The Early Church

And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together and were praying.

And when he knocked at the door of the gate, a maid came to answer, named Rhoda.

And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for joy, but ran in, and told that Peter stood before the gate.

And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she confidently affirmed that it was even so. And they said, It is his angel.

But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed.

But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison. And he said, Tell these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went to another place.

Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judæa to Cæsarea, and tarried there.

Now he was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: and they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was fed from the king’s country.

And upon a set day Herod arrayed himself in royal apparel, and sat on the throne, and made an oration unto them.

And the people shouted, saying, The voice of a god, and not of a man.

And immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

But the word of God grew and multiplied.

And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministration, taking with them John whose surname was Mark.

Now there were at Antioch, in the church that wasthere, prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

And when they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John as their attendant.

And when they had gone through the whole island unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus;

who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. The same called unto him Barnabas and Saul, and sought to hear the word of God.

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.

But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fastened his eyes on him,

and said, O full of all guile and all villany, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.