The Easy Study Bible Diagramed: Vol. II Acts through Revelation
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About this ebook
Now there is a Bible translation that is easy to read, understand, and study.
This translation is unique in that it is arranged in a diagram form, which allows for easy identification of each of the points being made in any passage.
Good for Bible Study, sermon preparation, or just easy reading for understanding the Bible.
The entire New Testament has now been released.
Trennis Killian
Trennis E. Killian has been an Army Medic, high school English teacher, pastor, hospital chaplain, crisis counselor, police chaplain, and pastoral counselor. All of these occupations have helped him to understand how men and women build and keep relationships. He also knows how they repair or destroy those relationships. He has also observed how people interact in all kinds of situations. They also give him firsthand knowledge of how people live and act within each of those types of situations. He writes in all of the following areas: Bible study, Self-Help, Crisis Preparation, and Christian oriented novels. To be able to write so many different kinds of books, he has spent years of intensive study of Greek, an earned doctorate in counseling, and worked in many different occupations. He writes all of his novels under the name T. E. Killian. Because of his varied education and experience, his characters take on the characteristics and personalities of people who work in all of the occupations he knows so well. Having been in many crisis situations over the past thirty plus years, he can write about them realistically. He and his wife, Ann, live in Black Canyon City, Arizona, where he writes fulltime.
Read more from Trennis Killian
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The Easy Study Bible Diagramed - Trennis Killian
This edition of the Easy Study Bible translation is in paragraph form, which is basically what most other Bibles are.
The following is a description of the diagramed version which is also available.
The Easy Study Bible translation, is the result of my twenty-six years in the Gospel Ministry, and from being a high school English teacher before that.
Many times over my early years as a pastor, I would grow frustrated in my efforts to teach the Bible for understanding to church members who didn't understand the basics of Hebrew and Greek. True, some passages jump out at anyone reading them, no matter which translation they use. My goal has always been that all who read the Bible would not only understand it the way God intended for them to, but also to be able to apply each truth to their lives. That, I think, takes greater understanding.
When I began teaching a Pastor's Sunday School Class in the early 1990s, I searched for a way to help my class understand better. I felt this was important since the class started out as a New Members Class.
Too many new Christians become frustrated at their first attempts to study the Bible.
Well, the answer came to me from my English teacher background. Do you remember when you had to diagram sentences in your English classes? Please don't run away screaming yet! I know. They were usually painful experiences. I felt the same way when I was a student.
If you can get past the painful memories, please think about the finished product. Once you diagramed a long complicated sentence, it became much more clear to you. You could understand what was modifying what, and what the action was and what or who was causing it. In other words, it made the sentence much more understandable.
That is what I began to do with the Bible passages we studied in that class. I took the principles of the sentence diagram and adjusted it to fit verses of the Bible. Immediately, the whole class began to gain a better understanding of each passage we studied.
Over the years since then, I have used this method constantly, not only in small group studies, but also in church Bible studies with great success.
One benefit that I didn't expect is that this method helps tremendously in sermon preparation. When I begin to prepare a sermon, I take the focal passage and diagram it. This allows me to see how the verses naturally (the way I think God intended) fall into separate thoughts. Many times, this process will give me all the points of the outline without trying to make the passage say what it does not say.
Now, let's look at this project. Do we need another translation of the Bible? In a word, No!
I have long admired the Wycliffe Bible Translators whose goal is to translate the Bible into every language of the world so all will have the opportunity to read God's message to them. I've also admired the Gideons International whose goal is to place a Bible in every hand in the world.
My goal is a combination of the goals of the Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Gideons International. I want to take God's word and make it easier for everyone to read and understand.
Now, here is why we need a new translation of the Bible. Simply put, the major Bible publishers do not seem to be interested in a Bible version which is diagramed. Therefore, to avoid infringing on any existing copyrights, I had to start with my own translation.
You will find The Easy Study Bible translation to be as close to literal as possible while still preserving proper English grammatical structure. This is important to me. I find that many of the modern translations, especially ones that are more literal, are clumsy at best and grammatically inaccurate at worst.
James Free!
In order to give everyone an opportunity to sample the Easy Study Bible before purchasing it, the book of James will be available in E-Book version free. It will be available on my webpage, and other online distributors.
The book of James will soon be included in a new release, which will also contain 1 Peter and 2 Peter.
I want to hear from you as you use the Easy Study Bible translation. If you have suggestions, corrections, or any comments, please email me at trennis@trenniskillian.com.
How to Use the Easy Study Bible
You may read the Easy Study Bible it the same way you would any other Bible. Each of the releases will have a paragraph version in the back of the book.
The Easy Study Bible is most effective when used as a study tool. This is where the structure of the diagram allows for better understanding of each passage that you study.
I will use James 4:7-8 to illustrate how to do several of the actions that were mentioned in the introduction.
⁷ Therefore,
submit to God.
Resist the devil,
and he will flee from you.
⁸ Draw near to God
and He will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands,
sinners,
and purify your hearts
you double-minded.
First, if I were writing a sermon on this passage, I can immediately see the perfect three-point sermon in it.
I. Submit to God
II. Resist the Devil
III. Draw Near to God
Notice how easy that was. Next I would flesh out point II. a little.
II. Resist the Devil
He will flee from you
Next, point III.
III. Draw Near to God
He will draw near to you
How do we do this?
Cleanse our hands
Purify our hearts
You can easily see how to continue from there.
Second, for those who want to get to the full meaning of the passage, they can easily answer the following questions from the diagram:
1. What is the subject of this passage?
Submission to God
2. How do we do this?
Resist the Devil
Draw near to God
3. What will be the result of this action?
The devil will flee from you.
God will draw near to you.
Do you get the idea? It's easy and fun to study the Bible, especially when you understand it better each time you do.
Try it out, and if you discover new and different ways to use the Easy Study Bible, please let me know so I can share them with others.
My webpage will have a whole section devoted to the Easy Study Bible, and one page will be dedicated to reader feedback. There will also be a page of Hints & Tips.
http://www.trenniskillian.com
* * * * * * *
Acts
Outline
Chapter One
The Holy Spirit Promised 4-8
The Ascension 9-14
Matthias Chosen 15-26
Chapter Two
Pentecost 1-13
Peter's Sermon 14-40
The Early Church 41-47
Chapter Three
Peter Heals the Lame Man 1-11
Peter's Second Sermon 12-26
Chapter Four
Peter and John Arrested 1-4
Peter Preaches to the Sanhedrin 5-12
Sanhedrin Commands Peter to Preach No More 13-23
Apostles' Prayer for Boldness 23-31
The Church Sharing 32-37
Chapter Five
Ananias and Sapphira Lie to the Holy Spirit 1-11
Miracles through the Apostles 12-15
Apostles Freed from Prison 17-32
Gamaliel's Advice 33-42
Chapter Six
Seven Chosen to Serve 1-7
Stephen Accused of Blasphemy 8-15
Chapter Seven
Stephen Addresses the Council 1-60
Chapter Eight
Saul Persecutes the Church 1-3
Philip in Samaria 4-26
Philip Witnesses to the Ethiopian Eunuch 26-40
Chapter Nine
The Damascus Road 1-9
Saul's Baptism 10-19
Saul Preaches at Damascus 20-25
Saul in Jerusalem 26-31
Healing Aeneas 32-35
Peter Raises Dorcas 36-43
Chapter Ten
Cornelius' Vision 1-8
Peter's Vision 9-16
Peter Visits Cornelius 17-33
Good News for the Gentiles 34-43
Gentiles Converted and Baptized 44-48
Chapter Eleven
Peter Defends Gentile Salvation 1-18
The Church in Antioch 19-30
Chapter Twelve
James Killed and Peter Jailed 1-5
Peter Rescued 6-19
Herod Blasphemes and Dies 20-25
Chapter Thirteen
Barnabas and Saul Sent from Antioch 1-13
Paul's Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia 14-41
Paul and Barnabas in Antioch 42-52
Chapter Fourteen
Growth and Persecution in Iconium 1-7
Mistaken for Gods in Lystra 8-18
Paul Is Stoned 19-28
Chapter Fifteen
Debate over Gentiles Keeping the Law 1-5
The Jerusalem Counsel 6-21
Letter to the Gentile Believers 22-29
Results of the Letter 30-35
Paul and Barnabas Separate over John Mark 36-41
Chapter Sixteen
Paul Selects Timothy 1-10
Lydia's Conversion 11-15
Paul and Silas in Prison 16-24
Philippian Jailer Converted 25-34
Paul Released from Prison 35-40
Chapter Seventeen
Thessalonica 1-9
The Beroeans Receive the Word 10-15
Paul's Sermon on Mars Hill 16-34
Chapter Eighteen
Corinth 1-17
Return Trip to Antioch 18-28
Chapter Nineteen
Disciples of John Receive the Holy Spirit 1-20
The Riot in Ephesus 21-41
Chapter Twenty
Paul in Macedonia 1-6
Eutychus Revived at Troas 7-12
Farewell Address to the Ephesian Elders 13-38
Chapter Twenty-One
Paul Is Warned about Jerusalem 1-14
Conflict over the Gentile Mission 15-25
Paul's Arrest 26-39
Paul's Defense before the Jerusalem Mob 40
Chapter Twenty-Two
Paul's Testimony 6-29
Paul before the Sanhedrin 30
Chapter Twenty-Three
The Plot against Paul 12-22
Paul's Rescue 23-35
Chapter Twenty-Four
The Accusation against Paul 1-9
Paul's Defense before Felix 10-27
Chapter Twenty-Five
Paul Is Tried before Festus 1-9
Paul Appeals to Caesar 10-12
King Agrippa and Bernice Visit Festus 13-22
Paul before Agrippa 23-27
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Sailing for Rome 1-38
Shipwreck 39-44
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Paul's Witness on Malta 1-15
Paul's Witness in Rome 16-31
Acts in Diagram Form
Chapter One
¹ The former account
I made,
Theophilus,
about all that Jesus began
to do
and teach,
² until the day He was taken up,
after He had given orders
through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles
whom He had chosen.
³ After His suffering,
He also presented Himself
alive
to these
by many convincing proofs,
appearing to them
over a period of forty days
and speaking of the things
concerning the kingdom of God.
The Holy Spirit Promised
⁴ While He was with them,
He commanded them
not to leave Jerusalem,
but to wait for the Father's promise
Which,
He said,
"you heard of from Me;
⁵ for John baptized
with water,
but you will be baptized
with the Holy Spirit
not many days from now."
⁶ So
when they came together,
they asked Him,
"Lord,
at this time
are You restoring the kingdom
to Israel?"
⁷ He said
to them,
"It is not for you to know times or dates
that the Father has set
by His own authority.
⁸ But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
and you will be My witnesses
in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth."
The Ascension
⁹ After He said these things,
He was taken up
while they were watching,
and a cloud received Him
out of their sight.
¹⁰ They were looking
intently
into the sky
as He was going,
suddenly two men
in white clothing
stood by them.
¹¹ They said,
"Men of Galilee,
why do you stand
looking into the sky?
This Jesus,
who has been taken up
from you
into heaven,
will come
in the same way
that you have seen Him go
into heaven."
¹² Then they returned
to Jerusalem
from the mount called Olivet,
which is near Jerusalem,
a Sabbath day's journey away.
¹³ When they arrived,
they went
up
to the upper room
where they were staying;
that is, Peter, John, James and Andrew,
Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew,
James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas the son of James.
¹⁴ All these,
with one mind,
were continually devoting themselves
to prayer,
along with the women,
including Mary the mother of Jesus,
and His brothers.
Matthias Chosen
¹⁵ In those days,
Peter stood up
among the brothers
(a group of about one hundred and twenty persons),
and said,
¹⁶ "Brothers,
the Scripture
had to be fulfilled
that the Holy Spirit spoke
before
by the mouth of David,
concerning Judas,
who became a guide
to those
who arrested Jesus.
¹⁷ "For he was one of our number
and he obtained a share
in this ministry."
¹⁸ This man bought a field
with the reward
of his wickedness,
and falling headfirst,
he burst open
in the middle
and all his intestines gushed out.
¹⁹ And it became known
to all who lived in Jerusalem,
so that in their own language
that field was called Hakeldama,
that is,
Field of Blood.
²⁰ "For it is written
in the book of Psalms,
'Let his dwelling become desolate,
and let no one dwell in it';
and, 'Let another man take his position.'
²¹ "Therefore, it is necessary
that of the men
who have accompanied us
all the time
that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us--
²² beginning with the baptism of John
until the day that He was taken up from us—
one of these must become a witness
of His resurrection
with us."
²³ So they proposed two men,
Joseph called Barsabbas,
who was also called Justus,
and Matthias.
²⁴ Then they prayed
and said,
"You,
Lord,
who know the hearts of all men,
show which one
of these two
You have chosen
²⁵ to occupy this ministry and apostleship
from which Judas left
to go to his own place."
26 Then they cast lots
for them,
and the lot fell to Matthias.
He was added to the eleven apostles.
Chapter Two
Pentecost
¹ When the day of Pentecost came,
they were all together
in one place.
² Suddenly,
a sound
like a violent rushing wind
came from heaven,
and it filled the whole house
where they were sitting.
³ Tongues
as of fire
that were divided
appeared to them,
and rested on each one of them.
⁴ They were all filled
with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak
with other tongues,
as the Spirit was giving them words.
⁵ There were Jews
living in Jerusalem,
devout men
from every nation under heaven.
⁶ When this sound occurred,
the multitude came together,
and was confused
because each one of them
was hearing them speaking
in his own language.
⁷ They were amazed and astonished,
saying,
"Look,
are not all these
who are speaking
Galileans?
⁸ "How is it
that we each hear them
in our own native language?
⁹ "Parthians,
Medes,
Elamites,
and those living in
Mesopotamia,
Judea,
Cappadocia,
Pontus,
and Asia,
¹⁰ Phrygia
and Pamphylia,
Egypt
and the districts
of Libya
around Cyrene,
and visitors from Rome,
both Jews and proselytes,
¹¹ Cretans and Arabs-
we hear them speaking
in our own tongues
of the wonders of God."
¹² And they all were amazed and perplexed,
saying
to one another,
What does this mean?
¹³ But others were mocking
and saying,
They are full of new wine.
Peter's Sermon
¹⁴ But Peter,
stood up
with the eleven,
raised his voice
and spoke
to them:
"Jewish men
and all you
who live in Jerusalem,
let this be known
to you
and give heed to my words.
¹⁵ These men are not drunk,
as you suppose,
for it is only the third hour of the day,
¹⁶ but this is what was spoken
through the prophet Joel:
¹⁷ 'And it shall be in the last days,'
God says,
'I will pour out My Spirit
on all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy,
and your young men
will see visions,
and your old men
will dream dreams.
¹⁸ I will pour forth my spirit
on My male and female slaves
in those days,
and they will prophesy.
¹⁹ I will show wonders
in the sky above
and signs
on the earth below:
blood,
fire,
and a cloud of smoke.
²⁰ The sun
will be turned into darkness
and the moon
into blood,
before the great and glorious day
of the Lord
will come.
²¹ It will be
that whoever calls on the name
of the Lord
will be saved.'
²² Men of Israel,
listen to these words:
Jesus the Nazarene,
a man attested to you
by God
with miracles, wonders and signs
which God performed
through Him
in your midst,
just as you yourselves know.
²³ This One,
delivered over
by the plan
and foreknowledge
of God,
you nailed to a cross
by the hands of lawless men
and put Him to death.
²⁴ God raised Him up,
ending the pains of death,
because it was not possible
for Him to be held by it.
²⁵ For David says
of Him,
'I saw the Lord
always before me;
because He is at my right hand,
so that I will not be shaken.
²⁶ 'Therefore,
my heart was glad
and my tongue rejoiced.
Moreover,
my flesh will also live
in hope,
²⁷ because you will not
leave my soul
in Hades,
nor allow Your Holy One
to see decay.
²⁸ 'You made known
to me
the ways of life.
You will fill me
with gladness
in Your presence.'
²⁹ Brothers,
I may confidently speak
to you
about the patriarch David,
that he both died and was buried,
and his tomb is with us to this day.
³⁰ Therefore,
being a prophet,
and knowing
that God had sworn an oath
to him
to seat one of his descendants
on his throne,
³¹ he looked ahead and spoke
about the resurrection
of the Christ,
that He was neither left in Hades,
nor did His flesh suffer decay.
³² This Jesus,
God raised up,
of which we are all witnesses.
³³ Therefore,
having been exalted
to the right hand of God,
and having received the promise
of the Holy Spirit
from the Father,
He has poured out this
which you now see and hear.
³⁴ For it was not David
who ascended into the heavens,
but he himself says:
'The Lord said
to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
³⁵ until I make Your enemies a footstool
for Your feet.'
³⁶ Therefore,
let all the house of Israel know
for certain
that God has made this 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,
"Brothers,
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 for all who are far off,
as many as the Lord our God will call."
⁴⁰ And with many other words
he earnestly testified
and was exhorting them,
saying,
Be saved from this corrupt generation!
The Early Church
⁴¹ So those
who had welcomed his word
were baptized,
and that day there were added
about three thousand souls.
⁴² They were continually devoting themselves
to the teaching
of the apostles,
to fellowship,
to the breaking
of bread,
and to prayers.
⁴³ Then fear came over everyone,
and many wonders and signs
were being done
through the apostles.
⁴⁴ All the believers
were together
and had all things in common;
⁴⁵ They began selling their property and possessions
and were sharing them
with all,
as anyone might have need.
⁴⁶ Day by day,
continuing with one mind,
in the temple,
and breaking bread from house to house,
they were taking their meals together
with gladness and simplicity of heart,
⁴⁷ praising God
and having favor
with all the people.
And the Lord was adding
to their number
daily
those who were being saved.
Chapter Three
Peter Heals the Lame Man
¹ Now Peter and John
were going up
to the temple
at the ninth hour,
the hour of prayer.
² A man
who had been lame
from his mother's womb
was being carried along,
whom they placed
every day
at the gate of the temple called Beautiful,
in order to beg alms
of those
who were entering the temple.
³ When he saw Peter and John
about to enter the temple,
he began asking to receive alms.
⁴ Peter,
along with John,
looked intently on him
and said,
Look at us!
⁵ He gave them his attention,
expecting to receive something
from them.
⁶ But Peter said,
"I do not have silver and gold,
but what I have
I give to you:
In the name of Jesus Christ
the Nazarene,
walk!"
⁷ Taking him by the right hand,
he raised him up
and immediately his feet
and his ankles
were strengthened.
⁸ Leaping,
he stood
and began
to walk,
and entered the temple
with them,
walking,
leaping,
and praising God.
⁹ All the people saw him
walking and praising God,
¹⁰ and they recognized him
as being the one
who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate
of the temple
to beg alms.
They were filled
with wonder and amazement
at what had happened
to him.
¹¹ While he was holding on to Peter and John,
all the people,
greatly amazed,
ran together
to them
at what is called Solomon's Colonnade.
Peter's Second Sermon
¹² When Peter saw this,
he answered the people,
"Men of Israel,
why are you amazed
at this.
Or why do you stare
at us,
as if by our own power
or godliness
we had made him walk?
¹³ The God
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
the God
of our fathers,
has glorified His servant Jesus,
whom you delivered and denied
in the presence
of Pilate,
when he had decided
to release Him.
¹⁴ But you denied the Holy and Righteous One
and asked for a murderer
to be given
to you,
¹⁵ and you killed the Author
of life,
whom God raised
from the dead,
of which we are witnesses.
¹⁶ By faith
in the name
of Jesus,
this man
whom you see and know
was strengthened.
The faith
that comes
through Him
has given him this perfect health
in the presence
of all of you.
¹⁷ And now,
brothers,
I know that you acted
in ignorance,
just as your rulers also did.
¹⁸ But what God announced before
by the mouth
of all the prophets,
that His Christ would suffer,
He has thus fulfilled.
¹⁹ Therefore,
repent and turn back,
so that your sins may be wiped out,
so that times of refreshing may come
from the presence
of the Lord,
²⁰ and He may send Jesus,
the Christ
who has been appointed
for you,
²¹ whom heaven must receive
until the times
of restoration
of which God spoke
by the mouth
of His holy prophets
from ancient times.
²² Moses said,
'The Lord
your God
will raise up
for you
a Prophet like me
from your brethren.
You must listen
to Him
in everything He will say to you.
²³ And it will be
that everyone
who does not listen
to that prophet
will be utterly destroyed
from among the people.'
²⁴ Indeed,
all the prophets,
from Samuel and his successors onward,
who have spoken,
also announced these days.
²⁵ You are the sons
of the prophets
and of the covenant
that God made with your fathers,
saying
to Abraham,
'And in your seed
all the families
of the earth
will be blessed.'
²⁶ God raised up His Servant
and sent Him
first to bless you
by turning each one
of you
from your wicked ways."
Chapter Four
Peter and John Arrested
¹ As they were speaking
to the people,
the priests,
the captain
of the temple guard,
and the Sadducees
came up to them,
² being greatly disturbed
because they were teaching
the people
and proclaiming
in Jesus
the resurrection
from the dead.
³ They laid hands on them
and put them in jail
until the next day,
for it was already evening.
⁴ But many
of those
who heard the message
believed,
and the number
of the men
came to about five thousand.
Peter Preaches to the Sanhedrin
⁵ On the next day,
their rulers, elders, and scribes gathered together
in Jerusalem,
⁶ with Annas
the high priest,
Caiaphas,
John,
and Alexander,
and all who were of high-priestly family.
⁷ When they had placed them in the center,
they inquired,
"By what power,
or in what 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 being examined
today
for a good work done
to a sick man,
by what means this man has been healed,
¹⁰ let it be known
to all of you
and to all the people
of Israel,
that by the name of Jesus Christ
the Nazarene,
whom you crucified,
whom God raised from the dead
by this One,
this man stands here before you healthy.
¹¹ This One is the stone
which was rejected
by you builders,
who has become the cornerstone.
¹² There is salvation
in no one else,
for there is no other name
under heaven
given among men
by which we must be saved."
Sanhedrin Commands Peter to Preach No More
¹³ When they observed the confidence
of Peter and John
and realized
that they were uneducated
and untrained men,
they were amazed
and that they had been with Jesus.
¹⁴ And seeing the man,
who had been healed,
standing with them,
they had nothing to say.
¹⁵ Having ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin,
they conferred with one another,
¹⁶ saying,
"What should we do with these men?
For an obvious sign,
apparent to all
who live in Jerusalem,
has taken place
through them,
and we cannot deny it.
¹⁷ But so that it will not spread
any further
among the people,
let us threaten them
to speak no longer
to any man in this name."
¹⁸ When they summoned them,
they commanded them
not to speak
nor teach
at all
in the name of Jesus.
¹⁹ But Peter and John answered them,
"Whether it is right
in the sight of God
to listen to you
rather than to God,
you be the judge,
²⁰ for we are not able
to stop speaking
about what we have seen and heard."
²¹ Having threatened them further,
they let them go,
finding no way to punish them,
because the people were all glorifying God
for what had happened,
²² for the man,
on whom this miracle
of healing
had been performed,
was more than forty years old.
Apostles' Prayer for Boldness
²³ After they were released,
they went
to their own
and reported all
that the chief priests and the elders
had said to them.
²⁴ When they heard this,
they lifted their voices
to God
with one accord
and said,
"O Lord,
it is You
who made the heaven,
the earth,
the sea,
and all things in them.
²⁵ You spoke
by the Holy Spirit,
by the mouth of our father David
Your servant,
'Why did the nations rage,
and the peoples plan futile things?
²⁶ 'The kings
of the earth
took their stand,
and the rulers were gathered
against the Lord
and against His Christ.'
²⁷ For truly
in this city
both Herod and Pontius Pilate,
along with the Gentiles
and the peoples of Israel,
were gathered together
against Your holy servant
Jesus,
whom You anointed,
²⁸ to do whatever Your hand
and Your purpose predetermined
to happen.
²⁹ And now,
Lord,
look at their threats,
and enable Your slaves
to speak Your word
with all boldness,
³⁰ while You stretch out Your hand
for healing, signs, and wonders take place
through the name
of Your holy servant Jesus."
³¹ When they had prayed,
the place
where they were assembled
was shaken,
and they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak the word
of God
with boldness.
The Church Sharing
³² The multitude
of those
who believed
were of one heart and soul,
and not one said
that anything belonging to him
was his own,
but all things were held in common.
³³ With great power,
the apostles were giving testimony
to the resurrection
of the Lord Jesus,
and great grace was upon them all.
³⁴ For there was not a needy person
among them.
For those
who owned land or houses
would sell them
and bring the proceeds
of the sales
³⁵ and laid them at the apostles' feet,
and it was distributed
to each as anyone had need.
³⁶ Joseph,
a Levite
from Cyprus,
called Barnabas
by the apostle,
which translated means Son of Encouragement,
³⁷ sold land he owned,
brought the money
and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Chapter Five
Ananias and Sapphira Lie to the Holy Spirit
¹ A man named Ananias,
with Sapphira his wife,
sold a piece of property,
² and kept back part
of the money
for himself,
with his wife's full knowledge,
brought a portion of it,
and laid it at the apostles' feet.
³ Peter said,
"Ananias,
why has Satan filled your heart
to lie to the Holy Spirit
and to keep back some
of the money
from the land?
⁴ Did it not remain your own
before it was sold?
And after it was sold,
was it not under your control?
Why is it
that you have planned this deed
in your heart?
You have not lied
to men
but to God."
⁵ When Ananias heard these words,
he fell down and died,
and great fear came over
all who heard of it.
⁶ The young men got up
and wrapped him in a shroud,
carried him out,
and buried him.
⁷ About three hours later,
his wife came in,
not knowing what had happened.
⁸ Peter asked her,
"Tell me whether you sold the land
for so much?"
She said,
"Yes,
for so much."
⁹ Then Peter said
to her,
"Why did you agree
together
to test the Spirit
of the Lord?
Look,
the feet
of those
who have buried your husband
are at the door,
and they will carry you out
as well."
¹⁰ Immediately,
she fell down
at his feet
and died.
The young men came in,
found her dead,
they carried her out,
and buried her
beside her husband.
¹¹ Great fear came over the whole church,
and over all who heard these things.
Miracles through the Apostles
¹² Many signs and wonders were taking place
among the people,
by the hands
of the apostles
and they were all with one accord
in Solomon's Colonnade.
¹³ None
of the rest
dared to join them,
however,
the people praised them highly.
¹⁴ Multitudes
of men and women
believed in the Lord
and were added
to their number.
¹⁵ They carried the sick out
into the streets
and laid them on cots and pallets,
so that when Peter came by
at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
¹⁶ Also a multitude
from the cities
around Jerusalem
were coming together,
bringing people
who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits,
who were all being healed.
Apostles Freed from Prison
¹⁷ The high priest rose up,
along with all his associates
(being a sect of the Sadducees),
and