Paul and Silas along with a large number of God fearing Greeks. Leading women were in the group. 5 This made the Jews jealous. Taking wicked men with them they formed a mob in the market place and set the city in an uproar. They attacked the house of Jason, expecting to bring Paul and Silas out to the people. 6 When they didn't find them, they dragged Jason out before the city authorities claiming that these men had been upsetting the world and had now come to this city. 7 They said that Jason had welcomed them and they were all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, claiming another king named Jesus. 8 These claims stirred up everyone, including the city authorities. 9 After receiving a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them. 10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. Arriving there they immediately entered the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these people were more noble minded that those in Thessolonica because they received the word with great eagerness. They searched the scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true. 12 Because of this many of them believed, including some prominent Greek men and women. 13 But when the Jews in Thessolonica found out that Paul was proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they came and stirred up a crowd there as well. 14 Paul was immediately sent as far as the sea but Silas and Timothy remained there.

COMMENT: Paul seemed to be more of a lightening rod. He drew the lightening more than Silas.

15 Those escorting Paul brought him as far as Athens. He sent word back for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. 16 While Paul waited for them at Athens, he was provoked by all the idols he saw in the city. 17 He reasoned with the Jews in the synagogue. He also talked daily with other devout persons in the market place. 18 He talked with some philosophers of the Epicureans and the Stoicks. Some thought Paul was a babbler proclaiming a strange God, because he preached Jesus, and the resurrection. 19 They brought him to Areopagus, saying, "We'd like to know more about what he teaches." 20 "These are strange ideas and we want to know more about what he thinks."

21 The Athenians enjoyed spend their time in telling or listening to something new. 22 So Paul stood in their midst on Mars Hill and said, "Men of Athens, I have observed that you are very religious." 23 "I have examined your ways of worshipping. I discovered an alter with the inscription, 'To An Unknown God.' What you have worshipped unknowingly I will proclaim to you." 24 "The God who made heaven and earth, and everything in it, does not dwell in temples made with hands." 25 "Neither is He provided for by human hands, for He does not need anything. He provides life to all." 26 "He created one man from whom came every nation on earth. He has determine their appointed times and where they will live." 27 "His intention is that they seek for Him and they may find Him, for He is near to each one of us." 28 "It is because of Him that we live and move. Some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'" 29 "Because we are the children of God, we should not think of the Divine Nature to be made of silver or gold, or an image formed by the ingenuity of man." 30 "Therefore God has overlooked the times of ignorance, declaring that all people should repent." 31 "He has appointed a day when He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." 32 "When they heard Paul speak of the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, saying, 'We will listen to you another time.'" 33 So Paul went out of their midst. 34 There were some who believed and joined him, including Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, as well as some others.

Acts 18 - RWB Paraphrase (28 V)
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1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a man named Aquila who was a native of Pontus and had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla. Claudius had commanded that all Jews depart from Rome. 3 Paul and Aquila had the same trade so he abode with them and they worked together as tent makers. 4 On Sabbath Paul reasoned with the Jews in the synagogue, trying to persuade them as well as the Greeks. 5 After Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself entirely to preaching to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." 7 Leaving there he went to the house of a man named Titius Justus who worshiped God. His house was next to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, who was the leader of the synagogue, believed in the LORD with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians believed and were baptized when they heard what he said about Jesus. 9 The LORD came to Paul in a vision at night and said, "Do not be afraid. Speak out and do not be silent." 10 "For I am with you and no man will harm you. I have many people in this city." 11 So Paul settled there for a year and a half, teaching the word of God to them. 12 But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia the Jews rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat. 13 They said, "This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law." 14 Paul was about to begin speaking when Gallio said to the Jews, "If he was accused of some crime, it would be reasonable to put up with you." 15 "But this is about words and names in your own law, so you should see to it. I will not be a judge in these matters." 16 And he drove them away from the judgment seat. 17 They then took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began to beat him in front of the judgment seat, but Gallio was not concerned about any of these things. 18 After Paul had remained for many more days, he took leave of the brethren and put out to sea for Syria. Priscilla and Aquila went with him. In Cenchrea he had his hair cut, for he was keeping a vow. 19 They came to Ephesus where he left them. Here he entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 They asked him to stay longer but he would not. 21 As he left he said, "If it is God's will, I will return to you." And he set sail from Ephesus. 22 After landing at Caesarea he went up and greeted the church. Then he left for Antioch. 23 After spending some time there he passed through Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples in those places. 24 A Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was eloquent and mighty in the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the LORD, was fervent in spirit. And he taught the truth about Jesus, though he had not learned about Him beyond the baptism of John. 26 As he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue, Pricilla and Aquila heard him and took him aside, explaining the way of God more accurately. 27 When he wanted to cross over to Achaia the brethren encouraged him and sent a letter to the disciples so that he would be welcomed when he arrived. He was a great help to those who believed through grace, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing in the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

Acts 19 - RWB Paraphrase (41 V)
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1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper coasts and came to Ephesus where he found some disciples. 2 He asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed. They said that they had never heard of the Holy Spirit. 3 He then asked them what they had been baptized into. They said, "Into John's baptism." 4 Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, Jesus Christ." 5 When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the LORD Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve of them.

8 Paul entered the synagogue and continued speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them concerning the kingdom of God. 9 But there were some who resisted what he was saying and spoke evil of the Way to others. So he withdrew from them, taking the disciples with him and reasoning daily in the school of Tyannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks in Asia heard the word of the LORD. 11 God performed wonderful miracles through Paul. 12 Handkerchiefs or aprons were carried from his body to the sick, and their disease left them. Even evil spirits were cast out this way. 13 There were some Jewish exorcists who took it upon themselves to cast out evil spirits in the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14 Seven sons of a Jewish chief priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 The evil spirit answered them, saying, "I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?" 16 And the man with the evil spirit leaped on them and overpowered all of them, so that they fled from that house naked and wounded. 17 All the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus learned of this and fear fell on everyone as the name of the LORD Jesus was being magnified. 18 Many who believed came and confessed what was wrong in their lives. 19 Many of those who practiced magic brought their books of magic arts and burned them for everyone to witness. The price of these books was determined to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the LORD prevailed and became mighty.

21 After these things Paul decided to go to Jerusalem after passing through Macedonia and Achaia. And eventually he hoped to see Rome. 22 He sent Timothy and Erastus ahead to Macedonia while he tarried in Asia for a season. 23 About that time a great disturbance occurred concerning the Way. 24 A man named Demetrius who was a silversmith made shrines for Diana. This was big business for other craftsmen as well. 25 He gathered many of them together and said, "Men, we know that our prosperity depends on our building these shrines." 26 "You have heard that in Ephesus and in most of Asia, Paul has turned a considerable number of people away from gods made with hands, saying that they have no power at all." 27 "This has caused us less business. There is a danger that the great temple of Diana will be regarded as worthless and she whom all Asia and the world worships will be dethroned." 28 When they heard this they were filled with wrath and began saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." 29 The city became filled with confusion. Two of Paul's traveling companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, were caught by them and rushed into theater. 30 Paul wanted to go into the assembly but the disciples would not hear of it. 31 Some the chief leaders of Asia, which were his friends, told him not to venture into theater. 32 There was such confusion in theater with some shouted one thing and others something else. They did not seem to know why they had come together. 33 The Jews pulled Alexander out of the crowd and pushed him forward. He motioned for them to be quiet, planning to make a defense to the assembly. 34 When they discovered that he was a Jew, they all began to shout for the next two hours, saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." 35 After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, "Men of Ephesus, everyone knows that the Ephesians are guardian of the great goddess Diana and the image that fell from Jupiter." 36 "Since these facts cannot be denied, you should be quite and refrain from doing anything rash." 37 "You have brought men here who are neither robbers of temples or blasphemers of our goddess." 38 "So if Demetrius and other craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are in session and the proconsuls are available. Let charges be brought to the legal system." 39 "Anything beyond this should be settled in a lawful assembly." 40 "Today's event could put us in danger of being accused of a riot and disorderly conduct without a real cause." 41 After saying this he dismissed the assembly.

Acts 20 - RWB Paraphrase (38 V)
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1 After the uproar had died down, Paul exhorted the disciples and took his leave for Macedonia. 2 After going through those districts and exhorting them, he came to Greece. 3 He stayed there three months. As he was about to set sail for Syria the Jews made a plot against him. So he traveled through Macedonia in instead. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater of Berea who was the son of Pyrrhus, and Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, as well as Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. 5 These had gone on ahead to wait for us at Troas. 6 We sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread. We came to Troas in five days and stayed there seven days. 7 On the first day of the week we gathered to break bread. Paul began talking to them. He intended to leave the next day. He talked on until midnight. 8 There were many lamps lit in the upper room where we had gathered. 9 A young man by the name of Eutychus was sitting in a window. As Paul kept talking the young man fell asleep and fell from the window on the third floor. When they picked him up he was dead. 10 But Paul went down and fell on him and embracing him, and said, "Do not be troubled, for he is alive." 11 Then he went back upstairs and when he had broken bread and eaten, he talked with them until daybreak, and then left. 12 They were comforted, for the boy was alive.

13 We had set sail for Assos, expecting to take Paul on board there. 14 We met him in Assos and then went on to Mitylele. 15 The next day we sailed to Chios and the day after to Samos. After staying a bit at Trogyllium, we came to Miletus. 16 Paul wanted to arrive in Jerusalem in time for Pentecost, so he passed by Ephesus. 17 He arranged for the elders of the church of Ephesus to meet him in Miletus. 18 When they came he said to them, "You will recall that from the first day I arrived in Asia I worked with you." 19 "I served the LORD with all humility, with tears and trials because of the plots of the Jews." 20 "I did not shrink from teaching you publicly and from house to house." 21 "I solemnly testified to both Jews and Greeks concerning repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." 22 "And now the Spirit is compelling me on to Jerusalem. I do not know what will happen to me there." 23 "However, the Holy Spirit has shown me that bonds and affliction await me." 24 "I am not afraid and I do not consider my life too dear to lose. I want to finish my course and the ministry which I received from the LORD Jesus, to testify to the good news of the grace of God."

COMMENT: Paul was convinced that trouble that was coming for him was part of God's plan.

25 "I know that you will not see my face again." 26 "So I am making it a matter of record that I am innocent of the blood of all men."

COMMENT: He is referring to the blood that would be on him if he had not warned them of the judgment and of Christ's saving grace.

27 "I did not shrink from telling them the whole purpose of God." 28 "Guard yourselves and your flock, for the Holy Spirit has made you their overseers, whom Jesus Christ has purchased with His own blood." 29 "I know that after I am gone savage wolves will come in among you, and will not spare the flock." 30 "From among yourselves men will arise, speaking perverse things, so as to draw away the disciples after them." 31 "So watch, and remember "For three years I worked among you night and day, and admonished you with tears. 32 "Now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among the sanctified." 33 "I asked for no one's silver, gold, or clothing." 34 "You know that I ministered to my own needs and to those who were with me."

COMMENT: Paul was a tent maker by trade and worked at that trade at times.

Acts 18:3 Paul and Aquila had the same trade so he abode with them and they worked together as tent makers.

35 "Jesus said, 'It is more blessed to give then to receive.' This is what I have always tried to do." 36 After saying these things, Paul knelt and prayed with them. 37 They all wept and embraced and kissed Paul. 38 They were most sorry to hear that they would not see him again. They then accompanied him to the ship.

Acts 21 - RWB Paraphrase (40 V)
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1 We set sail running a straight course to Cos and the day after to Rhodes. From there we went to Patara. 2 We then found a ship going to Phoenicia. 3 We passed Cypress on our left as we continued on our way to Syria where we landed at Tyre. It was there that the ship unloaded its cargo. 4 We looked up the disciples and stayed there seven days. They kept saying that the Spirit was saying that Paul should not go to Jerusalem.

COMMENT: Here is an example of the people claiming a message from God that was different from what Paul said that God had told him.

5 When our days were ended, the disciples, their wives and children, escorted us out of the city. We all knelt down on the beach and prayed. We then bid each other farewell. 6 We boarded the ship and they returned home.

7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais and greeted the brethren there. We stayed with them for only a day. 8 The next day we went to Caesarea and entered the house of Philip the evangelist. He was one of the seven deacons. We stayed with him. 9 He had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses. 10 In the following days a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Taking Paul's belt he bound his own hands and feet, saying, "The Holy Spirit says that the Jews and all of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles." 12 Hearing this we and the local residents begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. 13 Paul replied, "Why weep and be heartbroken? I am ready not just to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the LORD Jesus." 14 Since we could not change his mind we fell silent and then said, "The will of the LORD be done."

15 After some days we started for Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea came with us and took us to the house of Mnason of Cypress. He had been a disciple for a long time. 17 When we arrived in Jerusalem the brethren gladly received us. 18 The following day Paul went with us to see James and all the elders. 19 After greeting one another, Paul related all the things that God had done through his ministry among the Gentiles. 20 They glorified God as they heard these things. They said to him, "Brother, you see how many thousands of Jews have believed though they are zealous for the law." 21 And they have been told that you are teaching the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and not to circumcise their children or walk according to the customs of the Jews. 22 "What can be done? They will certainly hear that you are here." 23 "Therefore, do this: we have four men who are under a vow." 24 "Take them and purify yourself with them, paying their expenses so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the rumors they have heard about you, but that you walk according to the law." 25 "But concerning the Gentiles, we wrote that we had decided that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what has been strangled and from fornication." 26 So the next day Paul took the men with him to be purified, giving notice in the temple of when their days of purification would be complete and the sacrifice should be offered for each of them. 27 Near the end of the seven days, Jews from Asia saw Paul in the temple and stirred up the crowd to lay hands on him. 28 They cried out, "Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people, the law and this place. And now he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place." 29 They had previously seen Trophimus an Ephesian, and supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then the entire city was in an uproar. The people rushed together and grabbing Paul, drug him out of the temple before shutting its doors. 31 While they were trying to kill him, a report of the disturbance all over Jerusalem reached the commander of the Roman cohort. 32 Taking some soldiers and centurions, he immediately ran to where Paul was and stopped them from beating him. 33 Taking a hold of him, the commander had him bound with two chains and then asked him who he was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd were shouting one thing and some another. Unable to make sense of what he was hearing, the commander ordered that Paul to be brought into the barracks. 35 When they came to the stairs the soldiers carried Paul because of the mob's violence. 36 The multitude of people kept following them, shouting, "Away with him!" 37 As Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he said to the commander, "May I say something to you?" And he replied, "Do you know Greek?" 38 "Then you are not the Egyptian who sometime back stirred up a revolt and lead four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?"

COMMENT: The Assassins were a group of murderers.

39 Paul answered, saying, "I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no small city. Please allow me to speak to the people." 40 After receiving permission, Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people with his hand. A great hush fell over the crowd. Then he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect.

Acts 22 - RWB Paraphrase (30 V)
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1 "Men, brethren and fathers, hear the defense I offer to you now." 2 And when they heard him address them in Hebrew, they became even quieter. And he said, 3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia. Yet I was brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel. I was taught according to the law of our fathers and I was zealous for God just as you are today." 4 "I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering both men and women."

COMMENT:

Acts 9:1-2 Saul continued breathing threats against the LORD's disciples. Going to the high priest, [2] he asked for letters authorizing him to go to Damascus and look in the synagogues for men and women belonging to the Way. These he would bring bound to Jerusalem.

5 "The high priest and all the council of the elders can testify to this. I received letters from them to go to Damascus and bring back to Jerusalem those that were to be punished."

6 "As I was approaching Damascus near noon, a very bright light from heaven flashed around me." 7 "I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'" 8 "I answered, 'Who are You Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth Whom you are persecuting.'." 9 "Those with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the One speaking to me." 10 "I then said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the LORD told me to get up and go into Damascus. There I would be told what I was supposed to do." 11 "The bright light had blinded me, so I was led by the hand into the city." 12 "A man named Ananias, devout by the standard of the Law, was well spoken of by all the Jews living there." 13 "He came to me, and standing beside me, said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' At that moment I was able to see him." 14 "And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear words from His mouth.'." 15 "You are to be a witness for Him to all men telling them of what you have seen and heard." 16 "Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized. Wash away your sins by calling on the name of the LORD." 17 "When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance." 18 "I saw Him and He said to me, 'Get out of Jerusalem quickly for they will not believe your testimony concerning Me.'" 19 "And I said, 'Lord, they know how I used to go into every synagogue looking for those who believed in You.'" 20 "And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was being shed, I stood by, approving of his death and held the coats of those who were putting him to death."

COMMENT:

Acts 7:58 they drove him out of the city where they began stoning him. And the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

21 "And He said to me, 'Go! For I am sending you far away to the Gentiles.'" 22 The people listened up until this last statement. Then they lifted up their voices, saying, "Away with this man. He should not be allowed to live!"

COMMENT: They were willing to listen until he mentioned the Gentiles as worthy of God's concern.

23 As they cried out they threw off their coats and tossed dust in the air. 24 The commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks and examined by scourging so they might learn from him why the people were so against him.

COMMENT: The commander had heard him say that he was a Roman. He was not supposed to do this, but he thought he could get more information by doing this.

25 As they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion standing nearby, is it lawful to scourge an uncondemned Roman? 26 Hearing this, the centurion went to the commander and said, "You should be careful of what you are about to do. This man is a Roman citizen." 27 The commander came and questioned Paul, saying, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" And he said, "Yes." 28 The commander answered, "I obtained my citizenship at great cost." Then Paul said, "I was actually born a citizen." 29 So those about to scourge him immediately let him go. The commander was also afraid because he had placed a Roman citizen in chains. 30 On the following day, wanting to know of what the Jews were accusing Paul, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all of the Council to assemble. He then set Paul before them.

Acts 23 - RWB Paraphrase (35 V)
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1 Looking intently at the Council, Paul said, "Brethren, I have lived in good conscience before God until today." 2 The high priest Ananias told those standing next to him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall. You violated the Law when you ordered me to be struck." 4 But those standing by said, "Do you revile God's high priest?" 5 And Paul said, "Brethren, I was not aware that he was high priest, for it is written, you shall not speak evil of a ruler of the people."

COMMENT: Here Paul gives evidence that he knows and wants to follow the law. Ananias is the priest who broke Jewish law as he condemned Jesus to death.

6 Then perceiving that the group was divided between Sadducees and Pharisees, Paul began crying out to the council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee and on trial for the hope of the resurrection of the dead!" 7 As he said this a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. 8 For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, angel or spirit. But the Pharisees acknowledge them all. 9 Then there was a great uproar and some of the scribes of the Pharisees argued for Paul, saying, "Suppose a spirit did speak to him?" 10 A great dissension arose among them and the commander, fearing for Paul's well being, ordered his troops to rescue Paul from them and bring him into the barracks.

11 It was that night that the LORD stood by Paul's side and said, "Take courage, for just as you have testified of Me in Jerusalem, so you are to witness at Rome." 12 When day had come, some Jews formed a conspiracy binding them under an oath to neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

COMMENT: This was a vow they would have to break if they were to go on living.

13 There were more than forty involved in this plot. 14 They told the chief priests and the elders of their oath. 15 They said, "You and the Council notify the commander to bring Paul down to Jerusalem as though you plan to make additional investigation. We will be prepared to kill him before he gets close to the place." 16 But the son of Paul's sister heard of their plot and came to the barrack to tell Paul of it. 17 Paul called one of the centurions over and asked the young man to repeat what he had heard. 18 So he brought the young man to the commander to tell him what he had learned. 19 Taking him by the hand the commander asked him what he had heard. 20 The young man said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the Council in Jerusalem tomorrow for further inquiry." 21 "Do not listen to them, for they will be lying in wait, having bound themselves by an oath to neither eat nor drink until they have killed Paul." 22 So the commander sent the young man away saying that he should tell no one of the matter. 23 Calling two of his centurions he said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready by three o'clock tomorrow morning. You are to proceed to Caesarea with seventy horseman and two hundred spearsmen." 24 "Paul must have a mount to ride and be brought safely to Felix the governor." 25 He wrote the following letter: 26 "Claudius Lysias, the most excellent governor Felix, greetings," 27 "when this man was arrested by the Jews and they were about to kill him, I rescued him and learned that he is a Roman." 28 "Wanting to better understand their charge against him, I brought him into their Council." 29 "I discovered that he was accused over questions concerning their Law. But it seemed that there was nothing deserving of death." 30 "Learning of a plot against the man, I have sent him to you at once. I have instructed his accusers to bring their charges against him before you." 31 So the soldiers did everything as ordered and brought Paul by night to Antipatris. 32 The next day the soldiers left Paul with the horsemen and returned to their barracks. 33 The horsemen delivered the letter to the governor in Caesarea and presented Paul to him. 34 When he had read the letter, he asked Paul what province he was from, and he said Cilicia. 35 Felix said, "I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive." And he gave orders for Paul to be kept in Herod's Praetorium.

Acts 24 - RWB Paraphrase (27 V)
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1 Five days later Ananias the high priest came down with the elders, and brought with them an orator named Tertullus, to press charges against Paul. 2 After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began accusing him to the governor, saying, "Since we have attained much peace under your leadership and reforms," 3 "we thankfully acknowledge your wisdom, most excellent Felix." 4 "I do not want to weary you further except that you grant us a brief hearing." 5 "For we have found this man to be a real pest. He stirs up dissension among the Jews throughout the world. He is a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarenes." 6 "And he even tried to desecrate the temple where we arrested him. We wanted to judge him according to our own Law." 7 "But Lysias intervened and with much violence took him out of our hands," 8 "ordering his accusers to come before you. As you examine him you will see for yourself why we have accused him." 9 The Jews joined in the attack saying that these things were so. 10 When the governor had nodded for Paul to respond. He said, "Knowing that for many years you have judged this nation, I cheerfully make my defense." 11 "The record shows that twelve days ago I went to Jerusalem to worship." 12 "I was not found to be causing a riot, or even a discussion, with anyone in the temple, the synagogues nor in the city itself." 13 "Neither can they prove to you the charges they have brought against me." 14 "I admit that I do believe in the Way which they call a sect and that I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything in accordance with the Law and all that is written in the prophets." 15 "I have a hope in God, which these men also claim to have. I believe that there will certainly be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked." 16 "In view of this I do my best to maintain a clear conscience before God and man." 17 "After several years I came to bring alms to my nation and present offerings." 18 "They found me in the temple after I had been purified. There was no crowd or uproar taking place. But there were some Jews from Asia," 19 "who ought to have been present at this hearing, so they can make their claims against me." 20 "Or these men present today tell of what wrong they discovered when I stood before the Council," 21 "other than this one statement I shouted out while standing among them: 'For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.'" 22 Felix had some knowledge about the Way and put them off, saying, "When Lysias the commander comes down I will decide on this matter." 23 Then he gave orders for Paul to be kept in custody, but with some freedom, allowing him to have his friends minister to him. 24 "Several days later Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla who was Jewish. They sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Jesus Christ." 25 And as Paul talked of righteousness, self control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present. I will find another time to hear you." 26 He was hoping Paul would give him money and often sent for him to hear what he had to say. 27 After two years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wanting to do the Jews a favor, he left Paul in prison.

Acts 25 - RWB Paraphrase (27 V)
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1 Festus arrived in the province and after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. 2 The chief priests and leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul, 3 requesting that he might be brought to Jerusalem, all the while planning to set an ambush to kill him. 4 Festus said that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea where he himself was headed. 5 Therefore, he said, "Let the influential men among you go there with me and accuse him if there is any wickedness in him." 6 So he remained in Jerusalem about ten days and then left for Caesarea. The following day he took his place on the judgment seat and ordered that Paul be brought in. 7 After Paul had arrived, those Jews who had come from Jerusalem stood around him accusing him of many things that they could not prove. 8 Paul said in his own defense, "I have done nothing wrong, either against the Law of the Jews, the temple, or against Caesar." 9 Festus wanting to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial against these charges?" 10 But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's judgment seat. This is where I should be tried. You know that I have done no wrong to the Jews." 11 "If I have done anything worthy of death, I am not afraid to die. But if I have done nothing wrong, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar." 12 After Festus had conferred with his council, he said, "You have appealed to Caesar and to Caesar you shall go." 13 Several days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14 While they were there many days, Festus told them about Paul's case, explaining that Felix had left Paul a prisoner for him to judge. 15 He said, "When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against Paul, asking for the death sentence." 16 "I told them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand any man over before he has met his accusers face to face so that he may answer the charges against him." 17 "So after they had assembled here I sat on my judgment seat and ordered Paul to be brought in." 18 "When his accusers leveled their charges against him, they were not for the sort of crimes I expected." 19 "Their charges had to do with points of disagreement about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus whom Paul said was alive." 20 "I had no idea how to investigate such matters and I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried on these matters." 21 "But Paul appealed to be held in custody for the Emperor's decision. So I am keeping him until I can send him to Caesar." 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, "I also would like to hear what he has to say." Festus said, "Tomorrow you shall hear him." 23 So the next day Agrippa and Bernice entered the auditorium with much pomp, accompanied by commanders and other prominent men of the city. And Festus had Paul brought in. 24 Addressing King Agrippa and all the rest present, Festus said, "You see this man, whom all the Jews have declared should die?" 25 "I have found nothing in him worthy of death. But since he has appealed to the Emporor, I have decided to send him." 26 "Yet I have nothing to accuse him of to the Emporor. So I am letting you hear what he has to say so that I may have something to write." 27 "It seems absurd to be sending a prisoner and be unable to list any charges against him."

Acts 26 - RWB Paraphrase (32 V)
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1 Agrippa said to Paul, "You may now speak for yourself." Stretching out his hand, Paul began his defense. 2 "In regard to everything I am accused of by the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, to have you hear my defense today." 3 "I am aware that you understand the customs and questions among the Jews. Please listen to me patiently." 4 "I am known by all Jews for my manner of life since a youth spent in my own nation at Jerusalem." 5 "They have known me for a long time and that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion." 6 "And now I am standing trial because of the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers." 7 "This is the promise which our twelve tribes waited for while serving God day and night. This is the hope, King Agrippa, for which I am accused of by the Jews." 8 "Why do some of our people think it impossible that God can raise the dead?" 9 "I myself thought I should hinder everything to do with the name of Jesus of Nazareth." 10 "In Jerusalem I locked up many of the saints, receiving authority from the chief priests, and casting my vote when they were being put to death." 11 "By punishing then often in all the synagogues I tried to force them to blaspheme, even in foreign cities." 12 "For this reason I went to Damascus with the authority given me by the chief priests." 13 "At midday, as I approached Damascus, O King, I saw a light from heaven that was brighter than the sun shining all around me and those journeying with me." 14 "When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard to kick against the pricks.'" 15 "And I said, 'Who art You Lord?' And the LORD said to me, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.'." 16 "Stand up, for I have come to appoint you as a minister and a witness to the things you have seen and all the things I shall yet show you." 17 "I will deliver you from the Jews and the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you," 18 "to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, from the domain of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." 19 "King Agrippa, I have not been disobedient to this vision from heaven."

COMMENT: Paul is here doing what we each are to do. This is to tell of our Christian experience. This is more convincing then any other method of witnessing and is often the best introduction to what God expects of each Christian.

20 "I have continued to declare this truth, beginning at Damascus, then in Jerusalem, and then throughout the entire region of Judea and even to the Gentiles, so that they may repent and turn to God with repentance that results in good deeds."

COMMENT: The outcome of his teaching is good and not bad.

21 "For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me." 22 "With God's help I am still alive. I have said nothing but what Moses and the Prophets predicted," 23 "that Christ was to suffer, and then by His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light to both the Jews and Gentiles." 24 While Paul spoke in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning has made you mad." 25 But Paul said, "Most excellent Festus, I am not out of my mind. What I say is the sober truth." 26 "For I am persuaded that none of what I speak of has escaped the notice of King Agrippa." 27 "King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do." 28 Agrippa replied to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." 29 Paul then said, "I wish that by God's grace you might become as I am, except for these chains." 30 The king and everyone with him stood up, 31 and as they were discussing privately what they had heard, they said, "This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment." 32 Agrippa said to Festus, "He might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."

Acts 27 - RWB Paraphrase (44 V)
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1 When they had decided to send Paul to Rome, he and some other prisoners set sail with a centurion named Julius of the Augustus cohort. 2 Embarking at Adramyttium, we prepared to sail by the coasts of Asia. A Macedonian of Thessalonica named Aristarchus came with us. 3 The next day we reached Sidon. Julius treated Paul with courtesy, giving him liberty to go with his friends and refresh himself. 4 From there we sailed in the shelter of Cyprus to avoid the contrary winds. 5 After sailing along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion put us aboard an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy. 7 When we had sailed slowly for many days hardly getting as far as Cnidus, the wind dictated that we sail under Crete and over against Salmone. 8 We sailed past it with difficulty and came to Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. 9 After much time and dangerous sailing, and since the fast was over, Paul admonished them, 10 saying, "Men, I perceive that the voyage will result in much damage with great loss to the ship, the cargo and our lives." 11 But the centurion listened to the pilot and the captain of the ship rather than to Paul. 12 Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering over, the majority decided to put out to sea and try to reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. 13 When a moderate south wind blew they supposed that they would be safe sailing close by Crete. 14 But before long a violent wind called Euraqilo blew at them from the land. 15 The ship was caught by it and unable to turn toward land, it was driven along before it. 16 Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda we were scarcely able to keep the ship under control. 17 After taking up the sail they tried to secure the ship with cables. Fearing quicksand, they did all they could to keep from getting any closer as they were being driven along. 18 The next day the tempest was terrible, so they began to lighten the ship by throwing the cargo over board. 19 The third day they even threw the ships tackle overboard. 20 They had seen neither the sun nor stars for many days and knew that this was not a small storm. Gradually they lost all hope of being saved. 21 After having gone a long time without food, Paul stood in their midst and said, "Men, you ought to have listened to my advice and not set sail from Crete." 22 "Yet, I now urge you to keep up your courage for no one will die. Only the ship will be lost." 23 "For this very night an angel of the God I serve stood by me." 24 "He said to me, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar. Behold, God has granted that everyone on the boat will not die.'" 25 "So keep your courage men. I believe God will do exactly as the angel told me." 26 "But we must run aground on some island." 27 And when the fourteenth night had come we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea. It was about midnight and the sailors sensed that we were approaching land. 28 After taking soundings they found the water to be twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms.

COMMENT: A fathom is about six feet. So 20 fathoms is about one 120 feet and 15 fathoms would be about 90 feet.

29 Fearing that we might run aground on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and hoped for daybreak. 30 As the sailors began putting the ship's life boat into the sea they said that they would lay out anchors from the bow, but really intended to abandon ship. 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men remain in the ship, none of you will be saved." 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the life boat and let it fall away. 33 As the dawn was not far off, Paul encouraged them to take some food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day that you have gone without eating." 34 "Therefore I encourage you to eat for your own good. Not a single hair from anyone's head will perish." 35 After saying this he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of everyone. He broke it and began to eat. 36 Everyone was encouraged and also ate. 37 There were two hundred and seventy six persons on board. 38 When they had eaten enough they began to lighten the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea. 39 When day came they did not recognize the land. But observing a bay with a beach, they decide to drive the ship up on it. 40 Casting off the anchor ropes and loosening the ropes of the rudder, they hoisted the main sail and headed for the beach. 41 But they struck a reef where two seas met and they ran the vessel aground. The prow stuck fast and would not move. The force of the wind and waves began to break the ship apart. 42 The soldiers decide to kill the prisoners lest any should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their plan and commanded those who could swim to jump overboard and get to land. 44 The rest should take hold of a floating plank or something else. Thus they all were brought safely to land.

Acts 28 - RWB Paraphrase (31 V)
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1 When they were safely ashore they found out that they were on the island of Malta. 2 The natives showed us every kindness helping us in the rain and the cold. They made a fire to help everyone get warm. 3 When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire a viper came out of the bundle and fastened itself on his hand. 4 The natives saw this and surmised that he must surely be a murderer getting what he deserved. 5 However, he shook it off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They expected him to swell up and die. After waiting a long time and seeing that nothing unusual had happened to him, they decided he must be a god. 7 The leading man of that area named Publius welcomed and entertained them for three days. 8 At that time the father of Publius was in bed with a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him. After praying for him, he laid his hands on him and he was healed. 9 When the people of the island heard of this they began bringing their sick to him to be cured. 10 They also honored us with much respect. When we finally set sail again, they provided for all our needs. 11 At the end of three months we set sail on an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island. Its figurehead was the Twin Brothers. 12 We arrived at Syracuse where we stayed for three days. 13 From there we sailed to Rhegium and a day later we came to Puteoli with a south wind. 14 It was there that we found some brethren and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And that is how we came to Rome.

15 When the brethren heard about us, they came from as far away as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us. Seeing them Paul thanked God and took courage. 16 When we entered Rome Paul was allowed to live alone with a soldier guarding him. 17 After three days Paul called together the leaders of the Jews and spoke with them, saying, "Brethren, though I have done nothing wrong against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I have been delivered as prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans." 18 "After examining me and finding nothing worthy of death, they planned to release me." 19 "But the Jews objected to this and I was forced to appeal to Caesar, though I had nothing to say against my nation." 20 "This is why I asked to see you, for I am wearing these chains for the sake of the hope of Israel."

COMMENT: What is the hope of Israel? It is of course the Messiah. And with this comes the hope of the resurrection. The Jews had officially rejected Jesus as God's Son and the Sadducees rejected the resurrection.

21 They said to him, "We have not heard any report or receive any letters from Judea concerning the things you have spoken of." 22 "We would like to hear of your views concerning the sect called the Way. It is spoken against everywhere." 23 So they set a day when they would come to hear him in his lodging. He expounded to them testifying of the kingdom of God and Jesus, both from the Law of Moses, and also from the prophets. He spoke from morning until evening. 24 Some were persuaded and other were not. 25 When they could not agree they began leaving after Paul spoke one parting word."the Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet of your fathers," 26 "saying, 'Go to this people and say, you will keep on hearing but you will not understand. You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive.'"