Acts - Week 7

(ESV)

12Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.

13None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.

14And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,

15so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

16The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

17But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy

18they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.

19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,

20“Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

21And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

22But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,

23“We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.”

24Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.

25And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”

26Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them,

28saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

30The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.

31God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

32And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.

34But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.

35And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men.

36For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.

37After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.

38So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail;

39but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice,

40and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

42And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

(ESV)

1And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.

2The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

(ESV)

5These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,

6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

9Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts,

10no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.

11And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.

12As you enter the house, greet it.

13And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.

15Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

16“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

17Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,

18and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

19When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.

20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,

22and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

25It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

26“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

27What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

30But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

31Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

32So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

33but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

34“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.

37Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

40“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

41The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

42And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”