When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice<n id="1" /> and praise<n id="2" /> the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed for eternal life<n id="3" /> believed.

<t /><p class="bodytext">The same thing happened in Iconium<n id="1" /> when Paul and Barnabas<n id="2" /> went into the Jewish synagogue<n id="3" /> and spoke in such a way that a large group<n id="4" /> of both Jews and Greeks believed.

But some from the religious party of the Pharisees<n id="1" /> who had believed stood up and said, &#8220;It is necessary<n id="2" /> to circumcise the Gentiles<n id="3" /> and to order them to observe<n id="4" /> the law of Moses.&#8221;p>

But some people<n id="1" /> joined him<n id="2" /> and believed. Among them<n id="3" /> were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus,<n id="4" /> a woman<n id="5" /> named Damaris, and others with them.p>

and said to them, &#8220;Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?&#8221;<n id="1" /> They replied,<n id="2" /> &#8220;No, we have not even<n id="3" /> heard that there is a Holy Spirit.&#8221;

But regarding the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter, having decided<n id="1" /> that they should avoid<n id="2" /> meat that has been sacrificed to idols<n id="3" /> and blood and what has been strangled<n id="4" /> and sexual immorality.&#8221;

I replied,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues<n id="2" /> who believed in you.

<t /><p class="bodytext">The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind,<n id="1" /> and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common.<n id="2" />

Therefore if God<n id="1" /> gave them the same gift<n id="2" /> as he also gave us after believing<n id="3" /> in the Lord Jesus Christ,<n id="4" /> who was I to hinder<n id="5" /> God?&#8221;

<p class="otpoetry">&#8216;<b><i>Look, you scoffers; be amazed and perish!i>b><n id="1" />p> <p class="otpoetry"><b><i>For I am doing a work in your days,i>b>p> <p class="otpoetry"><i><b>a work you would never believe, even if someone tells youb>.i>&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

When Apollos<n id="1" /> wanted to cross over to Achaia,<n id="2" /> the brothers encouraged<n id="3" /> him<n id="4" /> and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he<n id="5" /> assisted greatly those who had believed by grace,

Paul said, &#8220;John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,<n id="1" /> that is, in Jesus.&#8221;

When they heard this, they praised<n id="1" /> God. Then they said to him, &#8220;You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews<n id="2" /> there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers<n id="3" /> of the law.<n id="4" />

But I confess this to you, that I worship<n id="1" /> the God of our ancestors<n id="2" /> according to the Way (which they call a sect), believing everything that is according to the law<n id="3" /> and that is written in the prophets.

After there had been much debate,<n id="1" /> Peter stood up and said to them, &#8220;Brothers, you know that some time ago<n id="2" /> God chose<n id="3" /> me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message<n id="4" /> of the gospel<n id="5" /> and believe.<n id="6" />