So they began to leave,<n id="1" /> unable to agree among themselves, after Paul made one last statement: &#8220;The Holy Spirit spoke rightly to your ancestors<n id="2" /> through the prophet Isaiah

While he was with them,<n id="1" /> he declared,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Do not leave Jerusalem,<n id="3" /> but wait there<n id="4" /> for what my<n id="5" /> Father promised,<n id="6" /> which you heard about from me.<n id="7" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">But Peter stood up<n id="1" /> with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: &#8220;You men of Judea<n id="2" /> and all you who live in Jerusalem,<n id="3" /> know this<n id="4" /> and listen carefully to what I say.

You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors,<n id="1" /> saying to Abraham, &#8216;<b><i>And in your descendantsi>b><n id="2" /> <b><i>all the nationsi>b><n id="3" /> <b><i>of the earth will be blessedi>b>.&#8217;<n id="4" />

Which of the prophets did your ancestors<n id="1" /> not persecute?<n id="2" /> They<n id="3" /> killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One,<n id="4" /> whose betrayers and murderers you have now become!<n id="5" />

and requested letters from him to the synagogues<n id="1" /> in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way,<n id="2" /> either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners<n id="3" /> to Jerusalem.<n id="4" />

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> the church throughout Judea, Galilee,<n id="2" /> and Samaria experienced<n id="3" /> peace and thus was strengthened.<n id="4" /> Living<n id="5" /> in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church<n id="6" /> increased in numbers.p>

When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads<n id="1" /> of soldiers to guard him. Herod<n id="2" /> planned<n id="3" /> to bring him out for public trial<n id="4" /> after the Passover.

The God of this people Israel<n id="1" /> chose our ancestors<n id="2" /> and made the people great<n id="3" /> during their stay as foreigners<n id="4" /> in the country<n id="5" /> of Egypt, and with uplifted arm<n id="6" /> he led them out of it.

When the meeting of the synagogue<n id="1" /> had broken up,<n id="2" /> many of the Jews and God-fearing proselytes<n id="3" /> followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and were persuading<n id="4" /> them<n id="5" /> to continue<n id="6" /> in the grace of God.p>

She continued to do this for many days. But Paul became greatly annoyed,<n id="1" /> and turned<n id="2" /> and said to the spirit, &#8220;I command you in the name of Jesus Christ<n id="3" /> to come out of her!&#8221; And it came out of her at once.<n id="4" />

So since we are God&#8217;s offspring, we should not think the deity<n id="1" /> is like gold or silver or stone, an image<n id="2" /> made by human<n id="3" /> skill<n id="4" /> and imagination.<n id="5" />

But some itinerant<n id="1" /> Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name<n id="2" /> of the Lord Jesus over those who were possessed by<n id="3" /> evil spirits, saying, &#8220;I sternly warn<n id="4" /> you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.&#8221;

For<n id="1" /> we are in danger of being charged with rioting<n id="2" /> today, since there is no cause we can give to explain<n id="3" /> this disorderly gathering.&#8221;<n id="4" />

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus<n id="1" /> so as not to spend time<n id="2" /> in the province of Asia,<n id="3" /> for he was hurrying<n id="4" /> to arrive in Jerusalem,<n id="5" /> if possible,<n id="6" /> by the day of Pentecost.

And now I entrust<n id="1" /> you to God and to the message<n id="2" /> of his grace. This message<n id="3" /> is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Then Paul replied, &#8220;What are you doing, weeping and breaking<n id="1" /> my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up,<n id="2" /> but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord 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 some in the crowd shouted one thing, and others something else,<n id="1" /> and when the commanding officer<n id="2" /> was unable<n id="3" /> to find out the truth<n id="4" /> because of the disturbance,<n id="5" /> he ordered Paul<n id="6" /> to be brought into the barracks.<n id="7" />

Then Paul said to him, &#8220;God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!<n id="1" /> Do<n id="2" /> you sit there judging me according to the law,<n id="3" /> and in violation of the law<n id="4" /> you order me to be struck?&#8221;