After<n id="1" /> he had destroyed<n id="2" /> seven nations<n id="3" /> in the land of Canaan, he gave his people their land as an inheritance.<n id="4" />

Then<n id="1" /> he said to me, &#8216;Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.&#8217;&#8221;p>

After several years<n id="1" /> I came to bring to my people gifts for the poor<n id="2" /> and to present offerings,<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">Now there were devout Jews<n id="1" /> from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem.<n id="2" />

but in every nation<n id="1" /> the person who fears him<n id="2" /> and does what is right<n id="3" /> is welcomed before him.

But the Jews who refused to believe<n id="1" /> stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds<n id="2" /> against the brothers.

When both the Gentiles and the Jews (together with their rulers) made<n id="1" /> an attempt to mistreat<n id="2" /> them and stone them,<n id="3" />

In<n id="1" /> past<n id="2" /> generations he allowed all the nations<n id="3" /> to go their own ways,

Simeon<n id="1" /> has explained<n id="2" /> how God first concerned himself<n id="3" /> to select<n id="4" /> from among the Gentiles<n id="5" /> a people for his name.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore I conclude<n id="1" /> that we should not cause extra difficulty<n id="2" /> for those among the Gentiles<n id="3" /> who are turning to God,

I will rescue<n id="1" /> you from your own people<n id="2" /> and from the Gentiles, to whom<n id="3" /> I am sending you

But when the Jews objected,<n id="1" /> I was forced to appeal to Caesar<n id="2" /> &#8211; not that I had some charge to bring<n id="3" /> against my own people.<n id="4" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore be advised<n id="1" /> that this salvation from God<n id="2" /> has been sent to the Gentiles;<n id="3" /> they<n id="4" /> will listen!&#8221;p>

who said by the Holy Spirit through<n id="1" /> your servant David our forefather,<n id="2" />p> <p class="otpoetry">&#8216;<b><i>Why do the nationsi>b><n id="3" /> <b><i>rage,i>b><n id="4" />p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>and the peoples plot foolishi>b><n id="5" /> <b><i>things?i>b>p>

<b><i>But I will punishi>b><n id="1" /> <b><i>the nation they serve as slavesi>b>,&#8217; said God, &#8216;<b><i>and after these things they will come out of therei>b><n id="2" /> and <i>worshipi><n id="3" /> <i>me in this placei>.&#8217;<n id="4" />

<p class="bodytext">Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic<n id="1" /> and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.

The<n id="1" /> circumcised believers<n id="2" /> who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished<n id="3" /> that<n id="4" /> the gift of the Holy Spirit<n id="5" /> had been poured out<n id="6" /> even on the Gentiles,

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles too had accepted<n id="1" /> the word of God.<n id="2" />

When they heard this,<n id="1" /> they ceased their objections<n id="2" /> and praised<n id="3" /> God, saying, &#8220;So then, God has granted the repentance<n id="4" /> that leads to life even to the Gentiles.&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

For this<n id="1" /> is what the Lord has commanded us: &#8216;<i>I have appointedi><n id="2" /> <i>you to be a lighti><n id="3" /> <i>for the Gentiles, to bring salvationi><n id="4" /> <i>to the ends of the earth.i>&#8217;&#8221;<n id="5" />