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The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter: 1

₁I wrote the former book, O Tawpeela, concerning all those (things) that our Lord Yeshua the Messiah began  to do and to teach.  ₂Up until that day in which he was taken up after he had commanded the Apostles, those whom he had chosen by the Spirit of Holiness.  ₃Those who also to whom he revealed himself while alive after he had suffered.  With numerous signs for forty days he was being seen by them, and he spoke concerning the Kingdom of God.  ₄And while he ate bread with them, he commanded them that

They should not depart from Urishlim, but they should wait for the promise of the Father,  He whom you have heard about from me.  ₅For Yukhanan baptized with water, and you will be baptized by the Spirit of Holiness not after many days. 

₆Now while they (were) assembled they asked him and said to him, "Our Lord, if at this time will you restore the kingdom to Israel?"  ₇He said to them,

This is not yours to know the time or or those times that the Father has placed <them> in the authority of His Person.  ₈But when the Spirit of Holiness comes upon you, you will receive the power, and you will be witnesses for me in Urishlim and in all Yehud, and also among the Samaritans and unto the ends of the earth. 

₉And after these [things], he spoke while they watched him.  He was taken up and a cloud received him and he was hidden from their eyes.  ₁₀And while they were staring into heaven as he was departing, two men were found standing near them clothed in white.  ₁₁And they said to them,

Galilean men, why are you standing and staring into heaven?  This Yeshua who was taken up from you to heaven, likewise he will come just as you have seen him who ascended into heaven.

 ₁₂And afterwards they returned to Urishlim from the mountain, which is called Of the House of Olives, which is on the side of Urishlim and distant from it seven furlongs.  ₁₃And after they entered, they went up into an upper room.  (Those) that were staying in <her> : Petros, and Yukhanan, and Yaqub, and Andraus, and Peleepos, and Tawma, and Mattai, and Bar-Tulmay, and Yaqub Bar-Khalpai, and Shimon the zealot, and Yehud Bar-Yaqub. ₁₄These, all of them, were steadfast in prayer with one soul, and  (with) the women with Maram, [his] mother of Yeshua, and with his brethren. 

₁₅And among them in those days arose Shimon Keepa in the midst of the disciples there.  Now there was a gathering of men, about a hundred and twenty, and he said, 

₁₆Men, our brothers, it was right that the scripture be fulfilled which said beforehand, The Spirit of Holiness, by the mouth of Dawid concering Yehuda.  He who was a guide to those who seized Yeshua.  ₁₇Because he was numbered with us, and he had a portion in this ministry.  ₁₈This is he who obtained a field for himself from the reward of sin and fell upon his face on the ground and burst from his middle and poured out all his insides.  ₁₉And this became known to all who lived in Urishlim, and thus that field was called, in the tongue of the area, Khagel-Dema.  That is interpreted, the field of blood.  ₂₀For it is written in the book of Psalms that,

Let his dwelling be desolate, and let not one be a dweller in it, and let another take his ministry.' 

₂₁It is right, therefore, that one from these men who were among us during that whole time in which our Lord Yeshua entered among us and went out.  ₂₂Who went out from the baptism of Yukhanan, until the day that he was taken up from our presence, that he may be with us a witness of his resurrection. 

₂₃And they caused two to stand, Yosip who was called Bar-Shaba, and Matya who was named Yostos.  ₂₄And after they prayed, they said,

You LORD know that which is in the hearts of all.  Reveal one, the one that You have chosen from these, the two of them.  ₂₅That he might receive a portion of the ministry and apostleship from which Yehuda departed, that he might go to (in) his place. 

₂₆And they cast lots, and it fell upon Matya, and he was numbered among (with) the eleven Apostles. 

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter: 2

₁And after the days of Pentecost were fulfilled, all were assembled as one.  ₂All of a sudden there was a sound from heaven like a groaning spirit and all that house  in which they were sitting were filled with it.  ₃And (it) appeared to them like tongues that were divided, and fire sat upon every one of them.  ₄And all of them were filled with the Spirit of Holiness, and they were driven to speak in different tongues, just as the Spirit had given them to speak. 

₅Now there were men who were living in Urishlim who feared God - Jews from all nations that are under heaven.  ₆And when that sound occurred, all the people gathered and were rioting because they were hearing each man among them who were speaking in their own language.  ₇Now they were astonished, all of them, and wondered while they were saying one-to-another,

Can't grasp it! These, all of them who are speaking, are Galileans.

₈How do we hear, we each man the tongue in which we were born?"  ₉ Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and those who dwell in Beth-Nahrin, and Cappadocians, and those from the areas of Pontus, and of Asia.₁₀And those from the areas of Phrygia, and of Pamphylia, and of Egypt, and of the areas of Lybya that are near to Cryene, and those who have come from Rome - Jews and proselytes.  ₁₁And those from Crete, and Arabians.  Behold we are hearing from them that

They are proclaiming the wonders of God in our language!

₁₂And they were astonished, and all of them were amazed while saying one-to-another,

What's happening?

₁₃But others were mocking them while saying,

These [men] drank new wine and have become drunk!

₁₄Afterwards, Shimon Keepa stood up among the eleven Apostles and lifted up his voice and said to them,

Men, Jews, and all who dwell in Urishlim.  Let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words.  ₁₅For [it is] not as you think [that] these [men] are drunk, for behold, it is now [only] until the third hour.₁₆ But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Yoel.    ₁₇ God said,

In later days it will be (that) I shall pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons will prophesy and your daughters and your young men will see visions, and your elders will dream dreams. And upon my servants and upon handmaids I will pour out my Spirit in those days.  And they will prophesy.₁₉And I will cause signs in heaven and mighty deeds upon the earth: blood, and fire, and columns of smoke, ₂₀the sun will be changed into darkness and the moon into blood  before will come the great and awesome day of the LORD. ₂₁And it will be [that] all who call [on] the name of the LORD will be saved.

₂₂Men, sons of Israel, listen to these words Yeshua the Nasraya, a man, who by God was shown to you with miracles and with signs and with mighty deeds, those that God did among you by his hand as <you> know you.  ₂₃This [man], who was set apart was for this, by the foreknowledge and will of God, you delivered into the hands of the ungodly and you crucified and killed.  ₂₄But God loosed the cords¹ of Sheol and raised him because it was not possible that he be held <in it> in Sheol.

1. The Greek versions mistranslated this word as “pain.” (c.f. Yukhanan 2:15 & 2Samuel 22:6)

₂₅For Dawid spoke concerning him,

I foresaw my Lord, for at all times he [is] at my right hand so that I shall not be moved.  ₂₆ Because of this my heart rejoices and my praise flourishes and also my body dwells in hope.  ₂₇Because you will not leave my soul in Sheol, and neither will you allow¹ your Pios One² to see corruption³.  ₂₈You have revealed the road of life to me,.  You will fill me with gladness with your presence.

₂₉Men, our brothers, allow [me] to speak boldly⁴ with you concerning the Patriarch Dawid, who is dead and also buried, and whose grave is with us until today.  ₃₀For he was a prophet, and he had known that oaths that God had sworn to him, that,

Of the fruit of your loins I shall establish [a king] upon your throne⁵. 

₃₁And he foresaw and spoke concerning the resururrection of the Messiah, that he was not left in Sheol, nor did his body⁶ see corruption.  ₃₂This Yeshua God raised, and we [are] all of his witnesses.  ₃₃And this is he who is exalted at the right hand of God, and received the promise from the Father concerning ther Spirit of Holiness.  And he has poured out this gift, which behold you see and you hear.  ₃₄For it was not [that] Dawid did ascend into Heaven, because he said,

The LORD said to my Lord, sit <yourself>  at my right hand.  ₃₅until I place your enemies [as]  a footstool for your feet.

₃₆Truly, therefore, let all the house of Israel know that LORD God has made this Yeshua and Messiah whom you crucified.

1. Literally - ‘Give.’

2. “Khasaykh” has been mistranslated in the Greek as “your Holy One.” The word more closely resembles the English “Pious, Pure, Innocent” - as does the Hebrew original of Psalm 16 which Shimon here quotes - the Hebrew word “Khesidakh” being the cognate of the Aramaic in this verse.

3. Here “Khebla” means “corruption” - in constrast with verse 24.

4. Literally - “With open eyes.”

5. There is a wordplay between “Karsakh” (“Your loins”) and “Kursaykh” (“Your throne.”)

6. Literally - ‘His corpse.’

₃₇And when they heard these things they were touched in their hearts, and they said to Shimon and to the rest of the Apostles,

          What should we do, our brothers?

₃₈Shimon  said to them,

          Repent and be baptized each of you in the name of the LORD Yeshua for the forgiveness of sins, that you may receive the gift of the Spirit of Holiness.  ₃₉For to you was the promise, and to your children, and to all those who are far away whom God will call.  ₄₀And with many other words he would witness to them and he would beseech them while saying,

          Save (yourselves) from this perverse generation.

₄₁And some of them readily received his word and believed and were baptized.  And there were added in that day about three thousand souls.  ₄₂And they were steadfast in their teaching of the Apostles and they were fellowshipping in prayer and in the breaking of the Eucharist.₄₃And fear came to every soul, and signs and many mighty deeds occurred by the hands of the Apostles in Urishlim.

₄₄And all those who believed had as one, and everything that they had were held in common.  ₄₅And those who had a possession would sell it and divide it to each one according to whatever was in need.  ₄₆And everyday they were steadfast in the temple with one soul.  And at home they were breaking loaves of bread.  And while they were receiving food, and rejoicing in the simplicity of their hearts, ₄₇they were praising God while finding favor before all the people.  And everyday our Lord would add to those who lived among the congregation. 

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter: 3

₁And it happened that while Shimon Keepa and Yukhanan were going up to the temple together at the time of prayer, of the ninth hour, ₂and behold a certain man who (was) lame from the womb (of) his mother these men were carrying  who were accustomed to bringing and placing him at the gate of the temple, which was called Beautiful, that he might request alms from those who were entering the temple.  ₃When this man saw Shimon and Yukhanan entering the temple, he was beseeching from them to give him alms. 

₄Shimon and Yukhanan stared at him and they said to him,

          Stare at us!

₅And he stared at them while he was expecting to receive something from them.  ₆Shimon said to him,

Gold and silver I have not, but that which I have I will give to you in the name of Yeshua the Messiah the Nazarene. Rise up and walk!

₇And he took him by his right hand and raised him up.  And at that moment his feet and his ankles were established.  ₈And he leaped up (and) stood and walked and entered with them into the temple while walking and leaping and praising God. 

₉And all the people saw him <while> walking and praising God.  ₁₀And they recognized that he was that vagrant who would sit all day and ask for alms at the gate that was called Beautiful.  And they were filled with amazement and wonder concerning the thing that happened.  ₁₁And while he was holding Shimon and Yukhanan, all the people ran while marveling to them to the porch, which was called Solomon's.

₁₂And when Shimon saw [it], he answered and said to them,

Men, sons of Israel, why are you in wonder at this [man] or at us?  Why do you stare at us you, as if it is by our own strength or by our authority we did this that this [man] might walk?  ₁₃The God of Awraham and of Iskhaq and of Yaqub, the God of our forefathers has glorified His Son.  He, Yeshua whom you delivered up and whom denied before the face of Peelatos after he saw it fitting to let him go.

₁₄But you denied the Holy and Just,  and you requested for yourselves a murderous man to be given to you.  ₁₅And that Prince of Life you killed whom God raised from the dead, and we are all of us his witnesses.  ₁₆And in the faith of His name, this man that you see and know you,  He has strengthened and healed.  And the faith that is in him has given him this wholeness before all of you. 

₁₇But now our brethren I know that you did this in ignorance, as did your leaders.  ₁₈And God, according to that which beforehand He preached by the mouths of all the prophets, that His Messiah would suffer has fulfilled [it] in this manner.  ₁₉Repent, therefore, and be turned so that your sins be blotted out and times of rest come to you from before the presence of the LORD.  ₂₀And He send to you that which He had prepared for you, the Messiah Yeshua, ₂₁Whom it is necessary for Heaven to receive until the fulness of the times of all these [things] that God spoke by the mouth of His holy  prophets of old.

₂₂For Moshe said <that>

A prophet will raise up for you from the LORD from your brothers.  Hear him like me in everything that he speaks to you,  ₂₃and it will be [that] every soul which does not hear that prophet, that soul will perish from his people. 

₂₄And the prophets, all of them, Shmuel and those who were after him, spoke and preached concerning those days.  ₂₅You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant, that which God placed on our forefathers when He said to Awraham <that>,

In your seed all the tribes of the earth will be blessed.  ₂₆First appointed to you, God sent His Son blessing you if you turn and repent from your evils.

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 4

₁And while they were speaking these words to the people, the priests and the Sadducees and the leaders of the temple rose against them.  ₂<While> they were being furious at them, because they taught the people concerning the resurrection by the Messiah, <that is> from the dead.  ₃And they laid hands upon them and they watched over them till the next day, because evening <it> was drawing near. 

₄And many who were hearing the words were believing, and they were about five thousand men in number.  ₅And on the next day, the leaders and the elders and the scribes assembled,  ₆and also Khanan the High Priest and Qayapa and Yukhanan and Alexandros and those who were from the line¹ of chief priests.

₇And after they had placed them in the midst, they were asking them <that>

By which  power or by what name have you done this?

₈Then Shimon Keepa was filled with the Holy Spirit and he said to them,

Leaders of the people and elders of the house of Israel, listen.  ₉If we are judged today by you concerning the good thing that happened to the sick man, <that> by what means this [man] was healed,  ₁₀let this be known to you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Yeshua Meshikha, the Nazarene, he whom <you> , you crucified, he whom God raised from the dead, by him, by the same one behold this [man] stands before you being whole! 

1. possibly “Tribe” or “Family.”

₁₁This is the stone that you builders have rejected, and has become the head of the corner.  ₁₂And there is not salvation by another man for there is not another name under heaven which is given to men by which it is proper to have life!

₁₃And when they heard the words of Shimon and of Yukhanan, which they spoke boldly, they perceived that they knew not the books and they were ignorant, and they marveled at them.  And they recognized them that they were associated with Yeshua.  ₁₄And they saw the lame man standing with them, he who had been healed, and they were not able to say anything against them.

₁₅Then they commanded that they remove them from their assembly, and were saying one-to-another,

₁₆What should we do to them, to these men.  For behold that a visible sign has happened by their hands is known to all the dwellers of Urshlim, and we are not able to deny it!  ₁₇But so that news does not spread among the people anymore, let us threaten them that they should not speak in this name again to anyone among the sons of men.

₁₈And they called them and commanded them that they

Should absolutely not speak or teach in the name of Yeshua.

 ₁₉Shimon Keepa and Yukhanan answered and said to them,

If it is right before God that we obey you more than God, you judge!  ₂₀For we are not able to not speak about that which we have seen and heard.

₂₁And they threatened them and freed them for they found not a cause against them to place on their head, ¹ because of the people.  For everyone was glorifying God for the thing that happened,  ₂₂for that man in whom this sign of healing happened was more than forty years old!

1. “A cause to place on their head” - a Semitic idiom meaning “A crime to charge them with.”

₂₃And when they were freed, they went to their brethren and related to them everything that the priests  and elders had said.  ₂₄And when they heard they raised their voice as one to God .  And they said,

LORD you are God, He who made heaven and earth and the seas and everything that is in them.  ₂₅And You are He who spoke through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of Dawid your servant

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plan worthless [things],  ₂₆The kings of the earth have risen and rulers have deliberated as one against the LORD and against His Messiah. 

₂₇For truly in this city were gathered Herodus and Peelatos with the gentiles and the assembly of Israel against the Holy One, Your Son Yeshua, He Whom <you>, you have annointed,   ₂₈to do  everything that Your hand and Your will foreordained to be. 

₂₉And even now LORD, look and see their threats and give to Your servants, that they be boldly preaching Your Word,  ₃₀while You extend Your hand for healings and mighty works and signs to be in the name of Your Son, the Holy One, Yeshua.

₃₁And after they had beseeched and they had made supplication, the place in which they were assembled was shaken and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they were speaking the Word of God boldly. 

₃₂The assembly of those men who were believing had but one soul and one mind, and no man among them concerning the possessions that he possessed would say that they were his.  Rather, everything that they had was in common.  ₃₃And they were testifying with great power (they the Apostles) concerning the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah.  And great grace was with all of them.  ₃₄And there was no man among them who was lacking, for those who had possessed fields and houses would sell [them]  and brought the price of whatever was sold  ₃₅and placed it at the feet of the apostles, and it was given to each man according to whatever that he would need. 

₃₆Now Yosip, he who was named Bar-Naba by the Apostles (which is interpreted son of comfort), a Levite from the region of Cyprus ₃₇had a field and he sold it and brought its price and placed [it] before the feet of the Apostles.

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 5

₁And a certain man whose name was Khanan-Yah¹, with his wife whose name was Shapeera², sold his field.  ₂And he took from its sale price and hid it while his wife knew of it.  And he brought some of the money³ and placed it before the feet of the apostles.  ₃And Shimon said to him,

Khanan-Yah, why is it that the Adversary⁴ has filled your heart thus that you should lie in [the presence of] the Holy Spirit, and that you should hide that some of the money of the proceeds of the field?  ₄Was it not yours before it was sold? And after it was sold, again you were in control over its proceeds.  Why have you placed in your heart⁵ to do this spectacle?  You have not lied [in the presence of] men, but in [the presence of] God. 

₅And after Khanan-Yah heard these words, he fell down and died.  And there was a great fear among all those who heard.  ₆And those who were young among them rose up and they gathered him together and took him outside and buried him.

₇And after three hours had passed, his wife also entered while not knowing what happened.  ₈Shimon said to her, because you have deliberated to tempt the Spirit of the LORD, behold the feet of the grave diggers of your husband [are] at the door, and they will take you out.  ₁₀And at that moment, she fell before their feet and died.  And those young men entered and found her dead, and they gathered [her] up, took her away, and buried her next to her husband. ₁₁And there was a great fear in all the assembly, and in all those who heard.

1. Aramaic name meaning “Yah is merciful.”

2. Aramaic name meaning “Beauty.”

3. or, “Silver.”

4. Literally, “Satan”

5. “Placed in your heart” - Semitic idiom meaning “decided.” In ancient Semitic thought the heart, not the brain, was the seat of intelligence.

₁₂And signs and many mighty deeds occurred by the hands of the Apostles among the people.  And they were all assembled together in the Porch of Shlemon.  ₁₃And not one of [the] other men dared to touch¹ them, rather the people magnified them.  ₁₄And more were added, those who believed in the LORD, an assembly of men and women. 

₁₅They brought out the sick (that while lying on pallets) into the markets so that when Shimon should come, at least his shadow might rest on them.  ₁₆Now many came to them from other cities that were around Urishlim while bringing the sick and those who had unclean spirits.  And all of them were healed. 

₁₇The High Priest and all those who were with him who were of the doctrine of the Sadducees were filled with envy.  ₁₈And they placed hands on the Apostles, and seized [and] bound them in prison.  ₁₉Then during the night, an angel of the LORD opened the door of the prison and took them out and said to them,

Go stand at the temple and speak to all the people all these words of life.

₂₁And they went out at dawn and entered the temple and were teaching.  Now the High Priest, and those who were with him, called for their companions and for the elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to bring out the <them> apostles.  ₂₂And when those who were sent by them did not find them [in[ prison, they returned  23saying,

We found the prison which was locked securely, and also the guards who stood at the door.  And we opened and we did not find a man there!

₂₄And when the chief priests and leaders of the temple heard these words, they were astonished at them and were thinking

          What is this?

1. This word can mean “join/commune” but also “touch”, the latter undoubtably the correct reading. The Greek versions mistranslated this word as “join.” There is also a wordplay between the roots

Brq (touch) and Bry (magnify).

₂₅And a man came and informed them that

Those men that you confined [in] prison, behold they are standing in the temple and teaching the people!

₂₆Then the leaders departed with the guards to bring them, not by violence for they were afraid lest the people would stone them.  ₂₇And when they brought them [and] raised them all before the assembly, and [then] began the High Priest to say to them

₂₈Did we not indeed command you that you should not teach anyone in this name?. But behold you have filled Urishlim with your doctrine.   And you desire to bring the blood of this man upon us!

₂₉Shimon answered with the Apostles and said to them,

It is proper to be persuaded towards God than towards men.  ₃₀The God of our forefathers raised Yeshua, He Whom <you> you killed when you hung him on the tree.  ₃₁<Him> this one God has established a Prince  and a Savior, and He has exalted Him by His right hand so that He might give of forgiveness to Israel by repentance of sins.  And we are witnesses of these words and the Holy Spirit; He Who God gives to those who believe in Him. 

₃₃And after they heard these words, they were enraged with anger and they were contemplating to kill them.  ₃₄And a certain [man] arose of the Pharisees whose name was Gamaliel, a teacher of the law and honored by all the people.  And he commanded that they take <them> the Apostles outside for a short time.  ₃₅And he said to them,

Men and sons of Israel take heed to yourselves and determine what is right to you to do about these men.  ₃₆From before this, this age, Tawda rose up and said concerning himself that he something great, and something like four hundred men followed after him.  And he was killed, and those who followed after him were scattered and became like nothing.

₃₇And after him arose the Galilean Yehuda (in the days that men were registered for the poll tax) and caused to turn many people after him, and <he> died and all those who were following after him were scattered. 

₃₈And now I say to you, keep yourselves from these men and leave them alone, for if this and this thinking is from men, they will disintegrate and pass away.  ₃₉But if from God, [it] is not attainable to halt it with your hands, lest you find yourselves standing against God.

₄₀And they listened to him and they called <them>, the Apostles, and they scourged them and commanded them that they not speak in the name of Yeshua, and they released them.  ₄₁And they departed from before them rejoicing that they were worthy because of The Name to be despised.  ₄₂And they would not cease all day to teach in the temple and at home and to preach about our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 6

₁And in those days as the disciples increased, the Hellenistic disciples were murmuring against the Hebraistic that their widows were neglected during the daily distribution.  ₂And the twelve Apostles called the whole assembly of disciples and they said to them,

It is not good that we should neglect the Word of God and serve tables.  ₃Examine therefore my brothers and pick seven men among you that have witness¹ and who are full of the Spirit of the LORD and wisdom, and we will set them over this issue.  ₄And we will be steadfast in prayer and in the ministering of the Word. 

₅And this saying was pleasing before all the people.  And they chose Astapanos, a man who was full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Pileepos, and Prachros, and Niqanor, and Temon, and Parmena, and Neqlaos a proselyte Antiochene [that is, from Antioch].  These stood before the Apostles, and after they prayed they laid hands upon them. 

₇And the Word of God spread and increased the number of disciples in Urishlim greatly, andmany people of the Yehudeans were obedient to the faith.  ₈Now Astapanos was full of grace and power and would perform signs and wonders among the people.  ₉And men from the assembly which is called the Libertines, and the Cyrenians and Alexandrians and those from Cilicia and from Asia rose up and were disputing with Astapanos.  ₁₀And they were not able to stand against the wisdom and the Spirit which spoke by him.  ₁₁Then they sent men and instructed them to say that,

We have heard him speak words of blasphemy against Mosha and against God!

1. Idiom “have witness” meaning “of good reputation.”

₁₂And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes and came and stood against him and seized him [and] brought him into the midst of the assembly.  ₁₃And they set up false witnesses who said,\

This man does not cease to speak words contrary to the law and against this, this holy place!  ₁₄For <we>, we have heard him say that this Yeshua the Nazarene, he will destroy this place and will change the customs that Mosha delivered to you

₁₅And all those who were sitting in the assembly stared at him, and they saw his face as the face of an angel.

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 7

₁And the High Priest asked him if these things were so.  ₂And he said,

Men, our brothers and our fathers, listen.  The God of glory appeared to our father Awraham when he was in Beth-Nahrain¹ before he came to dwell in Kharran, ₃and He said to him,

Depart from your land and from among the sons of your nationality² and come into the land that which I will show you.

₄And then Awraham departed from the land of the Chaldeans and came [and] dwelt in Kharran.  And after his father had died God moved him from there to this land in which you dwell today.  ₅And He did not give him an inheritance in it, not even a foot step, yet He promised that He would give it to him as an heirloom to him and to his seed while he had no son.  ₆And God spoke with him saying to him that,

Your seed will be a sojourner in a foreign land, and He will subject to it [for] four hundred years, and they will treat him wickedly.  ₇And the people whom they will serve [in] bondage, I will judge them.

          God said.

And after these things they will depart and serve Me in this land.

1. The land of the two rivers Tigris and Euphrates; in Greek ‘Mesopotamia.’

2. Idiom, ‘kinsmen.’

₈And He gave the covenant of circumcision to him.  And then he fathered Iskhaq and circumcised him on the eighth day.  And Iskhaq fathered Yaqub and Yaqub fathered our twelve fathers.  ₉And our fathers were jealous of Yosip and sold him in Misrayin¹.

And God was with him,  ₁₀and He delivered him from all his oppression.  And He gave grace and wisdom to him before Pharaoh king of Misrayin, and appointed him ruler over all Misrayin and his house.

₁₁And there was a famine and great affliction in all Misrayin and in the land of Canaan, and our fathers had nothing to sustain [them].  ₁₂And after Yaqub heard that there was sustenance in Misrayin, he sent our fathers first,  ₁₃and when they went the second time, Yosip made himself known to his brothers and the nationality of Yosip was made known to Pharaoh.  ₁₄And Yosip sent for his father and brought Yaqub and all his family.  And they were seventy and five souls in number.

₁₅And Yaqub went down to Misrayin and died there, he and our fathers.  ₁₆And he was moved to Shechem and was placed in the tomb that Awraham had purchased with money from the sons of Khamor. 

₁₇And when the time arrived for the things that God had promised by oaths to Awraham, the people increased and grew strong in Misrayin  ₁₈until another king rose up over Misrayin who did not know Yosip.  ₁₉And he plotted against our kindred and dealt wickedly with our fathers, and commanded that their infant males be cast out so that they might not live.

₂₀In that same time Moshe was born.  And he was pleasing to God and he was reared three months in his father's house.  ₂₁And when he was cast out from his mother, the daughter of Pharaoh reared him as a son for herself.  ₂₂Moshe was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was prepared in his words and also in his deeds. 

1. Egypt.

₂₃And when he was forty years old. It entered into his heart to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel.  ₂₄And he saw one of the sons of his tribe persecuted, and passed judgement for him and he avenged him and he killed the Egyptian, he who had wronged¹ him.  ₂₅And he hoped his brethren, the sons of Israel, would understand that God would give salvation to them by his hand, but they did not understand.  ₂₆And on another day he was seen by them while they quarreled with one another.  And he was persuading them to reconcile, saying

Men you are brothers.  Because of what [reason] do you wrong one another?

₂₇But he who was wronging his fellow pushed him away from his presence and said to him,

Who has set you over us as a ruler and judge?  ₂₈What?  Do you seek to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?

₂₉And moshe fled at this word and was a sojourner in the land of Midian, and he had two sons.  ₃₀And after forty years were completed, there appeared to him an angel of the LORD in a fire that burned in a bush².  ₃₁And when Moshe saw [it], he was amazed at the vision, and as he drew near [it], the LORD said to him in a voice,

₃₂I am the God of your fathers, the God of Awraham, and of  Iskhaq, and of Yaqub.

1. In verses 24-27, Stephen plays 4 times on the dual meaning of the root Lks (“wrong, understand.“)

2. A word-play here with 0yns (“bush“) and Ynys (“Sinai“)

And while he was trembling, Moshe did not dare to stare at the vision.  ₃₃And the LORD said to him,

Loose your sandals from your feet, for the ground that you stand upon is holy.  ₃₄Indeed, I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt.  And I have heard its groans, and I have come down to deliver them.  And now come, I will send you to Egypt. 

₃₅This is Moshe whom they denied, saying

                    Who set you over us as a ruler and judge?

Him, this one God sent to them a ruler and deliverer by the hands of an angel, he who appeared to him in a bush.  ₃₆This is he who brought them out after he did signs and wonders and mighty acts in the land of Egypt and in Yama-Suph¹ and in the wilderness [for] forty years.  ₃₇This is Moshe, he who said to the sons of Israel <that>,

The LORD will raise up a prophet for you from your brothers like me to listen [to] him.

₃₈This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel, he who spoke with them and with our forefathers on the mount of Sinai, and is the one who received the living words, that he might give [them] to us.  ₃₉And our forefathers did not desire to obey him, rather, they left him and in their hearts they returned to Egypt.  ₄₀Saying to Ahron,

Make gods for us to go before us, because this Moshe who brought us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him. 

1. “The Sea of Reeds.”

₄₁And they made a calf for themselves in those days, and they sacrificed sacrifices to the images, and they were rejoicing in the work of their hands.  ₄₂And God turned away and delivered them to serve the powers of heaven as it is written in the books of the prophets

<Why> for forty years in the wilderness did you sons of Israel offer me a slain animal or a sacrifice?  ₄₃But you have taken the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of the god of Rephan that you made images to be worshipped.  I will remove you beyond Babel. 

₄₄Behold the tabernacle of the testimony of our fathers in the wilderness was as He commanded who spoke with Moshe to make it in the likeness that he showed him. 

₄₅And this same tabernacle also indeed brought our fathers with Yeshua into the land that God gave them [as] an inheritance from those nations that He cast out from before them.  And it was carried until the days of Dawid,  ₄₆he who found mercy before God  and asked that he find a tabernacle for the God of Yaqub.  ₄₇But Shleemon built the house.  ₄₈And the most High does not dwell in the work of hands, as the prophet said,

₄₉Heaven [is] my throne and the earth a footstool that is under my feet.  What is the house that you build for me? Says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest.  ₅₀Behold, did not my hand make all these [things]? 

₅₁O stiff of neck and without circumcision in their heart!  And in their hearing you always stand against the Holy Spirit as your forefathers [were], you [are].  ₅₂For which of the prophets have you not persecuted? And your forefathers have killed those who foretold about the coming of the Righteous One, He whom you delivered up and whom you killed!  ₅₃And you have received the law by way of the command of angels and you have not kept it! 

₅₄And when they had heard these [things], they were filled with anger within themselves and they were gnashing their teeth  against him.  ₅₅And while he was full of faith and the Holy Spirit, stared into heaven and saw the glory of God and Yeshua standing at the right hand of God.  ₅₆And he said,

Behold, I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

₅₇And they cried out in a load voice and covered their ears and all of them rushed upon him.  ₅₈And they seized [him][and] took him outside of the city and they were stoning him, and those who testified against him laid their garments at the feet of a certain young man who was called Shaul.  ₅₉And they were stoning Stephen while he prayed, and he said

          Our Lord Yeshua receive my spirit.  ₆₀And after he kneeled down, he cried out in a loud voice and said,

          Our Lord do not cause this sin to stand against them!

And after he had said this, he lied down.

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 8

₁Now Shaul consented and participated in his murder.  And there was a great persecution of the congregation that was in Urishlim in that day.  And all of them except the alone apostles were scattered in the villages of Yehud and also among the Samaritans.  ₂And they (men, believers) gathered Astaphanos up[and] buried <him>.  And they were mourning greatly over him.  ₃Now Shaul persecuted the congregation of God while he entered homes and dragged away men and women.  And he delivered [them] to prison.  ₄And they who scattered traveled and preached the Word of God. 

₅Now Peleepos went down to a city of the Samaritans and he preached to them concerning Meshikha,  ₆And men, who when they heard his word there, heeded him and were persuaded by all that he said because they saw the signs that he did.  ₇For many who, seized unclean spirits, cried out in a loud voice, and they went out from them.  And others, paralytics and lame were healed.  ₈And a great joy was there in that city.

 ₉Now there was a certain man there whose name [was] Simon who lived in that city a long time.  And deceived the people of Samaria by his sorcery while magnifying himself and saying,

          I am great!

₁₀And they were praying¹ towards him, all of them great and small.  And they said,

          This is the great power of God.

₁₁And they persuaded² him, all of them, because a long time ago he had persuaded them with his sorceries. 

1. The root “TsLA” literally means “to prostrate oneself towards” in the sense of worship. It can also mean “heed” as the Greek translators understood it, but in this context the root is more properly translated “prostrate.” The same root is present in verse 15.

2. i.e., they persuaded him that he was the “power of God.”

₁₂But when they believed Pileepos who had preached the Kingdom of God in the name of our Lord Yeshua Meshikha, they baptized, men and women. ₁₃And even Simon, he believed and was baptized and adhered to Pileepos.  And when he saw the great signs and miracles that occurred by his hand, he was amazed and he marveled.  

₁₄And when the Apostles who were in Urishlim heard that the people of Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Shimon Keepa and Yukhanan to them.  ₁₅And they went down and prayed over them that they might receive the Spirit of Holiness.  ₁₆For it was not upon one of them yet.  They were only baptized now in the name of our Lord Yeshua.  ₁₇Then they placed a hand upon them and they received the Spirit of Holiness. 

₁₈And when Simon saw that by the placing of a hand of the Apostles the Spirit of Holiness was given, he offered silver to them.  ₁₉saying,

Give to me also this authority that whomever <that> I place a hand upon, he will receive the Spirit of Holiness.

₂₀Shimon Keepa said to him,

Your silver will go with you to destruction because you thought that the gift of God could be obtained¹ with the goods of the world.  ₂₁You have no part or portion in this faith because your heart is not straight before God.  ₂₂But repent of this your evil and beseech <from> God.  Perhaps you will be forgiven the guile of your heart.  ₂₃For I see that you are in bitter anger² and in the bonds of iniquity.  ₂₄Simon answered and said,

You beseech for my sake <from> God that not anything of these things that you have spoken come upon me.

1. There is a play on the root “QNA” (goods/obtain) here.

2. The Aramaic word “Kabda” can mean “gall/liver/anger.” The Greek versions mistranslate this as “gall of bitterness” instead of the more contextually proper “bitter anger.”

₂₅Now when Shimon and Yukhanan had testified, and they taught the Word of God, and preached in many villages of the Samaritans, returned to Urishlim.  ₂₆And an angel of the LORD spoke with Pileepos and said to him,

Rise up! Go to the South on the desert road that goes down from Urishlim to Gaza.

₂₇And he arose and went and met a certain believer¹ who had come from Cush,  an official of Qandeq, the queen of the Cushites, and he was an authority over all her treasures.  And he had come to worship in Urishlim.  ₂₈And while he traveled to go, he sat in a chariot and was reading Eshaya the prophet.  ₂₉And the Spirit said² to Pileepos,

          Draw near and follow the chariot.

₃₀And when he had drawn near, he heard that he was reading Eshaya the prophet, and he said to him,

          Do you understand what you read?

₃₁And he said,

          How am I able to comprehend unless someone instructs me? 

And he beseeched Pileepos that he come up and sit with him.  ₃₂Now the section of the scripture that in which he was reading was this,

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as an ewe before the shearer is silent, even thus he did not open his mouth.   33He was led in his humiliation from his confinement and from judgement.  And his generation, who will declare it, because his life has been taken from the earth?

1. The Aramaic word “MHYMNA” can mean either “believer” or “eunuch.” The Greek versions mistranslate this as “eunuch” instead of the more contextually correct “believer.”

2. The verb here is in the feminine.

₃₄And that believer said to Pileepos,

I beseech you concerning whom did this prophet speak, concerning himself or concerning another man?

₃₅Then Pileepos open his mouth and began to preach from this scripture concerning our Lord Yeshua.  ₃₆And when they went on the road they arrived at a certain place that had water in it.  And that believer said,

          Behold water!  What is the obstacle so that I may be baptized?

₃₇Omitted in Aramaic text.  ₃₈And he commanded that the chariot stop.  And they went down, both of them, to the water.  And Pileepos baptized that believer.  ₃₉And after they got up from the water, the Spirit of the LORD caught Pileepos up, and that believer did not see him again, but he departed on his way rejoicing.  ₄₀And Pileepos was found at Azotus, and from there was traveling around and preaching in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 9

₁Now Shaul was yet full of intimidation and the fury of murder towards the disciples of our Lord.  ₂And he asked for letters from the chief priests to give to Darmsuq to the assemblies that if he should find men or women who follow in this path he might arrest [them and] bring them to Urishlim.  ₃And as he traveled and approached Darmsuq, suddenly a light from heaven shone upon him.  ₄And he was thrown upon the ground, and he heard a voice that said to him,

Shaul! Shaul!  Why do you persecute me?  It is hard for you to kick the stakes.

₅And he answered and said,

          Who are you my Lord?

And our Lord said,

I am Yeshua the Nasraya, He whom you persecute!  ₆But rise up [and] enter into the city, and there will be spoken to you concerning what you ought to do.

And the men who were traveling with him on the road were amazed because they heard only a sound, but a man was not visible to them.  ₈Shaul got up from the ground and he was not able to see anything though his eyes were open.  They brought him by his hands to Darmsuq.  ₉And he was not able to see [for] three days.  And he did not eat and he did not drink. 

₁₀Now there was a certain disciple in Darmsuq whose name was Khanan-Yah.  And the LORD said to him in a vision,

          Khanan-Yah!

And he said,

          Behold, [it is] I my Lord. 

₁₁And our Lord said to him,

Arise.  Go to the street that is called Straight and inquire at the house of Yehuda for Shaul who is from the city of Tarsus. For behold while he was praying ₁₂he saw a man in a vision whose name [was] Khanan-Yah¹ who entered and placed a hand upon him so that his eyes might be opened.

₁₃And Khanan-Yah said,

My Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man how much evil he has inflicted on Your holy ones in Urishlim.  ₁₄And behold even here he has authority from the high priests to arrest all those who call  [upon] your Name!

₁₅And the LORD said to him,

Arise!  Go because he [is] a vessel to me, chosen to carry my Name among the Gentiles and among kings and among the sons of Israel.  ₁₆For I will reveal to him how much he will suffer because of my Name.

₁₇Then Khanan-Yah went to the house, to him and placed a hand upon him and said to him,

Shaul, my brother, our Lord Yeshua has sent me.  He who appeared to you on the road while you were coming, that your eyes might be opened and that you might be filled with the Holy Spirit.

₁₈And at once something that resembled scales fell from his eyes, and his eyes were opened.  And he arose and [became] baptized.  ₁₉And he received nourishment and was strengthened and was with the disciples, those who were in Darmsuq.  ₂₀And immediately he was in the assembly of the Yehudeans preaching about Yeshua, that he was the Son of God. 

1. The name “Khanan-Yah” means “Yah is merciful.” The play on his name demonstrates the mercy about to be shown to Shaul through the restoration of his eyesight. This is only apparent in the Aramaic.

₂₁And all those who were hearing him were amazed, and they were saying,

Was not this he who was persecuting all those who were calling on this name in Urishlim?  He was sent even here for this same [reason] to bind and take them away to the chief priests! 

₂₂Now Shaul was more so strengthened and was confounding those Yehudeans who were dwelling in Darmsuq while he was revealing that this is the Messiah.  ₂₃And after [many] days increased to him there, the Yehudeans made treachery against him to kill him.  ₂₄But the plot was shown to him, to Shaul, that they were seeking to do to him.  And they were keeping watch [of] the gates of the city day and night to kill him.  ₂₅Then the disciples placed him in a basket and let him down from the wall during the night.

₂₆And he went to Urishlim and desired to join the disciples, but all of them were afraid of him.  And they did not believe that he [was] a disciple.  ₂₇But Bar-Naba took him and brought him to the apostles and explained to them how on the road he had seen the LORD, and how he spoke with them, and how boldly he spoke in Darmsuq in the name of Yeshua.  ₂₈And he went in with them and he went out into Urishlim. 

₂₉And he was boldly speaking in the name of Yeshua and disputing with those Yehudeans who knew Greek, but those  desired to kill him.  ₃₀And when the brothers knew, they brought him to Caesarea by night, and from there they sent him to Tarsus. 

₃₁Nevertheless, the church that was in all Yehud and in Galeela and Shamrin now had peace in it.  It grew, being built up and instructed in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  ₃₂And it happened that while Shimon was traveling in the cities, he came down also to the saints who dwelled in the city [of] Lud.  ₃₃And he found a certain man named Anis who was laying on a pallet and was a paralytic eight years.  ₃₄And Shimon said to him,

Anya¹, Yeshua the Messiah heals you!  Arise and make your bed!

1. “Afflicted One.”

And immediately he arose.  ₃₅And all who saw him who dwelt in Lud and in Saron turned to God. 

₃₆Now there was a certain disciple in  the city of Yoppa whose name was Tabitha¹.  This [one] was rich in good deeds and in the alms that she did.  ₃₇Now she became ill in those days and she died.  And they washed her and laid her in an upper room.  ₃₈And the disciples heard that Shimon was in the city of Lud, that which is on the side of Yoppa.  And they sent to him two men to request of him that he not delay to come with them.  ₃₉And Shimon arose [and] went with them.  And when he came, they brought him up to the upper room and gathered. [And]  all the widows stood around him weeping and showing to him the coats and cloaks, those that Tabitha had given to them while she lived.   ₄₀But Shimon put all the people out and bowed down upon his knees. And prayed and he turned to the corpse and said,

          Tabitha get up!

And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Shimon she sat up.  ₄₁And he stretched out his hand and raised her up and called to the saints and to the widows and presented her to them alive.  ₄₂And this thing was known in all the city, and many believed in our Lord.  ₄₃And he was in Yoppa not a few days lodging in the house of Shimon the tanner.

1. Aramaic name meaning “Gazelle.”

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 10

₁Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, a centurion, whose name was Qurnelius, from that band of soldiers which is called Italiqa.  ₂And he was righteous and feared God, he and all his household.  And he did many alms among the people, and he beseeched God at all times.  ₃This [man] clearly saw an angel of God in a vision [at] nine hours into the day, who came towards him and said to him,

          Qurnelia!

₄And he was afraid and stared at him and he said,

          What , my lord?

And the angel said to him,

Your prayers and your alms have come up before God for a remembrance.  ₅And now send men to the city Yoppa and bring Shimon, who is called Keepa.  ₆Behold he lodges in the house, that which is on the shore of the sea, of Shimon the tanner. 

₇And when the angel who spoke with him had departed, he called two of the sons of his household and a certain servant who feared God, one who obeyed him. 

₈And on the next day while they traveled on the road and drew near to the city, Shimon went up to the roof to pray in the sixth hour.  ₁₀And he hungered and desired to eat.  And while they prepared for him, a stupor fell over him.  ₁₁And he saw heaven being opened and a certain garment being held by four corners.  And it resembled a great linen cloth.  And it was descending from heaven to earth.  ₁₂And there were in it all creatures of four legs, and creeping things of the earth, and birds of heaven.  ₁₃And a voice came to him that said,

Shimon!  Rise up. Slaughter, and eat!

₁₄And Shimon said,

[God] forbid, my lord, because I have not ever eaten anything that is defiled and unclean!

₁₅And again a second time a voice came to him that [said],

          That which God has cleansed, you should not consider defiled!

₁₆And this happened three times, and the garment was taken up to heaven.  ₁₇And while Shimon marveled in himself what was the vision that he had seen, those men who were sent from Qurnelius they came and stood at the gate of the courtyard and inquired concerning the house that Shimon lodged in.   ₁₈And they called there and asked,

          Is Shimon who is called Keepa lodged here?

₁₉And while Shimon thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him.

Behold! Three men you seek.  ₂₀Arise, go down and go with them <while> not letting your mind be divided¹ because I [am] he [who] sent them.

₂₁Then Shimon went down to those men and said to them,

I [am] whom you seek.  What is the reason for which you have come?

₂₂A certain man said to him,

A centurion whose name is Qurnelius, a just [man] who fears God and about whom all the people of the Yehudeans  give testimony, was told in a vision by a holy angel to send [and] bring you to his house and to hear the word from you. 

1. Aramaic idiom meaning “do not doubt.”

₂₃Shimon brought them in and received them where he was lodging.  And at the end of the day he arose and he departed [and] went with them and some of the brothers of Yoppa went with him.  ₂₄And on the next day, he entered Caesarea and Qurnelius was waiting for them while being assembled with him all his kin and also the beloved friends that he had.  ₂₆And Shimon raised him up and said to him,

          Stand up!  I am also a man.

₂₇And while he talked with him, he entered and found many who had come there.  ₂₈And he said to them,

You, You know that it is not lawful for a Yehudean man to associate with a foreign man who is not a son of his tribe, but God showed to me concerning a man not to say that [he is] unclean or defiled.  ₂₉Because of this I came promptly when you sent for me, but I ask you for what reason did you send for me?

₃₀Qurnelius said to him,

Four days have been now since I was fasting.  And in the ninth hour while I prayed in my house, a certain man wearing white stood before me.  ₃₁And he said to me,

Cornelia!  Your prayer has been heard and of your alms there is remembrance before God.  ₃₂But send to the city of Yoppa and bring Shimon who is called Keepa.  Behold he lodges in the house of Shimon the tanner on the shore of the sea.  And he will come and speak to you. 

And I sent at once to you, and you did well to come.  And behold, we all of us are before you and desire to hear everything that was commanded to you from God.

₃₄And Shimon opened his mouth and said,

In truth I perceive that God is not hypocritical, ₃₅but among all people, he who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.  _36[This is] the Word that he sent for to the sons of Yisrael to give hope and peace and tranquility to them through Yeshua the Messish.  He is the LORD of all!  ₃₇And also <you> know you about the word that was in all of Yehud that went out from Galeela after the baptism that Yukhanan preached  ₃₈concerning Yeshua who was from Nasrath, that God annointed with the Spirit of Holiness and with power.  And this is he who traveled around and healed those who were oppressed by evil, because God was with him. 

₃₉And we [are] his witnesses concerning everything that he did in all the land of Yehud and of Urishlim.  Him, this same one the Yehudeans hung upon wood and killed him.  ₄₀And God raised him on the third day and allowed him to be seen openly.  ₄₁But not to all people, but to us, those who were chosen by God to be witnesses for him.  For we ate and drank with him after his resurrection from the dead. 

₄₂And he commanded us to preach and to witness to people that this is he who was ordained by God [to be] the judge of the living and of the dead.  ₄₃And all the prophets testified concerning him that whoever believes in his name will receive remission of sins. 

₄₄And while Shimon was speaking these words, the Spirit of Holiness rested on all of them who were hearing the Word.  ₄₅And the brothers, those circumcised, who came with him, were amazed and astonished that the gift of the Spirit was even poured out upon Gentiles.  ₄₆ For they were hearing them speaking in different tongues and they were magnifying God.  And Shimon was saying,

₄₇<Why> can any man forbid water that those should not be baptized, who behold have received the Spirit of Holiness as we [have].

₄₈Then he commanded them to be baptized in the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.  And they beseeched <from> him so as to stay with them [a few] days. 

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 11

₁And it was heard by the Apostles and the brothers who were in Yehud that even Gentiles received the Word of God.  ₂And while Shimon went up to Urishlim, those who were from circumcision were contending with him.  ₃While they were saying that he enters with and dines with them.  ₄And Shimon was expounding to them saying repeatedly  ₅that

While I was praying in Yoppa, I saw in a dream  a certain garment that was descending which resembled a linen cloth.  And it was fastened by four [of] its corners and it was drawn out/  And it came all the way from heaven towards me.  ₆And I looked at it and I saw that there was in it four-footed animals and insects of the earth, and even birds of the sky.  ₇And I heard a voice that said to me

                    Shimon!  Rise up, slaughter, and eat.

          ₈And I said,

God forbid my Lord!  Because the unclean and the defiled has not ever entered upon my mouth. 

          ₉And again a voice from heaven said to me,

That which God has cleansed you should not regard as defiled.

₁₀This occurred three times and everything was taken up to heaven.  ₁₁And at that moment men who were sent to me from Qurnelius from Caesarea came and stood at the gate of the courtyard that I had lodged in.  ₁₂And the Spirit said to me,  to go with them without doubt and those six brothers came with me also.  And we entered the house of the man. 

₁₃And he reported to us how he saw an angel who stood in his house and said to him <to> send him to the city of Yoppa and bring Shimon who is called Keepa.  ₁₄And he will speak with you words by which you will live, you and all your house.  ₁₅And as I went out there to speak, the Spirit of Holiness rested upon them, as <how> [it did] upon us from before.  ₁₆And I remembered the word of our Lord when he said that,

Yukhanan baptized with water, but you will baptize with the Spirit of Holiness.

₁₇If therefore God gives in an equal way the gift to Gentiles, those who believe in our Lord Yeshua Meshiha, as also to us, who was I that I should be able to hinder God.  ₁₈And when they heard these words they became silent and they praised God.   And they were saying that,

          Perhaps God has given the Gentiles repentance to life.

₁₉And those who were scattered by the persecution that happened on account of Stephen were reaching all the way to Poniqa, and even to the country of Qupros and to Antiochia while they were not speaking with anyone, except only a word with the Yehudeans. 

₂₀Now there were men among them from Qupros and from Qorene.  They were entering Antiochi and were speaking with Greeks and were preaching concerning our Lord Yeshua.  ₂₁And there was the hand of the Lord among them, and many believed and turned face towards the Lord.  ₂₂And this was heard by the ears of the sons of the congregation in Urishlim.  And they sent Bar-Naba to Antiochi. 

₂₃And when he arrived there and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and was beseeching from them that they should be followers to our Lord with all their heart.  ₂₄Because he was a good man and he was filled with the Spirit of Holiness and with faith, many people were added to our Lord.  ₂₅And he was departing to Tarsus to seek Shaul. 

₂₆And when he found him, he brought him with him to Antiochia.  And they gathered  as one a whole year, and they taught many people in the congregation.   From that time the disciples in Antiochi were first called Kristyane.  ₂₇And in those days prophets came from Urishlim to there.

 ₂₈And one from them arose whose name was Agabus, and informed them by the Spirit that a great famine would occur in all the area.  And this famine happened in the days of Qlodius Qasar.  ₂₉And moreover, the disciples determined each one of them to send according to what he had to the service of the brothers, those who were dwelling in Yehud.  ₃₀And they sent by way of Bar-Naba and Shaul to the elders who were there.

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter12

₁And at that time some were laying on hands to ill-treat them who were in the congregation - Herodus the king, he who was named Agripus.  ₂And he killed Yaqub the brother of Yukhanan with a sword.  ₃And when he saw this pleased the Yehudeans  he was proceeding to capture Shimon Keepa also.  And these were the days of Unleavened Bread.  ₄And he seized him and p;aced him in prison, and delivered him [to] sixteen soldiers to watch him so that after the Passover he might deliver him to the people of the Yehudeans. 

₅And after he, Shimon, was watched in prison, a constant prayer was offered by the congregation to God for his sake.  ₆And toward the dawn in that very night he was preparing to deliver him, as Shimon was bound by two chains sleeping among two soldiers and others were guarding the gate of the prison.

 ₇An angel of the LORD stood above him. And a lignt shined <from> him in all the building.  And he struck him on his side and woke him and said to him,

          Arise quickly!

And the chains fell quickly from his hands.  ₈And the angel said to him,

          Gird up your loins and put on your sandals!

And he did so, and again he said to him,

          Wrap [yourself with] your garment and come after me.

₉And he went out and he was following after him not realizing that it was true that happening was by the angel.  For he was thinking that he was seeing a vision.  ₁₀And after they passed the first watch, they came all the way to the gate of iron.  And it was opened to them of its own will.  And after they went out and passed one street the angel departed from his presence.  ₁₁Then Shimon realized and said,

Now I know in truth that the LORD sent his angel and freed me from the hand of the king Herodus and from the thing which the Yehudeans had planned against me. 

₁₂And after he understood he came to the house of Maryam, the mother of Yukhanan, he who was named Marqus, because many brothers were gathered and praying there.  ₁₃And he knocked on the gate of the courtyard and a girl whose name [was] Roda came out to answer him.  ₁₄And she recognized the voice of Shimon, and in her joy she did not open the gate to him.  Rather, she turned back quickly and said to them,

          Behold Shimon stands at the gate of the courtyard.

₁₅They said to her,

          You are very confused!

And she was contending that this was so.  They said to her,

          Perhaps it is his messenger!

₁₆And Shimon was knocking at the gate and they went out [and] saw him and they were amazed.  ₁₇And he was waving his hand to them so as that he might silence them.  And he entered and related to them how the LORD had brought him out from prison.  And he said to them,

          Proclaim these things to Yaqub and to our brethren!

And he went out [and] departed to another place.  ₁₈And after it became morning there was a great uproar among the soldiers concerning Shimon - about what had happened to him.  ₁₉Now after Herodus sought him and could not find him, he judged the guards and commanded them that they should die and he departed from Yehud and was in Caesarea. 

₂₀And because he was angry at the Tyrians and at the Sidonians, they gathered and came to him as one and persuaded Blastus, the chamberlain of the king, and asked of him that they might have cultivated land¹, because the provision of their country was from the kingdom of Herodus.

₂₁Now on a notable day, Herodus was dressed in the clothing of the kingdom.  And he sat upon the judgement seat and was speaking with the crowds.  ₂₂And all the people were crying out and saying,

          These sayings are of a god and are not of the sons of men!

₂₃And because he did not give glory to God, at that moment the angel of the LORD struck him, and he swarmed with worms and died!  ₂₄And the Gospel of God was preached and it grew.  ₂₅Now Bar - Naba and Shaul returned from Urishlim to Antiochi after they had finished their service.  And they took with them Yukhanan, he who was named Marqus.

1. The Greek versions mistranslate this word as “peace”, a possible seconday meaning of this Aramaic word is “cultivated land” (c.f., Yaqub 3:18 also mistranslated by the Greeks) - this reading makes far more sense contextually in a time of famine (c.f., Acts 11:28.)

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 13

₁Now there were prophets and teachers. in the congregation of Antiochia; Bar-Naba, and Shimon who was called Niger, and Luqius who was from  the city Qorena, and Manuel (a son of the rearers of the tetrarch Herodus), and Shaul.  ₂And while they were fasting and supplicating to God, the Spirit of Holiness said to them,

Set apart Shaul and Bar-Naba to me to do that which I have called them.

₃And after they had fasted and they had prayed, they laid hands upon them and they sent them.  ₄And while they were being sent by the Spirit of Holiness [they] went down to Seluqya.  And from there they traveled by sea up to Qupros.  ₅And after they went in the city of Salamna [where] they were preaching the Word of our Lord in the congregation of the Yehudeans.  And Yukhanan was ministering to them. 

₆And after they had traveled the entire island up to the city of Papos, they found a certain sorcerer prophet whose name was Bar-Shuma, a Yehudean who was a false.  ₇A wise man (who was following this man) who was the proconsul and was called Sargius-Polous.   And the proconsul called to Shaul and to Bar-Naba and was seeking to hear the Word of God from them.  ₈Now he was standing against themm, this sorcerer Bar - Shuma, his name which is interpreted Alumas¹ because he was desiring to turn the proconsul from the faith.  ₉Shaul and he who was called Polous were filled by the Spirit of Holiness and stared at him.  ₁₀And he said,

O son of the Devil, full of deceits and all evils and enemy of all righteousness, you will not cease to pervert the straight  paths of the LORD.  ₁₁And now the hand of the LORD is upon you and you will be blind, and you will not see the sun for a time. 

1. Arabic name meaning “magician.”

And at that moment obscurity and darkness fell upon him and he was wandering about and seeking someone who would take [him] by his hand.  ₁₂And after the proconsul saw the thing which had happened, he marveled and he believed in the teaching of the LORD.  ₁₃Now Polous and Bar - Naba journeyed from the city Papos by sea and they came to Perga, a city of Pamphylia.   And Yukhanan separated from them and he went to Urishlim. 

₁₄But they  departed from Perga and came to Antiochia, a city of Pisidia.  And they entered into the congregation and they sat down on the day of the Sabbath.  ₁₅And after the law and the prophets were read, the elders of the congregation sent for them and they said,

Men, our brothers, if you have a word of comfort, speak with the people.

₁₆And Polous stood and waved his hand and said,

Men, the sons of Israel and those who fear God, hear!  ₁₇The God of this people chose our forefathers and exalted and magnified them while they were sojourners in the land of Misrayin.  And with a high arm, He brought them out from it.  ₁₈And He nourished them forty years in the wilderness.  ₁₉And he destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan.  And He gave their land to them [as] an inheritance. 

₂₀And He gave judges to them four hundred and fifty years until Shmuel the prophet.  ₂₁And then they requested a king, and forty years God gave them Shaul, the son of Qish, a man from the tribe of Benyamin.  ₂₂And He took him and raised Dawid the king for them.  And He testified concerning him and said,

I have found Dawid the son of Ayshe a man according to my heart.  And he will do all of my will.

₂₃From the seed of this [man] God raised Yeshua the Savior for Israel as was promised.  ₂₄And He sent Yukhanan before his coming to preach the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.  ₂₅And after Yukhanan completed his service, he said,

Whom you do suppose that I am, I am not!  But behold he [who] comes after me, I am not worthy  to loosen the straps of his sandals!

₂₆Men our brothers the sons of the tribe of Awraham and those who fear God among you, the Word of salvation, it is sent to you.  ₂₇For those dwellers of Urishlim and their leaders understood him not, nor the books of the prophets which are read every week.  Rather they condemned him and fulfilled everything that is written.  ₂₈And while they could not find a cause for death whatsoever, they sought from Peelatos that they might kill him. 

₂₉And after everything was fulfilled that was written concerning him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in the grave.  ₃₀But God raised him from the grave.  ₃₁And he was seen many days by those who came down from Galeela with him to Urishlim.  And they are now his witnesses to the people.  ₃₂And also behold, we preach to you that the promise that which was to our forefathers, ₃₃behold God has completed it to their children, to us, that He raised Yeshua.  It is written in the second Psalm that,

          You are my Son. Today I have begotten you.

₃₄And thus God raised him from the grave so that he will not return again [and] see corruption as he saidthat,

          I will  give the grace of Dawid the faithful to you.

₃₅And again he said in another place that,

          You did not give your pure [one] to see corruption.

₃₆For Dawid served the will of God in his generation, and slept and was added to his fathers and saw corruption.  ₃₇But this [man] whom God raised did not see corruption.  ₃₈Realize therefore my brothers that by him, this [man], the remission [of] sins is announced to you.   ₃₉And from all that which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moshe, by this [man], everyone who believes is justified! 

₄₀Beware therefore lest the thing which is written in the prophets should come upon you.  ₄₁That,

See you despisers and be astonished and be destroyed for a work I will work in your days, that which you will not believe [even] if someone tells [it] to you. 

₄₂And while they were departing from their midst, they beseeched from them that they might speak on another Sabbath these words to them.  ₄₃And after the congregation was dismissed, many Yehudeans went after them, and even proselytes who feared God.  And they were speaking and persuading them to be adherents ot the grace of God.  ₄₄And on another Sabbath all the city gathered to hear the Word of God. 

₄₅And when the Yehudeans saw the large gathering they were filled with envy and they were standing against the words that Polous was speaking.  And they were blaspheming.  ₄₆But Polous and Bar-Naba spoke boldly to them,

Firstly, it was right that the Word of God be spoken to them, but because you have pushed it away from yourselves and have determined among yourselves that you are not worthy of eternal life, behold we turn ourselves to the Gentiles.  ₄₇For thus our Lord commands us as it is written that,

I have prepared you [to be] a light to the Gentiles that you might be for life unto the limits of the earth.

₄₈And while the Gentiles were hearing, they were rejoicing and were glorifying God.  And those who believed were ordained to life that is everlasting.  ₄₉And the Word of the LORD was spoken in all that country. 

₅₀But the Yehudeans incited the rulers and with them the wealthy women of the city, those who were fearing God, and they raised a persecution against Polous and Against Bar-Naba, and they drove them out from their borders.  ₅₁And while they went out, they shook off the dust of their feet against them.  And they came to the city Ieqanon.  ₅₂And the disciples were filled with joy and the Spirit of Holiness.

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 14

₁And they came and entered into the congregation of the Yehudeans and thus they spoke among them so that many of the Yehudeans and of the Greeks believed.  ₂But those Yehudeans, they who were not convinced, incited the Gentiles to ill-treat <them> the brethren.  ₃And those days many were there and were openly preaching about the LORD.  And He was witnessing concerning the Word of His Grace with miracles and with wonders that he was accomplishing by their hands. 

₄And the entire people of the city were divided.  Some of them were with the Yehudeans and some were adhering to the Apostles.  ₅Now a threat came upon them from the Gentiles and from the Yehudeans and their rulers that they might torment them and they might stone them with rocks.  ₆And after they found out, they departed and sought refuge in Lostra and Derbe the cities of Logania.  

₇And they were preaching there. And a certain man was sitting in the city Lostra who never did walk, who was afflicted lame in his legs from the womb of his mother.  ₉This [man] listened to Polous as he spoke, and after Polous saw him and realized that there is faith in him that he might live.  ₁₀He said to him in a loud voice,

I say to you in the name of our Lord Yeshua Meshikha, rise up upon your legs!

And he rose leaping and walked!  ₁₁And after the crowd of people saw the thing that Polous did, they lifted up their voices in the language of the land and said.

The gods do resemble the sons of men, and they have come down to us. 

₁₂And they named Bar-Naba the lord of gods and Polous Hermes because he began in speech.  ₁₃And the priest of the lord of gods, one who was outside of the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the gate of the courtyard where they stayed, and desired to offer a sacrifice to them.

₁₄But Bar-Naba and Polous, after they heard, they tore their garments and leaped and went out among the multitude and cried out.  ₁₅And they said,

Men, what are you doing?  We are also sons of men, passionate like yourselves who are preaching to you that you should turn from these useless  things towards the living God who made the heavens and the earth and the seas and all there that is in them.  ₁₆He who in previous time allowed the Gentiles, all them, that they might go in their own ways.  ₁₇While He did not allow Himself without a testimony in that He did much¹ for them.  And He caused rain to descend from heaven. And He caused fruit to grow in their seasons.  And He filled their hearts with cheer² and gladness.

₁₈And while they had spoken these things, they barely restrained the people so that a man did not offer a sacrifice to them.

 ₁₉Now there came Yehudeans from Ieqanon and from Antiochia and incited the people against them.  And they stoned Polous and dragged him away from the city, because they thought that he had died. ₂₀The disciples gathered around him and he rose up [and] entered the city.

And on another day, he departed from there with Bar-Naba and came to the city Derbe.  ₂₁And as they were preaching to the sons of that city they made many disciples.  And they returned [and] came to the city Lostra and to Ieqanon and to Antiochia.  ₂₂After they had strengthened the souls of the disciples and had beseeched from them to remain in the faith, and had said to them that,

It is right by much tribulation to enter into the Kingdom of God.

1. The Greeks mistranslated this word as “good.”

2. This word was also mistranslated as “food.”

₂₃And they raised up elders in every congregation for them after they had fasted and prayed with them and they had committed them to our Lord, he in whom they believed.  ₂₄And while they traveled in the country of Pisidia, they came to Pampholia.  ₂₅And after they spoke the Word of the LORD in the city Perge, they went down to Attalia. 

₂₆And from there they journeyed by sea and they came to Antiochia, because from there they committed the work that which they completed to the grace of the LORD.  ₂₇And after they gathered all the congregation, they conveyed everything that God did among them.  And that He opened the gate of faith to the Gentiles.  ₂₈And they remained there much time with the disciples. 

The Acts of the Apostles

Chapter 15

₁Now men came down from Yehud teach the brothers unless you are circumcised in the manner of the law, you are not able to live.  ₂And there was a great commotion and a debate between [them and] Polous and Bar-Nabea.  And it happened with them on account of this debate that Polous and Bar-Naba and the others with them went up to the Apostles and the elders who were in Urishlim. 

₃The congregation conducted [and] sent them.  And they journeyed in all Phonicia and also Samaria as they related about the reconciliation of the Gentiles.  And they caused great joy to all the brethren.  ₄And when they came to Urishlim, they were received by the congregation and by the Apostles and by the elders.  And they narrated to them every thing that God did among them. 

₅Now some stood up, those who believed from the teaching of the Pharisees. And they said that,

It is necessary for you to circumcise them and you should command them to guard the law of Moshe.

₆The Apostles and elders gathered together to look into this matter.  ₇And after a great debate occurred, Shimon arose and said to them,

Men, brothers, you know that from prior days from my mouth <mine> God chose that the Gentiles would hear the words of the Gospel and they would believe.  ₈And God who knows what is in the hearts testified concerning them and gave to them the Spirit of Holiness as [he did] to us.  ₉And He differentiates nothing between them and us because He cleansed their hearts by faith. 

₁₀And now, why do you test God so as to place a yoke upon the neck of the disciples that which not even our forefathers nor us were able to carry?  ₁₁But by the grace of our Lord Yeshua Meshikha, we believe that we are saved as are they. 

₁₂And all the crowd became quiet and they were listening to Polous and to Bar-Naba as they were relating everything that God did by their hands - miracles and wonders among the Gentiles.  ₁₃And after they became quiet, Yaqub arose and said,

Men, brothers, listen to me!  ₁₄Shimon related to you how God began to choose from the Gentiles a people for his name.  ₁₅And to this end the words of the prophets are fulfilled as it is written.

₁₆That after these [things], I will return and raise up the tabernacle of Dawid, that which fell.  And I will build the thing that fell off from it and I will raise it up.  ₁₇So that the LORD will seek the remainder of mankind and all the Gentiles, those who my name is called over them, said the LORD who made all these things. 

₁₈The works of God are known from eternity.  ₁₉Because of this <I> say I that you should not be those oppressors who from the Gentiles are turning to God.  ₂₀But we will send [word] to them that they should abstain from uncleanness of sacrifices and from adultery and from things that are strangled and from blood.  ₂₁For from ancient generations in all cities Moshe had preachers in the assemblies that on every Sabbath they read him. 

₂₂Then the Apostles and the elders with all the congregation chose men from among them and sent [them] to Antiochi with Polous and Bar-Naba and also Yehuda who is called Bar-Shaba and Shila and men leaders who were among them, among the brethren. ₂₃And they wrote an epistle by their hands thus,

The Apostles and the elders and the brethren to those who are in Antiochi and in Syria and in Cilicia.

Brethren who are from the Gentiles, peace.  ₂₄We have heard that some men from us went out and confused you with words and have agitated your souls, saying that,

          You should be circumcised and guard the law,

Something that we did not command them.  ₂₅Because of this, we deliberated, all of us, after we gathered together and we chose men and sent them to you with our beloved Polous and Bar-Naba, ₂₆men who have committed their souls for the sake of the Name of our Lord Yeshua Meshikha.  ₂₇And we sent Yehuda and Shila with them who by their words they will tell you these things. 

₂₈For there was a determination upon the Spirit of Holiness and also upon us that a greater burden should not be placed upon you  except those thing that are necessary.  ₂₉That you should stay away from that which is sacrificed and from blood and from a strangled thing and from fornication that as you keep your souls from these things you will be well. 

Be true in our Lord.

₃₀Now those who were sent came to Antikia and gathered all the people and they delivered the epistle.  ₃₁And after they read they were encouraged and they rejoiced.   ₃₂And with an abundant word strengthened the brethren and established those of the household of Yehuda and Shila, for they were also prophets.  ₃₃And after they were there a while, the brethren released them in peace to the Apostles.  ₃₄omitted in eastern text

₃₅Now Polous and Bar-Naba remained in Antiochi and were teaching and preaching the Word of God with many others.  ₃₆And after a few days Polous said to Bar-Naba,

Let us return and visit the brethren in every city that we have preached the Word of God in it.  And let us see what they are doing.

₃₇Now Bar-Naba was desiring to take Yukhanan, he who was called Marqus.  ₃₈Now Polous did not desire to take him with them because he did leave them while they [were] in Pampolia, and he did not go with them. 

₃₉Because of this dispute they separated from one the other and Bar-Naba took Marque and traveled by sea and they went to Qupros.  ₄₀Polous now chose Shila and departed while being entrusted by the brethren to the grace of God.  ₄₁And he was traveling in Syria and in Cilicia and establishing churches.