Acts — The Coverdale Bible (1535)

The Acts of the Apostles tells of the church from the ascension and Pentecost to Paul’s preaching in Rome. In Coverdale’s Bible of 1535 it stands in the New Testament under the heading “The Actes of the Apostles, wrytten by S. Luke the Euangelist”. Coverdale’s summary of the chapters stands before the text; the 1535 Bible has no verse numbers, so the text keeps its own paragraphs, in 28 chapters, with the marginal notes and references printed after each chapter.

What the Actes conteyne.

• Chap. I. The ascension of Christ. Mathias is chosen in the steade of Iudas.
• Chap. II. The commynge of the holy goost. The sermon of Peter before the cōgregacion at Ierusalem, and the increase of the faithfull.
• Chap. III. The halt is restored to his fete. Peter preacheth Christ vnto the people.
• Chap. IIII. The Apostles are takē and brought before the councell. They are forbydden to preach, but they turne them vnto prayer, and are more obedient vnto God then vnto men.
• Chap. V. The dyssemblynge of Ananias and Saphira is punyshed. Miracles are done by the Apostles, which are taken, but the angel of God bryngeth them out of preson. They are brought before the councell, The sentence of Gamaliel. The apostles are bett, they reioyse in trouble.
• Chap VI. Ministers (or deacons) are ordened in the congregacion to do seruyce in necessary thinges of the body, that the Apostles maye wayte onely vpō the worde of God. Steuen is accused.
• Chap. VII. Steuen maketh answere to his accusacion, rebuketh the hardnecked Iues, and is stoned vnto death.
• Chap. VIII. Saul persecuteth the Christē, The Apostles are scatred abrode. Philip commeth in to Samaria. Simon magus is baptised, he dyssembleth. Philip baptiseth the chamberlayne.
• Chap. IX. Paul is conuerted, and confoundeth the Iues▪ Peter rayseth Tabitha.
• Chap. X. The vision that Peter sawe. How he was sent to Cornelius. The Heithen also receaue the sprete, and are baptised.
• Chap. XI. Peter sheweth the cause wherfore he wente to the Heithen. Barnabas and Paul preach vnto the Heithen. Agabus prophecieth derth for to come.
• Chap. XII. Herode persecuteth the christē, kylleth Iames, and putteth Peter in preson, whō the LORDE delyuereth by an angell. The shamefull death of Herode.
• Chap. XIII. Paul and Barnabas are called to preach amonge the Heithen▪ Of Sergius Paulus and Elymas the sorcerar. Paul preacheth at Antioche.
• Chap. XIIII. Paul and Barnabas preach at Iconium: some beleue, some stere vp sedicion. At Listra they wolde do sacrifice to Barnabas and Paul, which refuse it, and exorte the people to worshipe the true God Paul is stoned, after that commeth he to Derba, lystra, I conium and to Antioche.
• Chap. XV. Variaunce aboute circumcision, The Apostles pacifie the matter at Ierusalē. Paul and Barnabas preach at Antioche.
• Chap. XVI. Timothy is circumcised, Paul preacheth at Philippos, and there is he put in preson.
• Chap. XVII. Paul cōmeth to Thessalonica, where the Iues set the cite on a roore Paul escapeth, and commeth to Athens, where he preacheth the true and vnknowne God.
• Chap. XVIII. Paul preacheth at Corinthum, contynuinge there a yeare and a half, goeth agayne in to Syria, commeth to Ephesus, Cesarea and Antioche. Of Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla.
• Chap. XIX. Of the xij. men whom Paul baptised at Ephesus, and what miracles were done by him. Demetrius moueth sedicion in the cite.
• Chap. XX. Paul goeth in to Macedonia and in to Grekelonde. At Troas he rayseth vp a deed body. At Ephesus he calleth the elders of the congregacion together, committeth the kepinge of Gods flocke vnto them, warneth thē for false teachers, maketh his prayer with them, and departeth to shippe.
• Chap. XXI. Pauls iourneye by shippe. Of Philippe the Euāgelist, and Agabus the Prophet, which warneth Paul not to go to Ierusalem. He remayneth stedfast in his purpose, and is taken in the temple.
• Chap. XXII. Paul answereth the Iewes, is scourged, and layed in preson agayne.
• Chap XXIII. Paul commeth before the councell. Debate ariseth amonge the people, the captayne delyuereth him, God conforteth him.
• Chap. XXIIII. Paul is accused before felix, he answereth for himself.
• Chap. XXV The Iewes accuse Paul before Festus, he appealeth vnto the Emperoure, and is sent vnto Rome.
• Chap. XXVI. Kynge Agrippa heareth Paul, which telleth him his callinge from the begynnynge.
• Chap. XXVII. Pauls shippinge towarde Rome, Iulius the captayne intreateth Paul curteously, at the last they suffre shipwrake.
• Chap. XXVIII. The vyper hurteth not Pauls hande, he healeth Publius father, and preacheth Christ at Rome.

The Actes of the Apostles.

[woodcut]

Chapter 1

THE first treatise (deare Theophilus) haue [A] I made of all that Iesus beganne to do and to teache, vntyll yᵉ daye that he was taken vp, after that he (thorow the holy goost) had geuen commaundementes to to the Apostles, whom he had chosen: to whō also he shewed himself alyue after his passion, by many tokēs,⁽¹⁾ and appeared vnto them fourtye dayes longe, and spake vnto them of the kyngdome of God.

And whan he had gathered them together, he commaunded them that they shulde not departe from Ierusalem, but to wayte for the promyse of the father, wherof (sayde he) ye haue herde of me:⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ For Ihon baptysed with water, but ye shalbe baptysed wᵗ yᵉ holy goost, & that within this few dayes.

Now whan they were come together, they axed him, and sayde: LORDE, shalt thou at this tyme set vp the kyngdome of Israel agayne? But he sayde vnto them: It belongeth not vnto you to knowe the tymes or seasons,⁽⁴⁾ which the father hath kepte in his awne power, but ye shal receaue the power of yᵉ holy goost, which shal come vpon you, and ye shalbe my witnesses at Ierusalem,⁽⁵⁾ and in all Iewrye and Samaria, and vnto the ende of the earth.

And whan he had spoken these thinges,[B] whyle they behelde, he was taken vp, and a cloude receaued him from their fight.⁽⁶⁾ And whyle they loked after him, as he wente in to heauen, beholde, there stode by them two men in whyte garmentes, which also sayde: ye men of Galile, Why stonde ye gasynge vp in to heauen? This Iesus which is takē vp from you in to heauen ⁽⁷⁾ shal come euen so as ye haue sene him go in to heauen.

Then turned they agayne from yᵉ mount that is called Oliuete, which is nye to Ierusalem, and hath a Sabbath dayes iourney. And whan they came in, they wente vp in to a parler,⁽⁸⁾ where abode Peter and Iames, Ihon and Andrew, Philippe and Thomas, Bartilmew and Mathew, Iames the sonne of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Iudas the sonne of Iames. These all contynued with one acorde in prayer and supplicacion, with the wemen and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren.

[C] And in those dayes Peter stode vp in the myddes amonge the disciples, and sayde: (The company of the names together, was aboute an hundreth and twentye.) Ye men and brethren, this scripture must nedes be fulfylled, which yᵉ holy goost by the mouth of Dauid spake before of Iudas, which was a gyde of thē that toke Iesus: ⁽⁹⁾ for he was nombred with vs, and had opteyned the felashippe of this mynistracion. This same trulye possessed the ⁽¹⁰⁾ felde for the rewarde of vnrighteousnes, and hanged himself, and brast a sunder in the myddes, and all his bowels guszhed out. And it is knowne vnto all thē that dwell at Ierusalem, in so moch that the same felde is called in their mother tonge Acheldema, that is to saye, the bloude felde.

[D] For it is wrytten in the boke of psalmes: His habitacion be voyde, and noman be dwellinge therin. And: ⁽¹¹⁾ His biszhoprike another take. Wherfore amonge these men which haue bene gathered together with vs (all the tyme that the LORDE Iesus wēte out and in amonge vs, begynnynge from the baptyme of Ihon, vntyll yᵉ daye that he was takē vp from vs) must one be a wytnesse with vs of his resurreccion.

⁽¹²⁾And they appoynted two (Ioseph called Barsabas, whose syrname was Iustus, and Mathias.) makinge their prayer and sayenge:⁽¹³⁾ Thou LORDE, which knowest the hertes of all men, shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen, that the one maye take the rowme of this mynistracion and Apostelshippe, from the which Iudas by transgression fell, that he might go awaye in to his awne place. And they gaue forth the lottes ouer them, and the lot fell vpon Mathias. And he was counted with the eleuen Apostles.

Notes to Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ Io⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible paragraph⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ Luc. ⟨illegible⟩. Act. ⟨illegible⟩ Act. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 7. b ⟨illegible⟩ 24. c ⟨illegible⟩ 13. c ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ 17. c ⟨illegible⟩ 21. d

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 10. a ⟨illegible⟩. b ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ 5. b ⟨illegible⟩ 9▪ a

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 10. a

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩7. a

⁽¹¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩3. d ⟨illegible⟩ 103. a

⁽¹²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 19. c

Chapter 2

ANd whan the ⁽¹⁾ Whit sondaye was [A] fulfylled, they were all with one acorde together in one place. And sodenly there came a sounde from heauen, as it had bene the cōmynge of a mightie wynde, and it fylled the whole house where they sat. And there appeared vnto them clouen tunges, like as they had bene of fyre. And he sat vpon ech one of them, and they were all fylled with the holy goost. ⁽²⁾ And they beganne to preach with other tunges, euen as the sprete gaue them vtteraunce.

There were dwellinge at Ierusalem Iewes, men that feared God, out of euery nacion that is vnder heauen. Now whan this voyce came to passe, the multitude came together, and were astōnyed: For euery one herde, that they spake with his awne tunge. They wondred all and marueyled, and sayde amonge themselues: Beholde, are not all these which speake, of Galile? How heare we thē euery one his awne tunge, wherin we were borne? Parthians and Medes, and Elamites, and we that dwell in Mesopotamia, and in Iewry and Capadocia, Pontus, and Asia, Phrigia and Pamphilia, Egipte, and in the partes of Lybia by Cyren, and straungers of Rome, Iewes and ⁽³⁾ Proselytes, Cretes and Arabians: we heare them speake with oure awne tunges the greate workes of God.

They were all amased, and wondred, and [B] sayde one to another: What wil this be? But other mocked them, and sayde: They are full of swete wyne. Then stode Peter vp with the eleuen, and lift vp his voyce, and sayde vnto them:

Ye men of Iewry, and all ye that dwell at Ierusalē, be this knowne vnto you, and let my wordes entre in at youre eares. For these are not dronken, as ye suppose, for it is yet but the thirde houre of yᵉ daye: but this is it, that was spokē before by the prophet Ioel: And it shal come to passe in the last dayes, sayeth God,⁽⁴⁾ I will poure out of my sprete vpon all flesh, and youre sonnes and youre doughters shal prophecye, and youre yonge men shal se visions ⁽⁵⁾ and youre olde men shall dreame dreames,⁽⁶⁾ and on my seruauntes and on my handmaydens wyll I poure out of my sprete in those dayes, & they shal prophecye.

And I wil shewe wonders in heauen aboue, and tokens on the earth beneth,⁽⁷⁾ bloude and fyre, and the vapoure of smoke. The Sonne shalbe turned in to darknesse, and the Moone in to bloude, before that greate and notable daye of the LORDE come. And it shall come to passe,⁽⁸⁾ Who so euer shal call vpō the name of the LORDE, shalbe saued.

[C] Ye men of Israel, heare these wordes: Iesus of Nazareth, yᵉ man approued of God amonge you with miracles, and wonders and tokens, which God dyd by him in the myddes amonge you, as ye yo selues knowe also,⁽⁹⁾ him (after that he was delyuered by the determinate councell and foreknowlege of God) haue ye taken by the handes of vnrighteous personnes, and crucifyed him, & slayne him,⁽¹⁰⁾ whō God hath raysed vp, and lowsed the sorowes of death, for so moch as it was vnpossyble that he shulde be holden of it.⁽¹¹⁾ For Dauid speaketh of him: Afore honde haue I set the LORDE allwayes before me, for he is on my right hōde, that I shulde not be moued. Therfore dyd my hert reioyse, and my tunge was glad: For my flesh also shal rest in hope. For thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell, nether shalt thou suffer yᵉ Holy to se corrupcion. Thou hast shewed me the wayes of life, thou shalt make me full of ioye with thy countenaunce.

Ye men and brethren, let me frely speake vnto you of the Patryarke Dauid: For he is deed and buried,⁽¹²⁾ and his sepulcre is with vs vnto this daye. Wherfore now seinge yᵗ he was a prophet, and knewe that God had [D] promised him with an ooth, that the frute of his loynes shulde syt on his seate,⁽¹³⁾ he sawe it before, and spake of the resurreccion of Christ: for his soule was not left in hell, nether hath his flesh sene corrupcion. This Iesus hath God raysed vp,⁽¹⁴⁾ wherof we all are witnesses.

Seynge now that he by the right hande of God ⁽¹⁵⁾ is exalted, and hath receaued of yᵉ father yᵉ promyse of the holy goost, he hath shed forth this, that ye se and heare. For Dauid is not ascended in to heauen, but he sayde:⁽¹⁶⁾ The LORDE sayde vnto my LORDE: Syt thou on my righte hande, vntyll I make thine enemies yᵗ fote stole. So therfore let all the house of Israel knowe for a suertye, yᵗ God hath made this same Iesus (whom ye haue crucified) LORDE and Christ.

⁽¹⁷⁾Whan they herde this, their hert pricked them, and they sayde vnto Peter and to the other Apostles: Ye men and brethrē, ⁽¹⁸⁾ What shal we do? Peter sayde onto them: Amēde youre selues, and let euery one of you be baptysed in the name of Iesus Christ, for the remyssion of synnes, and ye shal receaue the gifte of the holy goost. For this ⁽¹⁹⁾ promyse was made vnto you and youre children, and to all that are farre of, whō so euer the LORDE oure God shal call. And wᵗ many other wordes bare he witnesse, and exorted them, and sayde: Saue youre selues from this vntowarde generacion. They that gladly receaued his preachinge, were baptysed, & the same daye there were added vnto them aboute thre thousande soules.

They contynued in the Apostles doctryne, and in the felashippe, and in breakynge of bred, and in prayer. And feare came vpō euery soule, and many wonders and tokens were done by yᵉ Apostles. But all they that beleued, were together,⁽²⁰⁾ and had all thinges commen. They solde their goodes and possessions, and parted them out amonge all, acordinge as euery mā had nede. And they contynued daylie with one acorde in the tēple, and ⁽²¹⁾ brake bred in euery house: they toke their meate with ioye & synglenesse of hert, praysinge God, and had fauoure with all yᵉ people. And the LORDE added to the congregacion daylie soch as shulde be saued.

Notes to Chapter 2

⁽¹⁾ Deut. 16. ⟨illegible⟩ Leui. 24. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Mat. 16. c

⁽³⁾ Mat. 23.

⁽⁴⁾ Ioel ⟨illegible⟩. f

⁽⁵⁾ Act. 10. and 16. b

⁽⁶⁾ Luc. 2. f Act. 21. b

⁽⁷⁾ Mat. 27. f Luc. 23. d

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩o. 10. b

⁽⁹⁾ Mat. 27. c

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ct. 10. e

⁽¹¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩sal. 15. b

⁽¹²⁾ Reg. 2. b

⁽¹³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩al. 131. b

⁽¹⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ct. 1 a ⟨illegible⟩. 15. c

⁽¹⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩hilip. 2. a

⁽¹⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩al. 109. a

⁽¹⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ach. 1⟨illegible⟩. c

⁽¹⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 3. b ⟨illegible⟩ct. 9. a ⟨illegible⟩ 16. d

⁽¹⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩el. ⟨illegible⟩. f

⁽²⁰⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²¹⁾ Esa ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 3

PEter and Ihon wente vp together [A] in to the temple aboute the nyenth houre to praye. And there was a certayne man halt from his mothers wombe, whom they brought and layed daylie at the gate of the tēple, which is called, the Bewtyfull, that he might axe almesse of them that wēte in to the temple. Now whan he sawe Peter and Ihon, that they wolde in to the temple, he desyred to receaue an almesse. Peter behelde him with Ihon, and sayde: Loke on vs. And he gaue hede vnto them, hopynge to receaue somethinge of them. Howbeit Peter saide: Syluer and golde haue I none: but soch as I haue geue I the. ⁽¹⁾ In the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth ryse vp & walke. And he toke him by the righte hande and lifte him vp. Immediatly his legges & ancle bones were made strōge, and he sprange, stode and walked, and entred with them in to the tēple, walkynge, and leapinge and praysinge God.

And all the people sawe him walke and [B] prayse God. And they knewe him, yᵗ it was he, which sat for almesse at the bewtyfull gate of the temple. And they were fylled with wondrynge, and were astonnyed at that, which had happened vnto hī. But as this halt which was healed helde him to Peter and Ihon, all the people ranne vnto them in to the ⁽²⁾ porche, which is called Salomōs, and wondred.

Whan Peter sawe that, he answered vnto the people: Ye men of Israel, why maruayle ye at this, or why loke ye so at vs, as though we by oure awne power or deseruynge, had made this man to walke? The God of Abraham and of Isaac, and of Iacob, yᵉ God of oure fathers hath glorifyed his childe Iesus, ⁽³⁾ whom ye delyuered and denyed in the presence of Pilate, whan he had iudged him to be lowsed. But ye denyed the holy and iust, and desyred the murthurer to be [C] geuen you, but ye slewe the prynce of life, whom God hath raysed from the deed, of the which we are witnesses. And thorow yᵉ faith in his name, hath he confirmed his name vpon this man, whom ye se and knowe: and faith thorow him, hath geuē this man this health before youre eyes.

Now deare brethrē, I knowe that ye haue done it ⁽⁴⁾ thorow ignoraunce, as dyd also youre rulers. But God, which by the mouth of all his prophetes had shewed before, yᵗ his Christ shulde suffre, hath so fulfilled it. Do penaunce now therfore and turne you, that youre synnes maye be done awaye, whan the tyme of refreshinge shal come before the presence of the LORDE, and whan he shal sende him, which now before is preached vnto you, euen Iesus Christ: which must receaue heauen vntyll the tyme that all thinges, which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy prophetes sence yᵉ worlde beganne, be restored agayne.

[D] For Moses sayde vnto yᵉ fathers: A prophet shal the LORDE youre God rayse vp vnto you,⁽⁵⁾ euen from amōge youre brethren, like vnto me: him shal ye heare, in all that he shal saye vnto you. And it shal come to passe, what soule soeuer shal not heare the same prophet, shal be destroyed from amonge the people. And all the prophetes from Samuel and thence forth as many as haue spoken, haue likewyse tolde of these dayes.

Ye are the children of the prophetes and of the couenaunt, which God made vnto oʳ fathers, whan he sayde vnto Abrahā: Thorow yᵉ sede shal all yᵉ naciōs of yᵉ earth be blessed. ⁽⁶⁾ First vnto you hath God raysed vp his childe Iesus, & sent hī vnto you, to blesse you: yᵗ euery one shulde turne frō his wickednesse.

Notes to Chapter 3

⁽¹⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. c ⟨illegible⟩. c

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 12. a ⟨illegible⟩ 22. c ⟨illegible⟩. 10. a

Chapter 4

BVt as they spake to yᵉ people, there [A] came vnto thē the prestes and the rulers of the tēple, and the Saduces, whō it greued yᵗ they taught the people, & preached in Iesu yᵉ resurreccion frō the deed and they layed handes vpon them, and put thē in holde tyll the morow: for it was now euentyde. Howbeit many of thē which herde the worde, beleued, and the nombre of yᵉ men was aboute fyue thousande.

And it chaunced on yᵉ morow, that their rulers and Elders and scrybes (as Annas yᵉ hye prest and Caiphas, and Ihon & Alexander, and as many as were of the hye prestes kynred) gathered them selues together at Ierusalem, and set them before them, and axed them: By what auctorite, Or in what name haue ye done this?⁽¹⁾

Peter full of the holy goost, sayde vnto them: Ye rulers of the people, and ye Elders of Israel, Yf we this daye be examyned concernynge this good dede vpon the sicke mā, by what meanes he is made whole, be it knowne then vnto you and to all the people of Israel, ⁽²⁾ that in yᵉ name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whō God hath raysed vp from the deed, stōdeth this man here before you whole.⁽³⁾ This is the stone refused of you buylders, which is become the heade corner stone, nether is there saluacion in eny other: ⁽⁴⁾ Ner yet also is there geuē vnto mē eny other name, wherin we must be saued.

They sawe the boldnesse of Peter & Ihon [B] and marueyled, for they were sure yᵗ they were vnlerned men and laye people. And they knewe thē also, that they were wᵗ Iesu. As for the man yᵗ was made whole, they sawe hī stōdinge by thē, & coulde not saye agaynst it. Then cōmaunded they thē to stōde asyde out of yᵉ councell, & cōmened amōge thēselues, & saide: ⁽⁵⁾ What shal we do to these mē? for a manyfest token is done by them, and is openly knowne vnto thē that dwell at Ierusalem, and we can not denye it. But that it breake out no farther amōge the people, let vs threatē them earnestly, that hence forth they speake of this name vnto noman.

And they called them, and cōmaunded thē, that in eny wyse they shulde not speake ner teache in the name of Iesu. But Peter & Ihon answered, and sayde vnto thē: Iudge ye youre selues, whether it be right before God, that we shulde be more obedient vnto you, then vnto God. We can not chose, but speake that we haue sene & herde. But they threatened them, and let them go, and founde nothinge how to punyshe them because of yᵉ people: for they all praysed God because of that, ⁽⁶⁾ which was done. For the man, vpon whom this token of health was done, was aboue fourtye yeare olde.

And whan they were let go they came to [C] their folowes, and tolde them what yᵉ hye prestes and Elders sayde vnto them. Whā they herde that, they lifte vp their voyce wᵗ one acorde vnto God, and sayde: LORDE, thou that art the God which made heauen and earth, and the see, and all that therin is thou that by the mouth of Dauid thy seruaūt hast sayde: Why do the Heythē rage? and yᵉ people ymagin vayne thinges? The kynges of the earth stonde vp,⁽⁷⁾ and the prynces haue gathered them selues together agaynst yᵉ LORDE, and agaynst his. Christ. Of a trueth agaynst thy holy childe Iesus, whom thou hast anoynted, both Herode & Pontius Pilate with the Heythen and people of Israel, haue gathered thēselues together, to do what soeuer thy hande and thy councell determyned before to be done. And now LORDE, beholde their threatenynges, and graunte vnto thy seruauntes with all stedfast boldnesse to speake thy worde: and stretch out thine hande, that healinge and tokēs and wonders maye be done by the name of thy holy childe Iesus.

[D] And whā they had prayed, the place moued where they were gathered together, & they were all fylled with yᵉ holy goost, & spake the worde of God boldly. The multitude of them that beleued, were of one hert and of one soule. Also none of them sayde of his goodes, that they were his awne, but had all thinges cōmen. And with greate power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurreccion of the LORDE Iesu, and greate grace was with them all. Nether was there eny amonge them that lacked. For as many as were possessers of londes or houses, solde thē and brought yᵉ money of the goodes that were solde, and layed it at the Apostles fete. And distribucion was made vnto euery mā, acordinge as he had nede.

Ioses which was also called of yᵉ Apostles, Barnabas (that is to saye, the sonne of consolacion) a Leuite, of the countre of Cypers, had londe, and solde it, & brought the money, and layed it at the Apostles fete.

Notes to Chapter 4

⁽¹⁾ Mat. ⟨illegible⟩1. c

⁽²⁾ Act. 3. a

⁽³⁾ Psal. 117. c Mat. 21. e 1. Pet. 2. a

⁽⁴⁾ Mat. 1. c Phil. 2. a

⁽⁵⁾ Ioh. 11. c

⁽⁶⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩ ▪

⁽⁷⁾ Psal. 2. a

Chapter 5

[A] BVt a certayne man named Ananias with Saphira his wife, solde his possession, and kepte awaye parte of the money (his wife knowinge of it) and broughte one parte, & layed it at the Apostles fete. But Peter sayde: Ananias, Wherfore hath Sathan fylled thine hert, that thou shuldest lye vnto the holy goost, and withdrawe awaye parte of the money of the lyuelod? Mightest thou not haue kepte it, whan thou haddest it? And whan it was solde, the money was also in thy power: Why hast thou then conceaued this thinge in thine hert? Thou hast not lyed vnto mē, but vnto God. Whan Ananias herde these wordes, he fell downe, & gaue vp the goost. And there came a greate feare vpon all thē that herde of this. The yonge men rose vp, and put him asyde, and caried him out, and buried him.

And it fortuned as it were aboute yᵉ space [A] of thre houres after, his wife came in, and knewe not what was done. But Peter answered vnto her. Tell me, solde ye the londe for somoch? She sayde: Yee, for so moch. Peter sayde vnto her: Why haue ye agreed together, to tempte the sprete of the LORDE? Beholde, the fete of thē which haue buried thy huszbande, are at the dore, & shal carye the out. And immediatly she fell downe at his fete, and gaue vp the goost. Then came in the yonge men, and founde her deed, and caried her out, and buried her by hir huszbāde. And there came a greate feare ouer the whole congregacion, and ouer all thē that herde it.

Many tokens and wonders were done amonge the people by the hādes of the Apostles (and they were all together with one acorde in ⁽¹⁾ Salomons porche: but of other there durst no man ioyne him self vnto thē, neuertheles the people helde moch of them. The multitude of the men and wemen that beleued in the LORDE, grewe more and more) In so moch that they brought out the sycke in to the stretes, and layed them vpon beddes and barowes, that at the leest waye the shadowe of Peter (whan he came by) might ouershadowe some of thē. There came many also out of yᵉ cities rounde aboute vnto Ierusalem, and brought the sicke and thē that were vexed with vncleane spretes, and they were healed euery one.

But the hye prest rose vp, and all they yᵗ [C] were with him,⁽²⁾ which is the secte of the Saduces, and were full of indignacion, & layed handes on the Apostles, and put them in the comon preson. But the angell of yᵉ LORDE by night opened the preson dores,⁽³⁾ and brought thē out, and sayde: Go youre waye and steppe vp, and speake in the temple to the people all the wordes of this life. Whan they herde that, they entred in to the temple early in the mornynge: and taught.

But the hye prest came, and they yᵗ were with him, and called the councell together, & all yᵉ Elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the preson to fet them. The mynisters came and founde them not in the preson, came agayne, and tolde, and sayde: The preson founde we shut with all diligence, and the kepers stondinge without before the dores: but whā we had opened, we founde noman therin. Whan the hye prest, and the rulers of the temple and the other hye prestes herde these wordes, they douted of them, whervnto this wolde growe.

[D] Then came there one, which tolde them: Beholde, the men that ye put in preson, are in the temple, stondinge and teachinge the people. Then wēte yᵉ rulers with their mynisters, and fetched them without violence: ⁽⁴⁾for they feared the people, lest they shulde haue bene stoned. And whan they had brought them, they set thē before the councell. And the hye prest axed them, and sayde: Dyd not we ⁽⁵⁾ cōmaunde you strately, that ye shulde not teache in this name. And beholde, ye haue fylled Ierusalem with youre doctryne,⁽⁶⁾ and ye intēde to brynge this mans bloude vpon vs.

But Peter and the Apostles answered, and sayde: We ought more to obeye God then men. The God of oure fathers hath raysed vp Iesus, whō ye slewe, and hanged on tre. Him hath the righte hande of God exalted, to be a prynce and Sauioure, to geue repentaunce and forgeuenesse of synnes vnto Israel. And we are his recordes of these wordes, and the holy goost, whō God hath geuen vnto thē that obeye him. Whā they herde that, it wente thorow the hertes of them, and they thoughte to slaye them.

[E] Then stode there vp in yᵉ councell a pharyse,⁽⁷⁾ named Gamaliel, a scribe, had in greate reputacion before all yᵉ people, and bad put the Apostles asyde a litle, and sayde vnto them: Ye men of Israel, take hede to youre selues, what ye do as touchinge these men. Before these dayes rose vp one Theudas, boostinge himself. (And there cleued vnto him a nōbre of mē, aboute a foure hundreth) which was slayne, and all they yᵗ enclyned vnto him, were scatred abrode, and brought to naught.⁽⁸⁾ After this stode vp Iudas of Galile in yᵉ dayes of trybute, and drewe awaye moch people after him, & he also perished, & all they that enclyned vnto him, are scatred abrode. And now I saye vnto you: refrayne yo selues frō these men, and let thē go. ⁽⁹⁾ Yf this councell or worke be of mē, it wil come to naught: but yf it be of God, ye are not able to destroye it, lest ye be founde to be the men, that wil stryue agaynst God. Then they agreed vnto him, and called the Apostles, and bet them, and commaunded them, that they shulde speake nothinge in the name of Iesu, and let them go.

But they departed from the presence of the councell, reioysinge,⁽¹⁰⁾ that they were worthy to suffre rebuke for his names sake. And daylie in the temple and in euery house they ceassed not, to teache and to preache the Gospell of Iesus Christ.

Notes to Chapter 5

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁰⁾ Mat. 5. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 6

IN those dayes whan the nombre of [A] the disciples increased, there arose a grudge amōge the Grekes agaynst the Hebrues, because their wyddowes were not loked vpon in the daylie handreachinge. Then the twolue called the multitude of the disciples together, and sayde: It is not mete that we shulde leaue the worde of God, and to serue at the tables. Wherfore brethren, loke out amonge you seuē men, ⁽¹⁾ that are of honeste reporte, and full of the holy goost and wyszdome, whom we maye appoynte to this nedefull busynes. But we wil geue oure selues vnto prayer, and to the mynistracion of the worde of God. And the sayenge pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Steuen, a man full of fayth and of the holy goost, and Philippe, and Procorus, and Nicanor, and Thimon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas the Proselite of Antioche. ⁽²⁾These they set before yᵉ Apostles, and they prayed, and layed their handes vpon them. And the worde of God increased, and the nombre of the disciples multiplied greatly at Ierusalem. And there were many prestes also obedient vnto the fayth.

Steuen full of faith and power, dyd wonders and greate tokens amonge the people. Then arose there certayne of the synagoge, which is called (the synagoge) of yᵉ Libertynes, & of the Cyrenites, and of the Alexādrines, and of thē yᵗ were of Celicia and Asia, & disputed with Steuē,⁽³⁾ and they coulde not resiste the wyszdome and the sprete, out of the which he spake. Then sent they in certayne men, that sayde:⁽⁴⁾ We haue herde him speake blasphemous wordes agaynst Moses, and agaynst God. And they moued the people, and the Elders and the scrybes, and came vpon him, & caught him, and brought him before the councell, and set false witnesses there, which sayde: This man ceasseth not to speake blasphemous wordes agaynst this holy place and the lawe. For we herde him saye: Iesus of Nazareth shall destroye this place, and chaunge the ordinaunces which Moses gaue vs. And all they that sat in the councell, loked vpō him and sawe his face as the face of an angell.

Notes to Chapter 6

⁽¹⁾ 1. Tim. 3. b

⁽²⁾ Nu. 27. d Act. 1. d 1. Ti. 4. b 2. Tim. 1. b

⁽³⁾ Luc. 21. b

⁽⁴⁾ Mat. 26. f

Chapter 7

[A] Then sayde the hye prest: Is it euē so? He sayde: Deare brethren and fathers, herken to, The God of glorye appeared vnto o father Abrahā, whyle he was yet in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and sayde vnto him: Get yᵗ out of thy coūtre, and frō thy kynred, and come in to a londe which I wil shewe yᵉ. Thē wente he out of the lande of the Caldees,⁽¹⁾ and dwelt in Haran. ⁽²⁾ And from thēce, whan his father was deed, he brought him ouer in to this londe (where ye dwell now) and gaue him no enheritaūce therin, no not yᵉ bredth of a fote: and promysed him, that he wolde geue it him to possesse,⁽³⁾ and to his sede after him, whan as yet he had no childe.

⁽⁴⁾But thus sayde God vnto him: Thy sede shalbe a straunger in a straunge londe, and they shal make bonde men of them, and intreate thē euell foure hundreth yeares: and yᵉ people whom they shal serue, wil Iiudge, sayde God. And after that shal they go forth, and serue me in this place. And he gaue him the couenaūt of circūcision.⁽⁵⁾ And he begat Isaac,⁽⁶⁾ and circūcised him the eight daye. And Isaac begat Iacob ⁽⁷⁾ and Iacob begat the twolue Patriarkes.

[B] And the Patriarkes had indignacion at Ioseph,⁽⁸⁾ and solde hī in to Egipte. And God was with him, and delyuered him out of all his troubles, and gaue him fauoure ād wyszdome ī the sight of Pharao kynge of Egipte ⁽⁹⁾ which made him prynce ouer Egipte and ouer all his house.

But there came a derth ouer all the londe of Egipte and Canaan,⁽¹⁰⁾ and a greate trouble, and oure fathers founde no sustenaunce. But Iacob herde that there was corne in Egipte, and sent oure fathers out the first tyme. ⁽¹¹⁾ And at the seconde tyme was Ioseph knowne of his brethren, and Iosephs kynred was made knowne vnto Pharao. But Ioseph sent out, and caused his father and all his kynred to be broughte, euē thre score and fyftene soules.⁽¹²⁾ And Iacob wente downe in to Egipte, and dyed, both he and oure fathers ⁽¹³⁾ and were brought ouer vnto Sichē, and layed in the sepulcre, that Abraham boughte for money of the children of Hemor at Sichem.⁽¹⁴⁾

[C] Now whā the tyme of the promes druenye (which God had sworne vnto Abrahā) the people grewe and multiplied in Egipte,⁽¹⁵⁾ tyll there rose another kynge, which knewe not of Ioseph. The same dealte suttely wᵗ oure kynred, and intreated oure fathers euell and made them to cast out the yonge children, that they shulde not remayne alyue.

At the same tyme was Moses borne,⁽¹⁶⁾ and was a proper childe before God, and was norished thre monethes in his fathers house. But whan he was cast out, Pharaos doughter toke him vp, and norished him vp for hir awne sonne. And Moses was learned in all maner wyszdome of the Egipcians, and was mightie in dedes & wordes.

But whan he was fourtye yeare olde, it came in to his mynde to vyset his brethren the children of Israel. And whan he sawe one of them suffre wrōge, he helped him, and delyuered him, that had the harme done vnto him, and slewe the Egipcian. But he thoughte that his brethren shulde haue vnderstonde, how that God by his hande shulde saue thē, howbeit they vnderstode it not.

And on the nexte daye he shewed himself [D] vnto them as they stroue together, and wolde haue set them at one agayne, and sayde: Syrs, ye are brethren, why hurte ye one another? But he that dyd his neghboure wronge, thrust him awaye, and sayde:⁽¹⁷⁾ Who made the a ruler and iudge ouer vs? Wilt thou slaye me also, as thou slewest the Egipcian yesterdaye? But Moses fled at that sayenge, and was a straunger in the lande of Madian, where he begat two sonnes.

And after fourtye yeares,⁽¹⁸⁾ the angell of yᵉ LORDE appeared vnto him vpon mount Sina, in a flamme of fyre in a buszhe. Whā Moses sawe it, he wondred at the sighte. But as he drue nye to beholde, yᵉ voyce of yᵉ LORDE came vnto him: I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. How beit Moses trēbled, and durst not beholde. But yᵉ LORDE sayde vnto hī: ⁽¹⁹⁾ Put of thy shues from thy fete, for yᵉ place where thou stondest, is an holy grounde. I haue well sene the trouble of my people in Egipte, and haue herde their gronynge, and am come downe to delyuer them. And now come, I wil sende the in to Egipte.

This Moses, whom they refused, and sayde: Who made yᵉ a ruler and iudge ouer vs?⁽²⁰⁾ him had God sent to be a ruler & delyuerer by the hande of the angell, that appeared vnto him in the buszhe. The same broughte them out, and dyd wonders and tokens in Egipte, and in the reed see, and in yᵉ wyldernesse fourtye yeares. This is that Moses, which sayde vnto the children of Israel:⁽²¹⁾ A prophet shal the LORDE youre God rayse vp vnto you euen from amonge youre brethren, like vnto me. Him shal ye heare. This is he,⁽²²⁾ that was in the congregacion in the wyldernesse with the angell, which talked with him, vpō mount Sina, and with oure fathers. This man receaued the worde of life to geue vnto vs, vnto whom oure fathers wolde not be obediēt, but thrust him frō thē, and in their hertes turned backe agayne in to Egipte, and sayde vnto Aaron: Make vs goddes to go before vs,⁽²³⁾ for we can not tell what is become of this Moses, yᵗ broughte vs out of the lande of Egipte. And they made a calfe at the same tyme, and offred sacrifice vnto the ymage, and reioysed in the workes of their awne handes.

But God turned himselfe, & ⁽²⁴⁾ gaue them vp, so that they worshipped the hooste of heauē, as it is wrytten in the boke of the prophetes: ⁽²⁵⁾ O ye house of Israel, gaue ye me sacrifices and catel those fortye yeares in the wyldernesse? And ye toke vnto you yᵉ tabernacle of Moloch, and the starre of youre god Remphan, ymages which ye youre selues made to worshippe thē. And I wil cast you out beyonde Babilon.

[F] Oure fathers had the tabernacle of witnesse in yᵉ wyldernesse, like as he appoynted them, ⁽²⁶⁾ whan he spake vnto Moses, that he shulde make it (acordinge to the patrone, yᵗ he had sene.) which oure fathers also receaued, and brought it with Iosue into the londe that the Heythē had in possession,⁽²⁷⁾ whom God droue out before the face of oure fathers, vntyll the tyme of Dauid, which founde fauoure with God, and desyred that he might fynde a tabernacle for the God of Iacob.

But Salomon buylte hī an house. ⁽²⁸⁾ Howbeit yᵉ Hyest of all dwelleth not in temples that are made with handes: As he sayeth by the prophete:⁽²⁹⁾ Heauē is my seate, and the earth is my fote stole. What house then wilye buylde vnto me? sayeth the LORDE: Or which is the place of my rest? Hath not my hande made all these thinges?

⁽³⁰⁾Ye styffnecked & of vncircumcysed hertes and eares, ye allwaye resiste the holy goost: Euē as yo fathers dyd, so do ye also. Which of the prophetes haue not yo fathers persecuted? [G] And they slewe thē, which tolde before of the cōmynge of yᵗ righteous, whose traytours and murthurers ye are now become. Ye receaued the lawe by the mynistracion of angels, ⁽³¹⁾ and haue not kepte it.

Whan they herde this, it wente thorow yᵉ hertes of thē, and they gnaszhed vpō him with their tethe. But he beynge full of the holy goost, loked vp towarde heauen, ⁽³²⁾ and sawe the glorye of God, and Iesus stōdinge on the righte hande of God, and sayde: Beholde, I se the heauens open, and the sonne of mā stondinge on yᵉ righte honde of God. But they cried out with a loude voyce, & ⁽³³⁾ stopped their eares, and rāne violently vpon him all at once, and thrust him out of the cite, and stoned him. ⁽³⁴⁾ And yᵉ witnesses layed downe their clothes at the fete of a yonge man, which was called Saul. And they stoned Steuen, which cryed, & sayde: LORDE Iesu, receaue my sprete. And he kneled downe, & cried with a loude voyce: LORDE, ⁽³⁵⁾ laye not this synne to their charge. And whā he had thus spoken, he fell a slepe.

Notes to Chapter 7

⁽¹⁾ Gen. 11. d

⁽²⁾ Gen. 12. a

⁽³⁾ Gen. 13. d

⁽⁴⁾ Gen. 15. c

⁽⁵⁾ Gen. 17. b

⁽⁶⁾ Gen. 21. a Gen. 25. c

⁽⁷⁾ Gen. 29. f

⁽⁸⁾ Gen. 37. e Sap. 10. c

⁽⁹⁾ Gen. 41. f

⁽¹⁰⁾ Gen. 41. g and 42. a

⁽¹¹⁾ Gen. 45. a

⁽¹²⁾ Gen. 46. a G⟨illegible⟩n. 49. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹³⁾ Ge. 50. b Iosue. 24 f

⁽¹⁴⁾ Gen. 23. d

⁽¹⁵⁾ Exod. 1. a Psal. 104. a

⁽¹⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 18. c ⟨illegible⟩ct. 3. d

⁽²²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 19. a ⟨illegible⟩ 3. c

⁽²³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 1. d

⁽²⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 3. d ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩. c

⁽²⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 25. d ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩. a

⁽²⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 6. a ⟨illegible⟩ 17. d

⁽²⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. b ⟨illegible⟩ 15. b

⁽³²⁾ Mat. 16.

⁽³³⁾ Psal. 57.

⁽³⁴⁾ Act. 22.

⁽³⁵⁾ Luc. 2⟨illegible⟩.

Chapter 8

SAul had pleasure in his death. At yᵉ [A] same tyme there was a greate persecucion ouer the congregacion at Ierusalē. And they were all scatered abrode in the regions of Iewrye & Samaria, excepte the Apostles. As for Steuen, men yᵗ feared God dressed him, and made greate lamentacion ouer him.⁽¹⁾ But Saul made hauocke of the congregacion, entred in to euery house, and drue out men & wemen, & delyuered thē to preson. They now yᵗ were scatered abrode wēte aboute & preached the worde. Thē came Philippe in to a cite of Samaria, and preached Christ vnto them. And the people gaue hede with one acorde vnto yᵉ thinges that Philip spake, hearinge him, and seynge the tokēs that he dyd. For the vncleane spretes cryed loude, and departed out of many yᵗ were possessed. And many that were sicke of the palsie and lame, were healed. And there was greate ioye in the same cite.

But afore there was in yᵉ same cite a certayne mā, called Simon, which vsed witche craft, and bewitched yᵉ people of Samaria, sayenge, that he was a man which coulde do greate thinges. And they all regarded him from the leest vnto yᵉ greatest, & sayde: This is the power of God which is greate. But they regarded him, because that of longe tyme he had bewitched them with his sorcery. Howbeit whan they beleued Philips [B] preachinge of yᵉ kyngdome of God, and of the name of Iesu Christ, they were baptysed both mē & wemē. Then Symon himself beleued also, and was baptysed, and cleued vnto Philippe. And whā he sawe the dedes and tokens that were done, he wondred.

Whan the Apostles which were at Ierusalem, herde, that Samaria had receaued yᵉ worde of God, they sent vnto thē Peter and Ihon. Which, whā they were come, prayed for thē, yᵗ they might receaue the holy goost. For as yet he was come vpon none of them but they were baptysed onely in the name of Christ Iesu. ⁽²⁾ Then layed they their hādes on them, and they receaued the holy goost.

But whan Simon sawe, that by the layenge on of the Apostles hādes yᵗ holy goost was geuen, he offred thē money, and sayde: Geue me also this power, that, on whomsoeuer I put the hōdes, he maye receaue the holy goost. Howbeit Peter sayde vnto him: Perishe thou with thy money, ⁽³⁾ because thou thinkest that yᵉ gifte of God maye be optayned with money. Thou shalt haue nether parte ner felashipe in this worde, for yᵉ hert is not righte before God. Repente therfore of this yᵉ wickednesse, and praye vnto God, yf happly the thought of thy hert maye be forgeuē yᵉ. For I se, yᵗ thou art full of bytter gall, and wrapped in wᵗ vnrighteousnesse.

[C] Then answered Simon, & sayde:⁽⁴⁾ Praye ye vnto the LORDE for me, yᵗ none of these thinges wherof ye haue spoken, come vpon me. And they, whā they had testified and spokē the worde of the LORDE, turned agayne to Ierusalem, and preached the Gospell in many townes of the Samaritanes.

But the angell of the LORDE spake vnto Philippe, and sayde: Aryse, & go towarde the South, vnto the waye that goeth downe from Ierusalem vnto Gaza, which is deserte. And he rose, and wente on. And beholde, a mā of the Morians lōde (a chamberlayne and of auctorite with Candace yᵉ quene of the londe of the Morians) which had the rule of all hir treasuries, yᵉ same came to Ierusalē to worshipe. And returned home agayne, and satt vpon his charet, and red the prophet Esay.

The sprete sayde vnto Philippe: Go neare, and ioyne thy selfe to yonder charet. Thē ranne Philippe vnto him, and herde him rede the prophet Esay, and sayde: Vnderstōdest thou what thou readest? He sayde: How can I, excepte some mā enfourme me?

[D] And he desyred Philippe, that he wolde come vp, and syt with him. The tenoure of the scripture which he red, was this: ⁽⁵⁾ He was led as a shepe to be slayne, and as a lambe voycelesse before his sherer, so opened he not his mouth. In his humblenesse is his iudgment exalted. Who shal declare his generacion? for his life is taken awaye from the earth. Then answered the chamberlayne vnto Philippe, and sayde: I praye the, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himselfe, or of some other man?

Philippe opened his mouth, and beganne at this scripture, and preached him the Gospell of Iesus. And as they wēte on their waye, they came to a water. And the chamberlayne sayde: Beholde, here is water, what hyndereth me to be baptysed? Philippe sayde: Yf thou beleue from thy whole herte, thou mayest. He answered, and sayde: I beleue, that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God. And he commaunded to holde styll the charet, and they wente downe in to the water, both Philippe and the chamberlayne. And he baptysed him. But whan they were come vp out of the water, the sprete of the LORDE toke Philippe awaye. And the Chamberlayne sawe him nomore. But he wente on his waye reioysinge. As for Philippe, he was founde at Aszdod, and walked aboute, and preached the Gospell vnto all the cities, tyll he came to Cesarea.

Notes to Chapter 8

⁽¹⁾ Act. 9. ⟨illegible⟩ 22. a. 26 1. Cor. ⟨illegible⟩ Gal. 1. b

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ct. 13. a ⟨illegible⟩nd 19. a Tim. 4. b ⟨illegible⟩nd 5. c Tim. 1. b

⁽³⁾ Mat. 10. a

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 21. b

⁽⁵⁾ Esa. 53. b

Chapter 9

SAul was yet breathinge out threatnynges [A] and slaughter agaynst the disciples of the LORDE. ⁽¹⁾ And wente vnto yᵉ hye preste, and desyred of him letters to Damascon vnto the synagoges, that yf he foūde eny of this waye (whether they were men or wemen) he mighte brynge thē bounde vnto Ierusalem. And as he was goinge on his iourney, it fortuned, that he came nye vnto Damascō, and sodenly there shyned rounde aboute hī a light frō heauē, and he fell to the earth, and herde a voyce, which sayde vnto him: Saul Saul ⁽²⁾ why persecutest thou me? He sayde: LORDE, who art thou? The LORDE sayde: I am Iesus, whō thou persecutest. It shalbe harde for yᵉ to kycke agaynst the prycke. And he both tremblinge and astonnyed, sayde: LORDE ⁽³⁾ what wilt thou that I shal do? The LORDE sayde vnto him: Aryse, and go into the cite, there shal it be tolde the what thou shalt do.

As for yᵉ mē that iourneyed wᵗ him, they stode and were amased: for they herde a voyce, but sawe noman. Saul rose from the earth, and whan he had opened his eyes, he sawe noman. Neuertheles they toke him by the honde, & broughte him to Damascō: and he was thre dayes without sighte, and nether ate ner dranke. At Damascon there [B] was a disciple named Ananias, and vnto him sayde the LORDE in a vision: Ananias And he sayde: beholde, here am I LORDE. The LORDE sayde vnto him: Aryse, and go into the strete which is called straight, and are in the house of Iuda after one called Saul of ⁽⁴⁾ Tharsis: for beholde, he prayeth, & hath sene in a vision a mā named Ananias cōmynge vnto him, & layenge the hāde vpō him, that he mighte receaue his sighte.

Ananias answered: LORDE, I haue herde by many of this man, how moch euell he hath done to thy sayntes at Ierusalē. And here hath he auctorite of the hye prestes, to bynde all those yᵗ call vpon thy name. The LORDE sayde vnto him: Go thy waye,⁽⁵⁾ for this man is a chosen vessell vnto me, that he maye beare my name before the Heythen, and before kynges, and before the children of Israel. I wil shewe him, how greate thinges he must suffre for my names sake.

[C] And Ananias wente his waye, and came into the house,⁽⁶⁾ and layed the handes vpon him, and sayde: Brother Saul, the LORDE which appeared vnto yᵉ in the waye as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receaue thy sight, and be fylled with the holy goost. And immediatly there fell from his eyes as it had bene scales, and he receaued his sighte, and rose, and was baptysed, and toke meate, and was conforted.

Then was Saul a certayne dayes with the disciples that were at Damascon. And straight waye he preached Christ in the synagoges, how that he was yᵉ sonne of God. But all they that herde him, were amased, and sayde: Is not this he, which at Ierusalem spoyled all those that called on his name? and came hither to the intent that he shulde brynge them bounde vnto the hye prestes? But Saul increased in strength, & cōfounded yᵉ Iewes which dwelt at Damascon, and affirmed yᵗ this was very Christ.

[D] And after many dayes the Iewes helde a councell together to kyll him. But it was tolde Saul, that they layed wayte for him. And they wayted at yᵉ gates daye & night,⁽⁷⁾ that they might kyll him. ⁽⁸⁾ Then the disciples toke him by nighte, & put him thorow the wall, and let him downe in a baslrett.

⁽⁹⁾But whan Saul came to Ierusalem, he assayed to ioyne himself to yᵉ disciples. And they were all afrayed of him, and beleued not, yᵗ he was a disciple. Neuertheles Barnabas toke him, and broughte him to the Apostles, and tolde them how he had sene the LORDE in the waye, and how he spake to him, & how he had done boldly at Damascon in the name of Iesu. And he was with them, and wente out and in at Ierusalē, and quyte himselfe boldly in yᵉ name of yᵉ LORDE Iesu. He spake also, and disputed with yᵉ Grekes. But they wēte aboute to slaye him. Whan the brethren knewe yᵗ,⁽¹⁰⁾ they brought him to Cesarea, and sent him forth to Tharsis. So the congregacions had rest thorow out all Iewry, and Galile, and Samaria, & were edified, and walked in the feare of the LORDE, and were fylled with the comforte of the holy goost.

It chaunced that as Peter walked thorow [E] all quarters, he came also vnto yᵉ sayntes which dwelt at Lydda. There founde he a man named Eneas, which had lyen vpon his bedd eight yeares sicke of yᵉ palsye. And Peter sayde vnto him: Eneas, Iesus Christ make the whole, aryse, and make thy bedd for yᵉ self. And he arose immediatly. And all they that dwelt at Lydda and at Sarona, sawe him, and turned vnto the LORDE.

At Ioppa there was a certayne woman that was a disciple, named Tabitha, which by interpretacion is called Dorcas: yᵉ same was full of good workes and almesse dedes, which she dyd. But it chaunced at the same tyme, that she was sicke, and dyed. Then waszhed they her, and layed her in a chāber. But for so moch as Lydda was nye vnto Ioppa, and the disciples herde that Peter was there, they sent two men vnto him, and desyred him, yᵗ he wolde take it for no grefe to come vnto them.

Peter rose, and came with thē. And whā [F] he was come, they broughte him in to the chamber, and all the wyddowes stode rounde aboute him, wepynge, and shewed him the cotes and garmētes, which Dorcas made whyle she was with them. And whā Peter had put them all forth, he kneled downe, made his prayer, and turned him vnto the body, and sayde: Tabitha, ryse vp. And she opened hir eyes: and whan she sawe Peter ⁽¹¹⁾ she sat hir downe agayne. But he gaue her the hande, and lifte her vp, and called the sayntes and the wedowes, and shewed her there alyue. And it was knowne thorow out all Ioppa, & many beleued on yᵉ LORDE. And it fortuned, yᵗ he taried a lōge season at Ioppa by one Simō, which was a tanner.

Notes to Chapter 9

⁽¹⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩ 1. Cor⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 22. b

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 11. d

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 2. c. ⟨illegible⟩. 19. c

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 2. b

⁽¹⁰⁾ Act. 22. b

⁽¹¹⁾ Some reade: *She ⟨illegible⟩ vp

Chapter 10

THere was a man at Cesarea, named [A] Cornelius (a captayne of yᵉ cōpany, which is called yᵉ I⟨illegible⟩alianysh) a denoute man, & one that feared God wᵗ all his house, & gaue moch almesse to yᵉ people, and prayed God allwaye. The same sawe in a vision openly (aboute the nyenth houre of the daye) an angell of God entringe in to him, and sayenge vnto him: Cornelius. He loked vpon him, and was afrayed, and sayde: LORDE, what is it? He sayde vnto him: ⁽¹⁾Thy prayers & thine allmesses are come vp in to remēbraunce before God. And now sende men vnto Ioppa, & call for Simō, whose syrname is Peter, which is at lodginge with one Symon a tanner, whose house lyeth by yᵉ see syde: he shal tell yᵉ, what thou oughtest to do. And whā the angell which spake to Cornelius, was departed, he called two of his housholde seruauntes, & a deuoute soudyer, of thē that wayted vpon him: and tolde them all, and sent thē to Ioppa.

On the nexte daye after whan these were goinge on their iourney, and came nye vnto the cite, Peter ⁽²⁾ wente vp in to a chamber to praye aboute the sixte houre. And whan he was hōgrie, he wolde haue eatē. But whyle they made ready for him, he fell into a traunce, [B] and sawe heauē open, and a vessell cōmynge downe vnto him, as it had bene a greate lynnē clothe, knytt at the foure corners, and was let downe to yᵉ earth, wherin were all maner of foure foted beestes of the earth, & wylde beestes, and wormes, and foules of the ayre. And there came a voyce vnto him: Ryse Peter, slaye, & eate. But Peter sayde: Oh no, LORDE, ⁽³⁾ for I neuer ate eny commen or vncleane thinge. And the voyce spake vnto him agayne yᵉ secōde tyme: ⁽⁴⁾ What God hath clensed, yᵗ make not thou vncleane. This was done thryse. And yᵉ vessell was receaued vp agayne into heauen.

But whyle Peter was combred in himselfe, what maner of vision this shulde be which he had sene, beholde, the men yᵗ were sent from Cornelius, enquered after Simōs house, and stode before the dore, and called, and axed whether Simon (whose syrname was Peter) were lodged there. Whyle Peter was musinge of the vision, the sprete sayde vnto him: beholde, the men seke the. Aryse therfore, and get the downe, & go with thē, and doute not, for I haue sent them.

[C] Then wente Peter downe to the men, yᵗ were sent vnto him from Cornelius, and sayde: lo, I am he whom ye seke: what is yᵗ cause, wherfore ye are come? They sayde: Cornelius the captayne, a iust man and one that feareth God, and of good reporte amōge all the people of the Iewes, was warned by an holy angell, to sende for the in to his house, and to heare wordes of the. ⁽⁵⁾ Then called he them in, and lodged them.

The nexte daye after wente Peter forth with them, and certayne brethren of Ioppa bare him company. And yᵉ daye folowinge came they to Cesarea. Cornelius wayted for thē, and had called together his kynszfolkes and speciall frendes. And as it chaunced yᵗ Peter came in, Cornelius mett him, and fell downe at his fete, & worshipped him. But Peter toke him vp, and sayde: ⁽⁶⁾ Stonde vp, I am a man also. And as he talked wᵗ him, he wente in, and founde many that were come together, and he sayde vnto them: Ye knowe,⁽⁷⁾ that it is not laufull for a man beynge a Iewe to ioyne him selfe or to come to a straunger. But God hath shewed me, yᵗ I shulde call no mā cōmen or vncleane. Therfore haue I not douted to come, as soone as I was sent for. I axe you therfore, for what intent haue ye sent for me?

Cornelius sayde: It is now foure dayes [D] agoo, then fasted I, and at the nyenth houre I prayed in my house, and beholde, there stode a mā before me in a bryghte clothinge, and sayde: Cornelius, yⁱ prayer is herde, and thine allmesse dedes are had in remēbraunce in the sighte of God. Sende therfore to Ioppa, and call for one Simon (whose syrname is Peter) which is at lodginge in yᵉ house of Simon yᵉ tāner, by the seesyde: yᵉ same whā he commeth, shal speake vnto yᵉ. Then sent I vnto the immediatly, and thou hast done well, that thou art come. Now are we all here presente before God, to heare all thinges that are commaunded the of God.

Peter opened his mouth, & sayde:⁽⁸⁾ Now perceaue I of a trueth, that God hath no respecte of personnes,⁽⁹⁾ but in all people he yᵗ feareth him, and worketh righteousnes, is accepted vnto him. Ye knowe of yᵉ preachinge that God sent vnto the children of Israel, preachinge thorow Iesus Christ (which is LORDE ouer all) which preachinge was published thorow out all Iewry, ⁽¹⁰⁾ and begāne in Galile after yᵉ baptyme that Ihon preached, how God ⁽¹¹⁾ anoynted the same Iesus of Nazareth with the holy goost and wᵗ power, which wente aboute, & dyd good, and healed all those that were oppressed of the deuell, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all that he dyd in the londe of the Iewes, & at Ierusalem. Whom they slewe, and hanged on tre.

Him God raysed vp on the thirde daye,[E] and caused him be openly shewed, not to all the people, but to yᵉ chosen witnesses of God euen vnto vs, which ate & dronke with him,⁽¹²⁾ after he was rysen vp from the deed. And he commaunded vs to preach vnto the people,⁽¹³⁾ and to testifye, that it is he which is ordeyned of God a iudge of the lyuynge and of the deed.⁽¹⁴⁾ Of him beare all the prophetes wytnesse, that thorow his name all they yᵗ beleue in him, shal receaue remyssion of synnes. Whyle Peter was yet speakynge these wordes, the holy goost fell vpō all thē that herkened vnto the worde. And the faithfull of the circūcision which came with Peter, were astonnyed, because that the gifte of yᵉ holy goost was shed out also vpon the Heythen. For they herde that they spake with tunges, and magnified God. Thē answered Peter:⁽¹⁵⁾ Maye eny man forbydde water, that these shulde not be baptysed, which haue receaued the holy goost as well as we? And he commaunded them to be baptysed in the name of the LORDE. Thē prayed they him, that he wolde tary there certayne dayes.

Notes to Chapter 10

⁽¹⁾ Eccli. 35. b

⁽²⁾ 4. Re. 4. d Mat 6. a Luc. 6. b

⁽³⁾ Leuit. 11. a Deut. 14. a

⁽⁴⁾ Mat 15. b Ro 14. b ⟨illegible⟩ Tim 4. a Tit. 1. c

⁽⁵⁾ Gen. 19. a and. 24. d ⟨illegible⟩. Pet. 4. b

⁽⁶⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩. Apo. ⟨illegible⟩ and ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ Deu. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible paragraph⟩

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 4⟨illegible⟩. d ⟨illegible⟩ 53. c ⟨illegible⟩ 30. d ⟨illegible⟩ 4. d

⁽¹⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 3. d

Chapter 11

[A] THe Apostles and the brethren that were in Iewrye, herde saye, that the Heythen also had receaued the worde of God. And whan Peter was come vp to Ierusalem, they that were of the circūcision, chode with him, and sayde: ⁽¹⁾ Thou wentest into men that are vncircumcysed, and hast eaten with them. But Peter beganne, and expounded the thinge in order vnto thē and sayde: I was in yᵉ cite of Ioppa prayēge,⁽²⁾ and in a traunce I sawe a vision, a vessell cominynge downe, as it had bene a greate lynnen clothe with foure corners, and let downe from heauen, and came vnto me. In to the which I loked, and considered, and sawe foure foted beestes of the earth, and wylde beestes, and wormes, and foules of the ayre. And I herde a voyce, which sayde vnto me: Ryse Peter, slaye, & eate. But I sayde: Oh no, LORDE, for there neuer entred eny commen or vncleane thinge in to my mouth. Neuertheles the voyce answered me agayne from heauen: What God hath clensed, that call not thou vncleane. This was done thre tymes, and all was taken vp agayne into heauen.

And beholde, immediatly stode there thre men before the dore of the house that I was in, sent from Cesarea vnto me. But the sprete sayde vnto me, that I shulde go with thē and doute nothinge.⁽³⁾ These sixe brethrē also came with me, and we entred in to the mās house.

[B] And he shewed vs, how he had sene an angell stondinge in his house, which sayde vnto him: Sende men to Ioppa, and call for Simon (whose syrname is Peter) he shal tell yᵉ wordes, wherby thou and all thy house shal be saued. But whan I beganne to speake, the holy goost fell vpō them,⁽⁴⁾ like as vpon vs at yᵉ begynnynge. Then thoughte I vpon the worde of the LORDE, how he sayde: ⁽⁵⁾ Ihon baptysed with water, but ye shalbe baptysed with yᵉ holy goost. For as moch then as God hath geuen them like giftes, as vnto vs, which beleue on the LORDE Iesus Christ, who was I, that I shulde be able to withstōde God? Whan they herde this, they helde their peace, and praysed God, and sayde: Then hath God also to the Heithen graunted repentaunce vnto life.

They that were scatred abrode thorow yᵉ trouble yᵗ rose aboute Steuen,⁽⁶⁾ walked on euerysyde vntyll Phenices, and Cipers, and Antioche, and spake the worde vnto noman but onely vnto yᵉ Iewes. Neuertheles some of thē were men of Cipers and Cyren, which came to Antioche, and spake also vnto the Grekes, & preached the Gospell of the LORDE Iesu. And yᵉ hande of the LORDE was with thē. And a greate nombre beleued, and turned vnto the LORDE.

This tydinges of them came to yᵉ eares [C] of the cōgregacion at Ierusalem. And they sent Barnabas, that he shulde go vnto Antioche. Which whan he was come thither, & sawe the grace of God, he was glad, ⁽⁷⁾ and exorted them all, that with purpose of hert they wolde contynue in the LORDE. For he was a good man, full of the holy goost and faith. And there was a greate multitude of people added vnto the LORDE. But Barnabas departed vnto Tharsus, to seke Saul And whā he had foūde hī, he brought hī to Anthioche. It chaūced, that a whole yeare they were there cōuersaunte together in the cōgregaciō, & taughte moch people, so that the disciples at Antioche were first called Christen.

In those dayes came there prophetes frō Ierusalem vnto Antioche. And one of them (whose name was ⁽⁸⁾ Agabus) stode vp, and declared by the sprete a greate derth, that shulde come ouer the whole compasse of the earth: which came to passe vnder the Emperoure Claudius. But the disciples cōcluded (euery one acordinge to his abylite) to sende ⁽⁹⁾ an handreachinge vnto yᵉ brethren that were in Iewry: which thinge they also dyd, and sent it by the handes of Barnabas and Saul.

Notes to Chapter 11

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 7. a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 10. b

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ct. 10. c

⁽⁴⁾ Act. 2. a

⁽⁵⁾ Act. 1. a

⁽⁶⁾ Act 8. a

⁽⁷⁾ Act. 13. d

⁽⁸⁾ Act. 21. b

⁽⁹⁾ 1. Cor. 16. 2. Cor. 8. and 9. a

Chapter 12

[A] AT the same tyme layed kynge Herode handes vpon certayne of the congregacion, to vexe them. As for ⁽¹⁾ Iames the brother of Ihon, him he slewe with the swerde. And whan he sawe that it pleased the Iewes, he proceaded farther to take Peter also. But it was Easter. Now whan he had taken him, he put him in preson, and delyuered him vnto foure quaternions of soudyers, to kepe him: and thought after Easter to bringe him forth to the people. And Peter was kepte in the preson ⁽²⁾ But prayer was made without ceassinge of the congregacion, vnto God for him. And whan Herode wolde haue broughte him out vnto the people, in the same nighte slepte Peter betwene two soudiers, bounde with two cheynes. And the kepers before the dore kepte the preson.

[B] And beholde, the angell of the LORDE was there presente, and a lighte shyned in the habitacion, and he smote Peter on the syde, and waked him vp, and sayde: Aryse vp quyckly. And the cheynes fell of from his hondes. And the angell sayde vnto him: Gyrde the, and put on thy shues. And he dyd so. And he sayde vnto him: Cast thy mantle aboute the, and folowe me. And he wente out, and folowed him, and wyst not, that it was trueth that was done by yᵉ angell, but thoughte he had sene a vision. Neuertheles they wente thorow the first and seconde watch, and came to the yron gate, that ledeth vnto the cite, which opened to thē by his awne acorde. And they wente out, and passed thorow one strete, and immediatly the angell departed from him.

[C] And whan Peter was come to himself, he sayde: Now I knowe of a trueth, that yᵉ LORDE hath sent his angell, and delyuered me out of the honde of Herode, and from all the waytinge for of the people of the Iewes. And as he considered the thinge, he came to the house of Mary the mother of one Ihon, (which after his syrname was called Marke) where many were gathered together, ⁽³⁾ and prayed. As Peter knocked at the entry dore, there came forth a damsell to herken, named Rhoda. And whan she knewe Peters voyce, she opened not the entrye for gladnes, but rāne in, and tolde, that Peter stode before yᵉ entrye. But they sayde vnto her: Thou art mad. Neuertheles she abode by it, that is was so. They sayde: it is his angell. But Peter contynued knockinge. Whan they opened the dore, they sawe him, and were astonnyed. ⁽⁴⁾ But he beckened vnto them with the hande, to holde their peace, & tolde them, how the LORDE had broughte him out of the preson. And he sayde: Shewe this vnto Iames, and to the brethren. And he departed, and wēte in to another place.

Whan it was daye, there was not a litle [D] a doo amōge the soudyers, what was become of Peter. Whan Herode had called for him, and founde him not, he caused the kepers to be examyned, and commaunded thē to be caried awaye, and he wente downe frō Iewry vnto Cesarea, and there abode. But he was displeased with thē of Tyre and Sidō. Neuertheles they came vnto him with one accorde, and made intercession to Blastus the kynges chamberlayne, and desyred peace, because their countre was norished by the kynges londe. But vpon a daye appoynted, Herode put on yᵉ kyngly apparell, sat him downe vpon the iudgment seate, and made an oracion vnto them. As for the people, they cried therto: This is a voyce of God, and not of a man. Immediatly the angell of the LORDE smote him, because he gaue not God the honoure: And he was eaten vp of wormes,⁽⁵⁾ and gaue vp the goost. But the worde of God grewe, and multiplyed. As for Barnabas and Saul, they came agayne to Ierusalem, and delyuered ⁽⁶⁾ the handreachinge, and toke with them Ihon, whose syrname was Marke.

Notes to Chapter 12

⁽¹⁾ Mat. 4. c

⁽²⁾ Act. 4. c

⁽³⁾ Act. 1. b

⁽⁴⁾ Act. 13. b

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ Act ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 13

THere were at Antioche in the congregacion,[A] prophetes and teachers, as Barnabas, and Simon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyren, and Manahen Herodes the Tetrachas norsfelowe, and Saul. As they serued yᵉ LORDE, and fasted, the holy goost sayde: Separate me out Barnabas and Saul for the worke, ⁽¹⁾ where vnto I haue called them. Then fasted they and prayed, and layed the handes on them, and let them go. And they beynge sent of the holy goost, came vnto Seleucia, from thence they sayled vnto Cypers. And whan they were come in to the cite Salamin, they shewed the worde of God in the synagoges of yᵉ Iewes. And they had ⁽²⁾ Ihon to their mynister.

And whan they had gone thorow out the yle vnto the cyte of Paphos, they founde a certayne Sorcerer and false prophete, a Iewe (whose name was Bariesu) which was with Sergius Paulus the ruler of the countre, a mā of vnderstondinge. The same called Barnabas and Saul vnto him, and desyred to heare yᵉ worde of God. Then the ⁽³⁾ Sorcerer Elimas (for so was his name by interpretacion) withstode thē, and soughte to turne awaye the ruler frō the faith. But Saul which is also called Paul, beynge full of the holy goost, loked vpon him, and sayde: O thou childe of the deuell, full of all suttyltie and all disceatfulnesse, and enemye of all righteousnes, thou ceassest not to peruerte the straight wayes of yᵉ LORDE. And now beholde, the hāde of the LORDE commeth vpon the, and thou shalt be blynde, and not se the Sonne for a season, And immediatly there fell on him a myst and darknesse, and he wente aboute, and soughte them that shulde lede him by the hande. Whan the ruler sawe what was done, he beleued, and wōdred at the doctryne of the LORDE.

[B] Whan Paul and they that were with him, were departed by shippe frō Paphos, they came to Perga in the londe of Pamphilia. ⁽⁴⁾ But Ihon departed from them, and wente agayne to Ierusalem. Neuertheles they wandred thorow from Perga, and came to Antioche in the londe of Pisidia, and wēte in to the synagoge vpon the Sabbath daye, and sat downe. But after the lecture of the lawe and of the prophetes, the rulers of the synagoge sent vnto them, sayenge: Good brethren, yf ye haue eny sermon to exorte the people, saye on. Then stode Paul vp, and ⁽⁵⁾ beckened with the hande (that they shulde holde their peace) and sayde:

Yemen of Israel, and ye that feare God, herkē to: The God of this people chose oure fathers, and exalted the people, whan they were straungers in the lōde of Egipte, and with a mightie arme broughte he them out of it.⁽⁶⁾ And by the space of fortye yeares suffred he their maners in the wyldernesse, and destroyed seuen nacions in the lande of Canaan,⁽⁷⁾ and parted their londe amonge them by lott.⁽⁸⁾ After that gaue he them iudges by the space of foure hundreth and fiftye yeares, vnto the prophet Samuel. And after that they desyred a kynge,⁽⁹⁾ and God gaue vnto them Saul the sonne of Cis,⁽¹⁰⁾ a man of the trybe of Ben Iamin, fortye yeares longe.⁽¹¹⁾ And whan he had put him downe, he set vp Dauid to be their kynge, of whom he reported, sayenge: ⁽¹²⁾ I haue founde Dauid the sonne of Iesse, a man after my hert, he shal fulfyll all my wyll.

[C] Of this mans sede hath God (⁽¹³⁾ acordinge to the promesse) broughte forth vnto the people of Israel, yᵉ Sauioure Iesus: whan Ihon had first preached before his cōmynge the baptyme of repentaunce vnto Israel. But whan Ihon had fulfylled his course, he sayde: I am not he, that ye take me for. But beholde, there commeth one after me, whose shues of his fete I am not worthy to lowse. Ye men and brethren, ye children of the generacion of Abraham, and they that feare God amonge you, ⁽¹⁴⁾ vnto you is yᵉ worde of this saluacion sent. For the inhabiters of Ierusalem, and their rulers, for somoch as they knewe him not, ner yet the voyces of the prophetes (which are red euery Sabbath) haue fulfylled them in condemnynge him.⁽¹⁵⁾ ⁽¹⁶⁾ And though they founde no cause of death in him, yet desyred they Pilate to kyll him. And whan they had fulfylled all that was wrytten of him, they toke him downe from the tre, and layed him in a sepulcre.⁽¹⁷⁾ But on yᵉ thirde daye God raysed him vp from the deed, and he appeared many dayes vnto thē, that wente vp with him from Galile vnto Ierusalem, which ⁽¹⁸⁾ are his witnesses vnto the people.

And we also declare vnto you yᵉ promes,[D] which was made vnto oure fathers, how that God hath fulfylled the same vnto vs their children, in yᵗ he raysed vp Iesus agayne. As it is wrytten in the seconde Psalme: Thou art my sonne, this daye haue I begotten the. But that he hath raysed him vp frō the deed, now nomore to returne to corrupcion, he sayde on this wyse: The grace promysed to Dauid,⁽¹⁹⁾ wyl I faithfully kepe vnto you. Therfore sayeth he also in another place: Thou shalt not suffre thy Holy tose corrupcion. For Dauid,⁽²⁰⁾ whan he in his tyme had serued the wyll of God, ⁽²¹⁾ he fell a slepe, and was layed by his fathers, & sawe corrupcion. But he whō God raysed vp agayne, sawe no corrupcion.

Be it knowne vnto you therfore ye men and brethrē, yᵗ thorow this man is preached vnto you yᵉ forgeuenesse of synnes,⁽²²⁾ and frō all yᵉ thinges, wherby ye mighte not be iustifyed in the lawe of Moses. But whosoeuer beleueth on this man, is iustifyed. Bewarre therfore, that it come not vpon you, which is spoken in the prophetes: Beholde ye despysers, and wonder at it, and perishe,⁽²³⁾ for I do a worke in youre tyme, which ye shal not beleue, yf eny man tell it you.

Whan the Iewes were gone out of the synagoge, the Heythen besoughte them, yᵗ they wolde speake yᵉ worde vnto them betwene the Sabbath dayes. And whā the cōgregacion of the synagoge was broken vp, many Iewes and Proselites yᵗ serued God, folowed Paul and Barnabas, which spake to them, and ⁽²⁴⁾ exorted them, that they shulde contynue in the grace of God.

[E] On yᵉ Sabbath folowinge, came almost the whole cite together, to heare the worde of God. But whan the Iewes sawe the people, they were full of indignacion, and spake agaynst that which was spoken of Paul, speakinge agaynst it, & blasphemynge. But Paul and Barnabas waxed bolde, and sayde:⁽²⁵⁾ It behoued first the worde of God to be spoken vnto you: but now that ye thrust it frō you, and counte youre selues vnworthy of euerlastinge life, lo, ⁽²⁶⁾ we turne to the Gentyles. For so hath the LORDE cōmaunded vs:⁽²⁷⁾ I haue set the to be a lighte vnto yᵉ Gentyles, yᵗ thou be yᵉ Saluacion vnto the ende of the earth. Whan the Gentyles herde that, they were glad, and praysed the worde of the LORDE, and beleued, euē as many as were ordeyned to euerlastinge life. And the worde of yᵉ LORDE was spred abrode thorow out all the region. Howbeit the Iewes moued the deuoute and honorable wemen,⁽²⁸⁾ and the chefemen of the citie, and raysed vp a persecucion agaynst Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coastes. But they ⁽²⁹⁾ shoke of the dust of their fete agaynst them, and came to Iconium. And the disciples were fylled with ioye and with the holy goost.

Notes to Chapter 13

⁽¹⁾ Act ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 13. b

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 1. a

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 131. a ⟨illegible⟩ 7. c

⁽¹⁴⁾ Mat. 10. a

⁽¹⁵⁾ 1. Cor 2▪ a

⁽¹⁶⁾ Luc. 23. a

⁽¹⁷⁾ Luc. 23. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁸⁾ Act. 1. a

⁽¹⁹⁾ Esa. 55. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁰⁾ Psal. 15. b

⁽²¹⁾ 3. Reg. 2. b

⁽²²⁾ Luc. 24. d

⁽²³⁾ Abac. 1. a

⁽²⁴⁾ Act. 11. c

⁽²⁵⁾ Mat. 10. a ⟨illegible⟩nd. 15. c

⁽²⁶⁾ Mat. ⟨illegible⟩1. c

⁽²⁷⁾ Esa. 49. b Mat. 5. b Luc. 3. c

⁽²⁸⁾ 1. Tim. ⟨illegible⟩. b

⁽²⁹⁾ Mat. 10 b Mar. 6. b Luc. 9. a

Chapter 14

[A] IT fortuned at Iconium, that they wēte both together in to the synagoge of the Iewes, and spake so, that a greate multitude of the Iewes & of the Grekes beleued. But the vnbeleuynge Iewes moued and disquyeted the soules of the Heythē agaynst the brethrē. So they had their beynge there a lōge season, and quyte themselues boldly in the LORDE, which gaue testimony vnto the worde of his grace, and caused tokens and wonders to be done by their handes.⁽¹⁾ Howbeyt the multitude of the cite was deuyded, some helde wᵗ the Iewes, and some with the Apostles.

But whan there rose vp an insurreccion of the Heythē and of yᵉ Iewes, and of their rulers, to put them to shame, and to stone thē, they perceaued it, and ⁽²⁾ fled vnto lystra and Derba cities of yᵉ countre of Licaoni⟨illegible⟩ and vnto yᵉ region that lyeth rounde aboute, and there they preached the Gospell.

[B] And amonge them of Lystra, there was a man, which sat beynge impotent of his fete, and was crepell frō his mothers wombe, and had neuer walked, the same herde Paul speake. And whan he behelde him, and perceaued that he had faith to be made whole, he sayde wᵗ a loude voyce: Stonde vprighte on thy fete. And he sprange vp and walked. But whan the people sawe what Paul had done, they lifte vp their voyce, and sayde in yᵉ speache of Lycaonia: The goddes are become like vnto men, and are come downe vnto vs. And they called Barnabas Iupiter, and Paul Mercurius, because he was the preacher. But Iupiters prest which dwelt before their cite, broughte oxen and garlandes before the gate, and wolde haue done sacrifice with the people.

Whan yᵉ Apostles Barnabas and Paul [C] herde that, they rent their clothes, and ranne in amonge the people, cryenge and sayenge: Ye mē, Why do ye this?⁽³⁾ We are mortall mē also like vnto you, & preach vnto you yᵉ Gospell, that ye shulde turne from these vayne thinges vnto yᵉ lyuynge God, which made heauē and earth, and the see,⁽⁴⁾ and all that therin is, which in tymes past suffred all yᵉ Heythen to walke after their awne wayes. Neuertheles he hath not left hī selfe without wytnesse, in yᵗ he hath shewed his benefites, and geuen vs rayne from heauen, and frutefull seasons, fyllynge oure hertes with fode and gladnesse. And whan they sayde this, they scarse refrayned the people, that they dyd not sacrifice vnto them.

But there came thither certayne Iewes from Antioche and Iconiū, and persuaded the people, and ⁽⁵⁾ stoned Paul, and drue him out of the cite, supposinge he had bene deed. Howbeyt as yᵉ disciples stode rounde aboute him, he rose vp, & came in to the cite. And on the nexte daye he departed with Barnabas vnto Derba, and preached the Gospell [D] vnto the same cite, and taughte many of them. And they wēte agayne vnto Lystra, and Iconium and Antioche, strengthinge the soules of yᵉ disciples, and exortinge thē to cōtynue in the faith: and that we thorow moch tribulacion must entre in to the kyngdome of God.⁽⁶⁾ And whā they had ordeyned them Elders by eleccion thorow all the congregacions, they prayed and fasted, and cōmended them vnto the LORDE, on whom they beleued.

And they wente thorow Pisidia, and came to Pamphilia, and spake the worde at Perga, and wēte downe to Attalia, and frō thence departed they by shippe vnto Antioche: from whence they were delyuered to the grace of God vnto yᵉ worke, which they had fulfylled. Whan they came there, they gathered the congregacion together, & shewed them, how greate thinges God had done with thē, and how he had opened the dore of faithe vnto the Heithen. And there they abode a longe tyme with the disciples.

Notes to Chapter 14

⁽¹⁾ Marc. 16. c

⁽²⁾ Mat. 10. c

⁽³⁾ Act ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 15

[A] ANd there came certayne frō Iewry, and taughte the brethren: ⁽¹⁾ Excepte ye be circumcysed after the maner of Moses, ye can not be saued. Now whā there rose a discēsion, and Paul and Barnabas had set them selues harde agaynst them, ⁽²⁾ they ordeyned, that Paul and Barnabas and certayne other of them shulde go vp to Ierusalem vnto the Apostles and Elders, aboute this questiō. And they were broughte on their waye by yᵉ cōgregacion, & wente thorow Phenices and Samaria, and declared the ⁽³⁾ conuersacion of the Heythen, and brought greate ioye vnto all the brethren. Whan they came to Ierusalē, they were receaued of yᵉ cōgregacion, & of the Apostles, and of the Elders, & they tolde how greate thinges God had done with thē. Then rose there vp certayne of the secte of yᵉ Pharises (which beleued) and sayde: They must be circumcysed and cōmaunded, to kepe the lawe of Moses. But the Apostles and Elders came together, to reason vpon this matter.

[B] Now whan there was moch disputinge Peter rose vp, and sayde vnto thē: Ye men and brethren, ye knowe that a good whyle agoo, God chose amonge vs, yᵗ the Heythē by my mouth shulde heare the worde of the Gospell, and beleue. And God the knower of hertes bare wytnesse ouer thē, ⁽⁴⁾ and gaue thē the holy goost, like as vnto vs, & put no dyfference betwixte vs & them, and purified their hertes thorow fayth. Now therfore why tempte ye God, with layenge vpon yᵉ disciples neckes the yocke, ⁽⁵⁾ which nether o fathers ner we were able to beare? But we beleue to be saued thorow the grace of the LORDE Iesu Christ,⁽⁶⁾ like as they also. Then all yᵉ multitude helde their peace, and gaue audience vnto Paul and Barnabas, which tolde how greate tokens and wonders God had done by thē amōge the Heythen. Afterwarde whan they helde their peace, Iames answered, and sayde: Ye men and brethren, herkē vnto me, Simō hath tolde, how God at the first vysited to receaue a people vnto [C] his name from amonge the Heythen. And vnto this agree yᵉ wordes of the prophetes, as it is wryttē:⁽⁷⁾ After this wyl I returne and wyl buylde agayne yᵉ tabernacle of Dauid, that is fallen downe, and that which is fallen in decaye therof, wyl I buylde agayne, and wyl set it vp, that the residue of men maye seke after the LORDE: & also the Heythen / vpō whom my name is named, sayeth the LORDE, which doth all these thinges. Knowne vnto God are all his workes from the begynnynge of yᵉ worlde. Wherfore my sentence is, that they which from amonge the Heythen are turned vnto God, be not disquyeted, but to wryte vnto them, that they absteyne them selues from fylthynesse of ⁽⁸⁾ Idols, from ⁽⁹⁾ whordome, and from ⁽¹⁰⁾ strangled, and bloude. For Moses hath of olde tyme in euery cite them that preach him: and he is red in the synagoges euery Sabbath daye.

And the Apostles and Elders with the whole congregacion thoughte it good, to chose out men of them, and to sende them vnto Antioche with Paul and Barnabas, namely ⁽¹¹⁾ Iudas, whose syrname was Barsabas, and Sylas (which were chefe men amōge the brethrē) and gaue thē letters in their handes after this maner:

We the Apostles and Elders & brethren, wysh health vnto the brethrē of the Heythē [D] which are at Antioche, and Syria and Celicia. For so moch as we haue herde that certayne of oures are departed, and haue troubled you, and combred youre myndes,⁽¹²⁾ sayenge: ye must be circumcysed, and kepe yᵉ lawe (to whom we gaue no soch commaundemēt) it semed good vnto vs, beynge gathered together with one accorde, to chose out men, and to sende them vnto you, with oure beloued Barnabas and Paul, men that haue ⁽¹³⁾ ioperded their lyues for yᵉ name of oure LORDE Iesus Christ. Therfore haue we sent Iudas and Sylas, which shal also tell you the same with wordes. For it pleased the holy goost and vs, to laye no charge vpon you, more then these necessary poyntes: That ye absteyne from the ⁽¹⁴⁾ offeringes of Idols, and from bloude, and from strangled, and from whordome. From the which yf ye absteyne youre selues, ye shal do well. Fare ye well.

Whan these were sent forth, they came vnto Antioche, and gathered the multitude together, and delyuered the epistle. Whan they had red it, they were glad of that cōsolacion. As for Iudas & Sylas (which were prophetes also) they exorted yᵉ brethrē with moch preachinge, and strēgthed them. And whan they had taried there for a season, they were let go of the brethren in peace [E] vnto the Apostles. Notwithstondinge Sylas thoughte it good to byde there styll. But Paul and Barnabas cōtynued at Antioche, teachinge and preachinge the worde of the LORDE, with other many.

Neuertheles after certayne dayes Paul sayde vnto Barnabas: let vs go agayne, and vyset oure brethren thorow all the cities (wherin we haue shewed the worde of the LORDE) how they do. But Barnabas gaue councell, that they shulde take with thē Ihon, whose syrname was Marke. Howbeit Paul thoughte it mete, not to take him with them, ⁽¹⁵⁾ which departed from them in Pamphilia, and wente not with them vnto the worke. And so sharpe was the strife betwene them, that they departed asunder yᵉ one frō the other, and Barnabas toke Marke vnto him, and sayled vnto Cypers. But Paul chose Sylas, and departed, beynge cōmytted of the brethren vnto the grace of God. He wente thorow Syria and Celicia, stablishynge the congregacions.

Notes to Chapter 15

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ Exo. 20. a Ephe. 5. a Gen. 9. a

⁽⁹⁾ Exo. 20. a Ephe. 5. a Gen. 9. a

⁽¹⁰⁾ Exo. 20. a Ephe. 5. a Gen. 9. a

⁽¹¹⁾ Ioh. 14. b

⁽¹²⁾ Gal. ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹³⁾ Act. 13. e and. 14. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁴⁾ 1. Cor. 8. a and. 10. c

⁽¹⁵⁾ Act. 1⟨illegible⟩. b

Chapter 16

[A] HE came vnto Derba and to Lystra, and beholde, a certayne disciple was there named Timotheus, the sonne of a Iewish woman, which beleued, but his father was a Greke: yᵉ same had a good reporte amonge the brethrē of Lystra and at Iconium. Paul wolde that the same shulde go forth with him, and toke and ⁽¹⁾ circumcysed him because of the Iewes that were in those quarters. For they knewe all, that his father was a Greke. But as they wente thorow the cities, they delyuered them the sentence to kepe, ⁽²⁾ which was concluded of the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem. Thē were the congregacions stablyshed in the faith, and increased in nombre daylie.

But as they wente thorow Phrygia and the londe of Galacia, they were ⁽³⁾ forbydden of the holy goost, to preache the worde in Asia. Howbeit as they came in to Mysia, they proued to take their iourney in to Bithinia, and the sprete suffred them not.

[B] Neuertheles whan they had passed thorow Mysia, they came downe to Troada, and there appeared a ⁽⁴⁾ vision vnto Paul by night, that there was a man of Macedonia which stode and prayed him, and sayde: Come downe to Macedonia, and helpe vs. Whan he had sene yᵉ vision, we soughte immediatly to go, vnto Macedonia, beynge certified, that yᵉ LORDE had called vs thither, to preach the Gospell vnto them. Thē departed we from Troada, and came the straight course vnto Samothracia, on the nexte daye to Neapolis, and from thence to Philippis, which is the chefe cite of the londe of Macedonia, and a fre cite. In this cite abode we certayne dayes.

On the daye of the Sabbathes wēte we out of the cite besyde the water, where men were wonte to praye, and we sat downe, and spake vnto the wemen that resorted thither. And a deuoute woman (named Lydia) a seller of purple, out of the cite of Thiatira, herkened to, whose hert the LORDE opened that she gaue hede vnto the thinges that Paul spake. Whan she was baptysed and hir housholde, she besoughte vs, and sayde: Yf ye thynke that I beleue on the LORDE, then come in to my house, and a byde there. And she ⁽⁵⁾ constrayned vs.

It fortuned whan we wente to prayer, yᵗ [C] there met vs a damsel, which had a sprete of soythsayenge, and broughte hir master and mastresse greate vauntage with soyth sayenge: yᵉ same folowed Paul and vs, and cryed, and sayde: These men are the seruauntes of the most hye God, which shewe vs yᵉ waye of saluacion. This dyd she many dayes. But Paul was not content with it, and turned him aboute, and sayde vnto the sprete: I cōmaunde the in the name of Iesu Christ, that thou departe out of her.⁽⁶⁾ And he departed out at the same houre.

But whā hir master and mastresse sawe that the hope of their vauntage was gone, ⁽⁷⁾ they toke Paul and Sylas, drue them in to the market place before yᵉ rulers, & broughte thē vnto the officers, and sayde: These men trouble oure cyte, & are Iewes, and preach an ordynaunce, which is not laufull for vs to receaue, ner to obserue, seynge we are Romaynes. And the people rāne on them, and [D] the officers rente their clothes, and cōmaunded them to be beaten with roddes.⁽⁸⁾ And whan they had beaten them sore, they cast thē in preson, and commaunded the iayler, to kepe them diligētly. Which whan he had receaued soch commaundement, he cast thē in to the ynner preson, and put their fete in the stockes.

But at mydnight prayed Paul and Sylas, and praysed God. And the presoners herde them. Sodenly was there a greate earth quake, so that the foundacions of the preson were shaken. And immediatly were all the dores open, & all their bondes lowsed Whā the keper of the preson waked out of slepe, and sawe the preson dores open, he drue out his swerde, and wolde haue kylled him selfe: for he thoughte yᵉ presoners had bene fled. But Paul cryed loude, and sayde: Do thy self no harme, for we are all here.

He called for a lighte, and sprange in, and trembled, and fell at the fete of Paul and Sylas, and broughte them out, and sayde: Syrs, what must I do, to be saued? They sayde:⁽⁹⁾ Beleue on the LORDE Iesus, and so shalt thou and thy housholde be saued. And they preached the worde of the LORDE vnto him, and to all that were in his house.

And he toke them to him in the same houre [E] of the night, and waszhed their strypes. And immediatly was he baptysed, and all his. And he broughte them in to his house, and set them a table, and ⁽¹⁰⁾ reioysed with all his housholde, that he was become a beleuer on God.

And whan it was daye, the officers of the cite sent mynisters, and sayde: Let those men go. And the keper of the preson tolde this sayenge vnto Paul: The officers haue sent hither, that ye shulde be lowse. Now therfore get you hēce, and go in peace. But Paul sayde vnto them: They haue beaten vs openly vncondempned (where as we are yet Romaynes) and haue cast vs in preson, and shulde they now thrust vs out preuely? Not so, but let them come them selues, and brynge vs out. The mynisters tolde these wordes vnto the officers. And they feared, whan they herde that they were Romaynes, and came and besoughte them, and prayed thē to departe out of the cite. Then wente they out of the preson, and entred in to the house of Lydia. And whan they had sene the brethren and comforted them, they departed.

Notes to Chapter 16

⁽¹⁾ Gal. 2. a.

⁽²⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩5. d

⁽³⁾ Rom. 1. b

⁽⁴⁾ Act. 18. a and 23. b

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 17

[A] AS they made their iourney thorow Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagoge of the Iewes. And Paul (as his maner was) wēte in vnto them, and vpon thre Sabbathes he spake vnto them of the scripture, opened it vnto thē, and alleged, ⁽¹⁾ that Christ must nedes haue suffred, & ryse agayne from the deed: and this Iesus, whom I preach vnto you (sayde he) is yᵉ same Christ. And some of thē beleued, and were ioyned vnto Paul and Sylas, a greate multitude also of the deuoute Grekes, and of the chefe wemen not a fewe.

But the styffnecked Iewes had indignacion, and toke vnto them certayne euell men which were vagabundes, and gathered a company, and set the cite in a rore, and preassed vnto the house of Iason, and soughte to brynge them out vnto the comon people. But whan they founde them not, they drue Iason, and certayne brethren vnto the rulers of the cite, and cryed: These that trouble all the worlde, are come hither also,[B] whom Iason hath receaued preuely. And these all do contrary to the decrees of the Emperoure, sayenge,⁽²⁾ that there is another kynge, one Iesus. They troubled the people, and the rulers of the cite, that herde this. And whan they had receaued a sufficient answere of Iason and of the other, they let them go.

But the brethren immediatly sent awaye Paul and Sylas by night vnto Berea. Whan they came there, they wēte in to the synagoge of the Iewes (for they were the Eldest amonge thē at Thessalonica) which receaued the worde maruelous wyllingly, and ⁽³⁾ searched the scriptures daylie, whether it were euen so. Then beleued many of them, and worshipfull wemen off the Grekes, and men not a fewe. ⁽⁴⁾ But whan the Iewes off Thessalonica had knowlege, that the worde off God was preached off Paul at Berea, they came, and moued the people there also. Howbeit the brethren sent Paul awaye then immediatly, to go vnto the see. As for Sylas and Timotheus, they abode there styll.

They that conueyed Paul, brought him [C] vnto Athens. And whan they had receaued a commaundement vnto Sylas and Timotheus, that they shulde come vnto him in all the haist, they wente their waye. But whyle Paul wayted for them at Athens, his sprete was moued in him, whan he sawe the cite geuē so to the worshippinge of ymages. And he spake vnto the Iewes and deuoute personnes in the synagoge, & in yᵉ market daylie vnto thē that came to him. But certayne Philosophers of yᵉ Epicurees and Stoikes disputed with him. And some sayde: What will this babler saye? But some sayde: He semeth to be a tidinges brynger of new ⁽⁵⁾ goddes (That was, because he had preached vnto thē the Gospell of Iesus, & of the resurreccion.) And they toke him, and broughte him before the councell house, and sayde: Maye we not knowe, what new doctryne this is that thou teachest? For thou bryngest straūge tidinges to oure eares? We wolde knowe therfore, what this meaneth. As for all they of Athens, and straungers & gestes, they gaue thē selues to nothinge els, but either to tell, or to heare some newes.

[D] Paul stode on the myddes of the comon place, and sayde: Ye mē of Athens, I se that in all thinges ye are supersticious. I haue gone thorow, & sene youre gods seruyce, and founde an altare, where vpō was wrytten: To the vnknowne God. Now shewe I vnto you yᵉ same, whom ye worshippe ignorauntly. God which made yᵉ worlde, and all that therin is,⁽⁶⁾ for so moch as he is LORDE of heauen and earth, ⁽⁷⁾ dwelleth not in temples made of handes, nether is he worshipped with mens handes, as though he had nede of eny man, seynge he himself geueth life and breth vnto all men euery where:⁽⁸⁾ and hath made of one bloude all the generacion of men to dwell vpō all the face of yᵉ earth: and hath assygned borders appoynted before, how longe and farre they shulde dwell, that they shulde seke the LORDE, yf they mighte fele and fynde him.

And truly he is not farre from euery one [E] of vs. For in him we lyue, moue, and haue oure beynge, as certayne of youre awne Poetes also haue sayde: We are his generacion. For as moch then as we are the generacion of God, we oughte not to thinke that the Godheade is like vnto golde or syluer, or ymagery worke of the crafte or ymaginacion of man.⁽⁹⁾ And truly God hath ouersene the tyme of ignoraunce: ⁽¹⁰⁾ But now he commaundeth all men euery where to repente, because he hath appoynted a daye, in the which he wyl iudge the cōpasse of the worlde, with righteousnesse, by that one man in whō he hath appoynted it: and offred faith vnto all men, after that he had raysed him vp from the deed.

Whan they herde of the resurreccion of the deed, some mocked. But some sayde: We wyl heare the agayne of this matter. So Paul departed from amonge them. Howbeit certayne men claue vnto him, and beleued: amonge whom was Dionisius, one of the councell: and a woman named Damaris, and other with them.

Notes to Chapter 17

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 4. d ⟨illegible⟩. c ⟨illegible⟩. d

⁽²⁾ Ioh. 18. ⟨illegible⟩ and. 19. a

⁽³⁾ Ioh. 5. d

⁽⁴⁾ 1. Tess. 2. c

⁽⁵⁾ Some reade: * deuyls.

⁽⁶⁾ Psal. 145. a Act. 14. c

⁽⁷⁾ Esa. 66. a Act. 7. f

⁽⁸⁾ Gen. 2. b

⁽⁹⁾ Rom. 2. a

⁽¹⁰⁾ Lu. 24. d

Chapter 18

[A] AFter that departed Paul frō Athens, and came to Corinthum, and founde a Iewe named ⁽¹⁾ Aquila, borne in Pōtus, which was lately come out of Italy: and his wife Priscilla (because the Empero Claudius had commaunded all Iewes to departe from Rome) and he drue vnto thē. And because he was of the same crafte, he abode with thē, and wroughte. Their crafte was to make tentes. And he preached in the synagoge euery Sabbath daye, and exhorted the Iewes and the Grekes.

Whan Sylas and Timotheus were come fro Macedonia, Paul was constrayned by the sprete to testifye vnto yᵉ Iewes, that Iesus was very Christ. But whā they sayde cōtrary and blasphemed, ⁽²⁾ he shoke his rayment, and sayde vnto them: Youre bloude be vpon youre awne heade. From hence forth I go blamelesse vnto the Gentyles. And he departed thence, and came in to the house of a man named Iustus, which feared God, and his house was nexte vnto the synagoge. Howbeit Crispus the chefe ruler of the synagoge, beleued on yᵉ LORDE with all his housholde. And many of the Corinthians that gaue audience, beleued, and were baptysed.

The LORDE spake vnto Paul by a vision in yᵉ nighte: Be not afrayed, but speake, and holde not thy peace, for I am with the: and noman shal inuade the that shal hurte the, for I haue moch people in this cite. He contynued there a yeare and sixe monethes, and taught them the worde of God.

But whan Gallio was ruler of the countre [B] of Achaia, the Iewes made insurreccion wᵗ one acorde agaynst Paul, & broughte him before the iudgment seate, and sayde: This felowe counceleth men to worshipe God cōtrary to the lawe. Whan Paul was aboute to open his mouth, Gallio sayde vnto yᵉ Iewes: Yf it were a matter of wronge or an euell dede (O ye Iewes) reason wolde that I shulde heare you: but yf it be a question of wordes, and of names, and of yᵉ lawe amōge you, loke ye to it youre selues, I thinke not to be iudge there ouer. And he droue them from the iudgmēt seate. Then all the Grekes toke Sosthenes the ruler of the Sinagoge, and smote him before the iudgment seate. And Gallio cared for none of tho thinges.

Paul after yᵗ he had taried a good whyle, toke his leue of the brethren, and sayled in to Syria, Priscilla & Aquila bearinge him company. And he shore his heade at Cenchrea (for he had a ⁽³⁾ vowe) & came downe to Ephesus, & lefte them there. But he himselfe wēte in to the synagoge, and reasoned with the Iewes. And they desyred him, that he wolde tary with them a longer season. And he cōsented not, but bad them farwele, and sayde: I must nedes in eny wyse kepe this feast that commeth, at Ierusalem: but ⁽⁴⁾ yf God wyl, I wil returne agayne vnto you.

And he departed from Ephesus, and came to Cesarea, and wente vp, and saluted yᵉ congregacion, and toke his iourney downe to Antioche, and taried there a certayne tyme, and departed, and walked thorow all yᵉ countre of Galatia and Phrigia by ordre, and strengthed all the disciples.

There came vnto Ephesus a certayne Iewe, named ⁽⁵⁾ Apollo (borne at Alexādria) an eloquent man, and mightie in the scriptures: the same was infourmed in the waye of the LORDE, and spake feruently in the sprete, and taughte diligently the thinges of the LORDE, and knewe but the baptyme off Ihon onely. The same beganne to speake boldly in the synagoge. Whan Aquila and Priscilla herde him, they toke him vnto thē, and expounded the waye of God, vnto him more perfectly. But whan he wolde go in to Achaia, the brethren wrote, and exorted the disciples to receaue him. And whan he was come thither, he helped them moch which beleued thorow grace. For he ouercame the Iewes mightely, and shewed openly by yᵉ scripture, that Iesus was Christ.

Notes to Chapter 18

⁽¹⁾ Ro. 16. a 3. Tim. 4. c

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. b ⟨illegible⟩. b

Chapter 19

[A] BVt it fortuned whan Apollo was at Corinthum, that Paul walked thorow the vpper coastes, and came to Ephesus, and founde certayne disciples, vnto whom he sayde: Haue ye receaued yᵉ holy goost, sence ye beleued? They sayde vnto hī: We haue not herde, whether there be an holy goost. He sayde vnto them: Where with then were ye baptysed? They sayde: With the baptyme of Ihon. Paul sayde: Ihon baptysed with the baptyme of repentaunce,⁽¹⁾ and spake vnto yᵉ people, that they shulde beleue on him, which shulde come after him, that is, on Iesus, that the same is Christ. Whan they herde that, they were baptysed in the name of the LORDE Iesu. And whan Paul layed the hādes on thē, the holy goost came vpon them, and they spake with tunges, and prophecied. And all the men were aboute twolue.

He wēte in to yᵉ synagoge, and preached boldly thre monethes longe, teachinge, and geuynge them exortacions of the kyngdome of God. But whan dyuerse waxed herde herted, and beleued not, and spake euell of the waye of the LORDE before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, and disputed daylye in the scole of one called Tyrannus. And this was done two yeares lōge, so that all they which dwelt in Asia, herde the worde of the LORDE Iesu, both Iewes & Grekes. And God wroughte no small miracles by the handes of Paul, so that from his body there were broughte napkyns or partlettes vnto the sicke, and the diseases departed from them, and the euell spretes wente out of them.

But certayne of the vagabounde Iewes [B] which were coniurers, vndertoke to name yᵉ name of the LORDE Iesus, ouer those that had euell spretes, and sayde: We charge you by Iesus whom Paul preacheth. They were seuen sonnes of one Sceua a Iewe the hye prest, which dyd so. The euell sprete answered, and sayde: Iesus I knowe, and Paul I knowe, but who are ye? And the mā in whō the euell sprete was, ranne vpon them, and ouercame them, and cast them vnder him, so that they fled out of the same house naked and wounded. This was knowne vnto all the Iewes and Grekes which dwelt at Ephesus, and there fell a feare vpon them all. And yᵉ name of the LORDE Iesus was magnified. ⁽²⁾ Many of thē also that beleued, came and cōfessed, and shewed their workes. But many of them that had vsed curious craftes, broughte the bokes together, and burnte them openly: and they counted the pryce of them, and founde it of money fiftye thousande pens. So mightely grewe yᵉ worde of the LORDE, and preuayled.

Whan this was done, Paul purposed in [C] sprete to take his iourney thorow Macedonia and Achaia, and to go to Ierusalē, and sayde: After that I haue bene there, I must se Rome also. And he sent into Macedonia two that mynistred vnto him, Timotheus and Erastus. But he himselfe remayned in Asia for a season. At the same tyme there rose no litle a doo aboute that waye. For a certayne man named Demetrius a goldsmyth, which made syluer shrynes for Diana, and broughte them of the crafte no small vauntage. Them he gathered together, and the felowe workmē of the same occupacion, and sayde: Syrs, ye knowe that by this crafte we haue vauntage, and ye se and heare, that not onely at Ephesus, but almost also thorow out all Asia, this Paul turneth awaye moch people with his persuadynge, and sayeth: ⁽³⁾ They be not goddes that are made with hondes. Howbeit it shal not onely brynge oure occupacion to this poynte to be set at naught, but also the temple of greate Diana shal from hence forth be despysed, and hir maiestye also shalbe destroyed, whō neuertheles all Asia and the worlde worshippeth.

Whan they herde this, they were full of [D] wrath, cried out, and sayde: Greate is Diana of the Ephesians. And all yᵉ cite was on a roore, and they ruszhed in with one assent in to the open place, and toke Gaius and Aristarchus of Macedonia, Pauls companyons. Whan Paul wolde haue gone in amonge the people, the disciples suffred him not. Certayne also of yᵉ chefe of Asia which were Pauls good frendes, sent vnto him, and desyred him, that he shulde not preasse in to the open place. Some cried one thinge, some another. And the congregacion was out of quyete, and the more parte knewe not wherfore they were come together. Some of the people drue forth Alexander, whan yᵉ Iewes thrust him forwarde. Alexāder beckened with the hande, and wolde haue geuen the people an answere. But whan they knewe that he was a Iewe, there arose a shoute of all, and cried the space of two houres: Greate is Diana of the Ephesians.

Whan the towne clarke had stylled the [E] people, he sayde: Ye men of Ephesus, what man is it which knoweth not, that the cite of yᵉ Ephesiās is a worshipper of the greate goddesse Diana, and of the heauenly ymage? Seinge now that this can not be sayde agaynst, ye ought to be contente, and to do nothinge without aduysement. Ye haue broughte hither these men, which are nether churchrobbers ner blasphemers off youre goddesse.

But yff Demetrius and they that are craftesmen with him, haue ought to saye vnto eny man, the lawe is open, and there are rulers, let them accuse one another. But yf ye wil go aboute eny other thinge, it maye be determyned in a laufull congregacion. For we stonde in ioperdy to be accused of this dayes vproure: and yet is there no man giltye, of whom we mighte geue a rekenynge of this vproure. And whan he had sayde this, he let the congregacion departe.

Notes to Chapter 19

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 3. b ⟨illegible⟩ a ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ c ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ c

⁽²⁾ Mat. 3. a

⁽³⁾ Psal. 113. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 20

[A] NOw whan the vproure was ceassed, Paul called the disciples vnto him, and toke his leue of them, and departed ⁽¹⁾ to go in to Macedonia. And whan he had gone thorow those partes, and exhorted them with many wordes, he came in to Grekelonde, and there abode thre monethes. But whan the Iewes layed wayte for him, as he was aboute to sayle in to Syria, he purposed to turne agayne thorow Macedonia. There accompanied him in to Asia, Sopater of Berrea: and of Thessalonica, Aristarchus and Secundus: and Gaius of Derba, and Timotheus: but of Asia, Tychicus and ⁽²⁾ Trophimus. These wente before, and taried for vs at Troada: but we sayled after the Easter dayes from Philippos, vnto yᵉ fyfth daye, and came to them vnto Troada, and taried there seuen dayes.

Vpon one of the Sabbathes, whan the [B] disciples came together to breake bred, Paul preached vnto them, wyllinge to departe on the morow, and contynued the preachinge vnto mydnight. And there were many lightes in the chamber, where they were gathered together. There sat a yonge man named Eutychos, in a wyndow, and fell in to a depe slepe (whyle Paul was speakinge) and was ouercome with slepe, and fell downe from the thirde lofte, and was taken vp deed. But Paul wente downe, and fell on him, and enbraced him, and sayde: Make nothinge a doo, for his soule is in hī. Then wente he vp, and brake the bred, and ate, and talked moch with thē, tyll the daye brake, and so departed. As for the yōge man, they broughte him alyue, and were not a litle conforted.

But we wente afore in to the shippe, and sayled towarde Asson, wyllinge there to receaue Paul. For so had he appoynted, and wolde himselfe go on fote. Whan he was come to vs vnto Asson, we toke him in, and came to Mitylenes, and sayled from thence, and came on the nexte daye ouer agaynst Chios, and on the daye folowinge we aryued at Samos, and taried at Tragilion, and on the nexte daye came we to Mileton: for Paul had determed to sayle ouer by Ephesus, that he nede not to spende the tyme in Asia: for he haisted to be at Ierusalem vpō the Whitsondaye, yf it were possible for him.

But from Mileton he sent vnto Ephesus,[C] and called for the Elders of the congregacion. Whan they were come to him, he sayde vnto them: Ye knowe sence the first daye ⁽³⁾ that I came in to Asia, after what maner I haue bene with you at all tyme, and serued yᵉ LORDE with all humblenesse of mynde, and with many teares and tentacions, which happened vnto me by yᵉ layenges of wayte of the Iewes, how yᵗ I haue kepte backe nothinge yᵗ was profitable, but that I haue shewed you, and taughte you openly, and priuately from house to house. And haue testifyed both vnto the Iewes & to the Grekes * the repentaunce towarde God, and faith towarde oure LORDE Iesus.

And now beholde, I go bounde in yᵉ sprete vnto Ierusalē, not knowinge what shal happen there vnto me, but yᵗ the holy goost ⁽⁴⁾ witnesseth in euery cite, and sayeth, that bondes and troubles abyde me there. But ⁽⁵⁾ I regarde none of them, nether counte I my life bearer then my selfe, that I maye fulfyll my course with ioye, and the office yᵗ I haue receaued of the LORDE Iesu, to testifye the Gospell of the grace of God.

[D] And now beholde, I knowe that ye shal se my face nomore, all ye, thorow whom I haue gone, and preached the kyngdome of God. Wherfore I take you to recorde this daye, that I am pure from the bloude of all men: For I haue kepte nothinge backe, but haue shewed you all the councell off God. Take hede therfore vnto youre selues, and to all the flocke, amonge the which the holy goost hath set you to be Bishoppes, to fede the congregacion of God, which he hath purchaced thorow his owne bloude. For this I knowe, ⁽⁶⁾ that after my departinge there shal enter in amonge you greuous wolues, which shal not spare the flocke. Yee euē ⁽⁷⁾ from amonge youre awne selues shal men aryse, speakynge peruerse doctryne, to drawe disciples after them. Therfore awake, and remembre, that by the space of thre yeares I ceassed not to warne euery one off you both nighte and daye with teares.

[E] And now brethren I commende you vnto God, and to yᵉ worde of his grace, which is mightie to edifye you, and to geue you the enheritaunce amōge all them that are sanctified.⁽⁸⁾ I haue not desyred syluer, golde or rayment off eny off you. For ye youre selues knowe, that ⁽⁹⁾ these handes haue mynistred vnto my necessities, and them that were with me. I haue shewed you all thinges, how that so labouringe ye oughte to receaue the weake, and to remembre the worde of the LORDE, how that he sayde: It is more blessed to geue, then to receaue.

And whan he had sayde this, he kneled downe, and prayed with them all. But there was moch wepynge amonge them all, and they fell aboute Pauls necke, and kyssed him, and were sory, most of all because of the worde which he had sayde, that they shulde se his face nomore. And they accōpanied him vnto the shippe.

Notes to Chapter 20

⁽¹⁾ 1. Tim. 1. a

⁽²⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩. Tim. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ Act▪ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ d ⟨illegible⟩ b ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 21

NOw whan it fortuned that we had [A] launched forth and were departed from them, we came with a straight course vnto Coon, and on the daye folowinge vnto the Rhodes, and from thence vnto Patara. And whan we founde a shippe ready to sayle vnto Phenices, we wente aborde and set forth. But whā we came within the sighte of Cypers, we lefte it on the lefte hande, and sayled vnto Syria, and came vnto Tyre: for there the shippe shulde laye forth the ware. And whan we had founde disciples, we taried there seuen dayes. And they tolde Paul thorow the sprete, that he shulde not go vp to Ierusalem. And it fortuned whā we had fulfilled those dayes, we departed, and wente oure wayes, and they all broughte vs on oure waye with wyues and childrē, tyll we were come out of yᵉ cite, and wekneled downe vpō the shore, and prayed. And whan we had taken oure leue one off another, we toke shippe, but they turned agayne vnto theirs. As for vs we ended the course from Tyre, and came to Ptolomaida, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one daye.

On the nexte daye we yᵗ were with Paul,[B] departed, and came vnto Cesarea, & entred in to the house of ⁽¹⁾ Philippe the Euangelist (which was one of the seuē) and abode with him. The same had foure doughters, which were virgins, ⁽²⁾ and prophecied. And as we taried there mo dayes, there came downe from Iewry a prophet, named ⁽³⁾ Agabus. Whā he was come vnto vs, he toke Pauls gerdell, and bounde his hādes and fete, and sayde: Thus sayeth yᵉ holy goost: ⁽⁴⁾ The man whose gerdell this is, shal the Iewes bynde thus at Ierusalem, and shal delyuer him in to the handes of the Heythē. Whan we herhe this, both we and they that were of the same place, besoughte him, that he wolde not go vp to Ierusalem. Then answered Paul and sayde: What do ye, wepynge, and breakynge my hert? For I am redye not onely to be bounde, but also to dye at Ierusalem for yᵉ name of the LORDE Iesu. But whā he wolde not be persuaded, we ceassed, and sayde: ⁽⁵⁾ The will of the LORDE be fulfylled. And after those dayes we were ready, & wente vp to Ierusalem: There came with vs also certayne of the disciples off Cesarea, and broughte with them one of Cypers, named Mnason, an olde disciple, with whom we shulde lodge. Now whā we came to Ierusalem, the brethren receaued vs gladly. But on the nexte daye Paul wente in with vs vnto Iames, and all the Elders came together. And whan he had saluted them, he tolde by order, what God had done amōge the Heythen by his mynistracion.

[C] Whan they herde that, they praysed the LORDE, and sayde vnto him: Brother, thou seyst how many thousande Iewes there are which beleue, and are all Zelous ouer yᵉ lawe. But they are enfourmed agaynst the, that thou teachest all the Iewes which are amōge the Heythē, to forsake Moses, and sayest that they oughte not to circumcyse their children, ner to walke after the same custome. What is it therfore? The multitude must nedes come together, for they shal heare that thou art come. Do this therfore that we saye vnto the: We haue foure men, which haue a ⁽⁶⁾ vowe on them, take them vnto yᵉ, and purifye thyselfe with them, and do the cost on them, that they maye shaue their heades: and they shal knowe, that it is nothinge, wherof they are enfourmed agaynst the, but that thou also walkest and kepest the lawe. For as touchinge them that beleue amonge the Heythen, ⁽⁷⁾ we haue wrytten, and concluded, that they shulde obserue no soch, but onely to kepe them selues from the offeringes of Idols, from bloude, from strāgled,⁽⁸⁾ and from whordome. Then Paul toke the men vnto him, and was purified with them on the nexte daye, and entred in to the temple, declaringe that he fulfylled the dayes of purificacion, tyll there was an offeringe offred for euery one of them.

[D] But whan the seuen dayes were allmost fulfylled, the Iewes of Asia sawe him in the temple, and moued all the people, layed handes vpon him, and cryed: Ye men of Israel, helpe, this is the man, that teacheth all men euery where agaynst oure people, the lawe, and this place. He hath broughte Grekes also in to the temple, and hath defyled this holy place. For they had sene ⁽⁹⁾ Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the cite, him they thoughte yᵗ Paul had broughte in to the temple. And all the cite was moued, and the people ranne together. And they toke Paul, and drue him out off the temple, and forth with the dores were shut to.

But whan they wēte aboute to kyll him, tydinges came to the chefe captayne of the company, that all Ierusalem was moued. Which immediatly toke soudyers and captaynes vnto him, and ranne in amōge them. Whan they sawe the captayne and the soudyers, they lefte smytinge of Paul.

Whan the captayne came nye, he toke him,[E] and commaunded him ⁽¹⁰⁾ to be bounde with two cheynes, and axed what he was, and what he had done. One cried this, another that amonge the people. But whan he coulde not knowe the certente because of the rumoure, he commaunded him to be caried in to the castell. And whā he came to the steppes, it fortuned that he was borne of yᵉ soudyers because of the violence of the people. For the multitude off the people folowed after, and cryed:⁽¹¹⁾ Awaye with him. Whan Paul was now to be caried in to the castell, he sayde vnto yᵉ captayne: Maye I speake vnto the? He sayde: Canst thou Greke? Art not thou the Egipcian, which before these dayes maydest an vproure, & leddest out in to the wyldernesse foure thousande preuy murthurers? Paull sayde: I am a man which am a Iewe off⁽¹²⁾ Tharsis, a citesyn of a famous cite in Celicia: I beseke the, suffre me to speake vnto the people. Whan he had geuen him lycence, Paul stode on the steppes, and beckened with the hande vnto the people. Now whan there was made a greate sylēce, he spake vnto them in Hebrue, and sayde:

Notes to Chapter 21

⁽¹⁾ Act. 6. a and. ⟨illegible⟩. a

⁽²⁾ Ioel. 2. f

⁽³⁾ Act. 11. c

⁽⁴⁾ Act. 10. c

⁽⁵⁾ Mat. ⟨illegible⟩. b

⁽⁶⁾ Num. 6. b Act. 13. b

⁽⁷⁾ Act. 15. d

⁽⁸⁾ Act. 24. b

⁽⁹⁾ Act. 20. a 2. Tim. 4. c

⁽¹⁰⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹¹⁾ Luc. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹²⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩ and ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 22

YE men, brethren, and fathers, heare [A] myne answere which I make vnto you. Whan they herde that he spake vnto them in the Hebrue, they kepte the more sylence. And he sayde: I am a man which am a Iewe, borne at Tharsis in Celicia, and broughte vp in this cite at the fete off ⁽¹⁾ Gamaliel, enfourmed diligently in the lawe of the fathers, and was feruent mynded to God warde, as ye all are also this daye,⁽²⁾ and I persecuted this waye vnto the death. I bounde them and delyuered them vnto preson, both men and wemen, as yᵉ hye prest also doth beare me wytnesse, and all yᵉ Elders: of whom I receaued letters vnto the brethren, and wente towarde Damascon, that I mighte brynge them which were there, bounde to Ierusalem, to be punyshed.

But it fortuned as I made my iourney, and came nye vnto Damascon, aboute noone, sodenly there shone a greate lighte aboute me from heauen, and I fell to the earth, and herde a voyce which sayde vnto me: Saull Saull, why persecutest thou me? I answered: Who art thou LORDE? And he sayde vnto me: I am Iesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest. As for them that were with me, they sawe yᵉ lighte and were afrayed, but they herde not the voyce of him that spake with me. I sayde: LORDE, what shal I do? The LORDE sayde vnto me: Aryse, and go in to Damascon, there shal it be tolde yᵗ of all that is appoynted the to do. But whan I sawe nothinge for the bryghtnesse of the lighte, I was led by the hande of them that were with me, and came to Damascon.

[B] There was one Ananias, a deuoute man after the lawe,⁽³⁾ which had a good reporte of all the Iewes that dwelt there, the same came, and stepte vnto me, and sayde: Brother Saul, loke vp. And I loked vp vpon him the same houre. He sayde: The God of oure fathers hath ordeyned the before, that thou shuldest knowe his wyll, and se the thinge yᵗ is rightfull, and heare the voyce out of his mouth: for thou shalt be his wytnesse vnto all men, of tho thinges which thou hast sene and herde. And now why tariest thou? Aryse, and be baptysed, and wasze awaye thy synnes, and ⁽⁴⁾ call vpon the name of the LORDE.

But it fortuned, that whan I was come agayne to Ierusalē, and prayed in the temple, I was in a traunce, and sawe him. Then sayde he vnto me: Make haist,⁽⁵⁾ and get the soone out of Ierusalem, for they wyl not receaue the witnesse that thou bearest of me. And I sayde: LORDE, they thē selues knowe that I put in preson and bett in euery synagoge them that beleued on the.⁽⁶⁾ And whā the bloude of Steuē thy witnesse was shed, I stode by also, & consented vnto his death, and kepte the clothes of them that slewe him. And he sayde vnto me: Go thy waye, for ⁽⁷⁾ I wil sende the farre amonge the Heythen.

[C] They gaue him audience vnto this worde, and lifte vp their voyce, & sayde: Awaye with soch a felowe from the earth, for it is not reason that he shulde lyue. But as they cried, and cast of their clothes, & thrue dust in to the ayre, the captayne bad brynge him in to the castell, and commaunded him to be beaten with roddes and to be examyned, that he mighte knowe, for what cause they cried so vpon him. And whan he bounde him with thonges, Paul sayde vnto the vndercaptayne that stode by: Is it laufull for you to scourge a man that is a Romayne, and vncondemned? Whan the vndercaptayne herde that, he wēte to the vpper captayne, and tolde him, and sayde? What wilt thou do? This man is a Romayne. Then came yᵉ vpper captayne, and sayde vnto him: Tell me, art thou a Romayne? He sayde: Yee. And the vpper captayne answered: With a greate summe optayned I this fredome. But Paul sayde: As for me, I am a Romayne borne. Thē straight waye departed from him, they that shulde haue examyned him. And yᵉ chefe captayne was afrayed, whan he knewe that he was a Romayne, and because he had bounde him. On the nexte daye wolde he knowe the certentye wherfore he was accused of the Iewes, and he lowsed him from the bondes, and commaunded the hye prestes and all their councell to come together, and broughte Paul forth, and set him amonge them.

Notes to Chapter 22

⁽¹⁾ Act▪ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Act▪ ⟨illegible⟩ and 1. Co⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ Gal. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 9. b

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩0. b ⟨illegible⟩ 9. d

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 13. a ⟨illegible⟩ 1. c ⟨illegible⟩. 3. a

Chapter 23

PAul behelde the councell, and sayde:[A] Ye men and brethren,⁽¹⁾ I haue lyued with all good conscience before God vnto this daye:⁽²⁾ But the hye prest Ananias commaunded them that stode aboute him, to smyte hī on the mouth. Then sayde Paul vnto him: God shal smyte the thou paynted wall.⁽³⁾ Syttest thou and iudgest me after the lawe, and commaundest me to be smytten cōtrary to yᵉ lawe? And they that stode aboute hī, sayde: Reuylest thou Gods hye prest? And Paul sayde: Brethrē, I wyst not that he was the hye prest. For it is wryttē:⁽⁴⁾ The ruler of thy people shalt thou not curse.

But whan Paul knewe that the one parte was Saduces, and the other parte Pharises, he cried out in yᵉ councell: Ye men and brethren, I am a Pharise, and the sonne of a Pharise, ⁽⁵⁾ Of hope and resurreccion of the deed am I iudged. And whan he had so sayde, there arose a dissencion betwene yᵉ Pharises and the Saduces, and the multitude was deuyded: ⁽⁶⁾ for the Saduces saye that there is no resurreccion, nether angell, ner sprete: but the Pharises graūte both. And there was made a greate crye. And yᵉ Scrybes of the Pharyses secte, stode vp, and stroue,[B] and sayde: We fynde no euell in this mā. But yf a sprete or an angell haue spokē vnto him, let vs not stryue agaynst God.

But whan the discension was greate, yᵉ vpper captayne feared, that Paul shulde haue bene pluckte a sonder of them, and commaunded the soudyers to go downe, and to take him from them, and to brynge him in to the castell. But in the nighte folowinge, the LORDE stode by him, and sayde: Be of good cheare Paul, for as thou hast testified of me at Ierusalem ⁽⁷⁾ so must thou testifye at Rome also.

Now whan it was daye, certayne of the Iewes gathered them selues together, and made a vowe nether to eate ner drynke, tyll they had kylled Paul. They were mo then fortye, which had made this conspyracion. These came to the hye prestes and Elders, and sayde: We haue bounde oure selues wᵗ a vowe, that we wil eate nothinge, tyll we haue slayne Paul. Now therfore geue ye knowlege to the vpper captayne and to the councell, that he maye brynge him forth vnto you tomorow, as though ye wolde heare him yet better: As for vs, we are ready to kyll him, or euer he come nye you.

[C] But whan Pauls sisters sonne herde of their layenge awayte, he came, and entred in to the castell, and tolde Paul. So Paul called vnto him one of yᵉ vnder captaynes, and sayde: Brynge this yonge man to the vpper captayne, for he hath somewhat to saye to him. He toke him, and broughte him to the vpper captayne, and sayde: Paul the presoner called me vnto him, and prayed me to brynge to the this yonge man, which hath somwhat to saye vnto the. Then the hye captayne toke him by the hande, and wente a syde with him out of the waye, and axed him: What is it, that thou hast to saye vnto me? He sayde: The Iewes are agreed together, to desyre the, to let Paul be broughte forth tomorow before the councell, as though they wolde yet heare him better. But folowe not thou their myndes, for there laye wayte for him mo then fortye men off them, which haue bounde them selues with a vowe, nether to eate ner drynke, tyll they haue slayne Paul: and euen now are they redye, and loke for thy promes.

Then the vpper captayne let the yonge man departe, and charged him to tell noman, that he had shewed him this. And he called vnto him two vndercaptaynes, and sayde: Make redye two hundreth soudyers, that they maye go to Cesarea, and thre score and ten horsmen, and two hundreth speare men at the thirde houre of the nighte, and delyuer thē beastes, that they maye set Paul theron, and brynge him safe vnto Felix the debyte, and he wrote a letter on this maner:

[D] Claudius Lysias, vnto the most mightie Debyte Felix, gretynge. ⁽⁸⁾ The Iewes had taken this man, and wolde haue slayne him, then came I with soudyers, and rescued him, and perceaued that he is a Romayne. And whan I wolde haue knowne the cause, wherfore they accused hī, I broughte him in to their councell: then perceaued I, that he was accused aboute questions of their lawe. But there was no accusacion worthy of death or of bondes. And whan it was shewed me, that certayne Iewes layed wayte for him, I sent him straight waye vnto the, and commaunded the accusers also, that loke what they had agaynst him, they shulde tell the same before the. Fare well.

The soudyers (as it was commaunded them) toke Paul, and broughte him to Antipatras. But on the nexte daye, they lefte yᵉ horse men to go with him, and turned agayne to the castell. When these came to Cesarea, they delyuered the letter vnto the Debyte, & presented Paul before him also. Whan the Debyte had red the letter, he axed off what countre he was. And whā he vnderstode that he was of Celicia, he sayde:⁽⁹⁾ I wil heare the, whan thine accusers are come also. And he commaunded him to be kepte in Herodes iudgment house.

Notes to Chapter 23

⁽¹⁾ Act. 24.

⁽²⁾ Iere. 20. ⟨illegible⟩ Ioh. 18. a

⁽³⁾ Deut. 17

⁽⁴⁾ Exo. 22.

⁽⁵⁾ Phil. ⟨illegible⟩. a Act. 4. a 26. a. 28.

⁽⁶⁾ Mat. ⟨illegible⟩2. ⟨illegible⟩ Marc. 12 Luc. 20. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ Ephe. 3. a 2. Tim. 1. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 21. d

⁽⁹⁾ Deut. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 24

After fyue dayes the hye prest Ananias [A] came downe with the Elders, and wᵗ the Oratour Tertullus, which appeared before the Debyte agaynst Paul. Whan Paul was called forth, Tertullus begāne to accuse him, and sayde: Seynge that we lyue in greate peace by the meanes of yᵗ, and that many good thinges are done for this people thorow thy prouydence (most mightie Felix) that alowe we euer and in all places with all thankes. Notwithstondinge yᵗ I be nomore tedious vnto the, I praye the, that of thy curtesy thou woldest heare vs a few wordes.

We haue founde this man a pestilent felowe, and a sterer vp of sedicion amonge all the Iewes thorow out all the worlde, and a manteyner of the secte of the Nazaretes, ⁽¹⁾ and hath taken in hande also to suspende the temple, whom we toke, and wolde haue iudged him acordinge to oure lawe. But Lysias the hye captayne came vpō vs, and with greate violence delyuered him out of oure handes, and commaunded his accusers to come vnto the: of whom (yf thou wilt enquyre) thou mayest haue knowlege of all these thinges, wherof we accuse him. The Iewes likewyse affirmed and sayde, that it was euen so.

But Paul (whan the debyte had beckened [B] vnto him, that he shulde speake) answered: Seynge I knowe that thou hast bene iudge now many yeares amonge this people, I wil not be afrayed to answere for my selfe, because that thou mayest knowe, that there are yet nomore but twolue dayes sence I came vp to Ierusalem for to worshippe, and that they nether founde me in the temple disputinge with eny man, or makynge eny vproure amonge the people, ner in yᵉ synagoges, ner in the cite: nether can they proue the thinges, wherof they accuse me. But this I ⁽²⁾ confesse vnto the, that after this waye which they call heresye, so worshippe I the God of my fathers, that I beleue all that is wrytten in the lawe and in the prophetes, and haue hope towarded God, that the same resurreccion of the deed (which they them selues loke for also) shalbe, both of the iust and vniust. Therfore studye I to haue allwaye a cleare conscience towarde God and towarde men.⁽³⁾

But after many yeares I came and broughte allmesse vnto my people, and offeringes: ⁽⁴⁾ whervpon they founde me purifyed in the temple without eny maner of rumoure or vnquyetnesse. Howbeit there were certayne Iewes out of Asia, which shulde be here presente before the, and accuse me, yf they had oughte agaynst me: or els lett these same here saye, yf they haue founde eny vnrighteousnes in me, whyle I stonde here before yᵉ councell: excepte it be for this one worde, that I cried stondinge amonge them:⁽⁵⁾ Of the resurreccion off the deed am I iudged of you this daye.

[C] Whan Felix herde this, he dyfferred thē (for he knewe very well of that waye) and sayde: Whan Lysias the vpper captayne commeth downe, I wyl knowe yᵉ vttemost of youre matter ⁽⁶⁾ But he commaunded the vndercaptayne to kepe Paul, and to let him haue rest, and that he shulde forbydde none of his acquauntaūce to mynister vnto him, or to come vnto him.

But after certayne dayes came Felix wᵗ his wife Drusilla, which was a Iewesse, and called for Paul, and herde him of the faith in Christ. Howbeit whan Paul spake off righteousnesse, and off chastite and off the iudgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered: Go thy waye for this tyme. Whan I haue a conuenyent tyme, I wil sende for the. He hoped also, that money shulde haue bene geuen him of Paul, therfore called he oft for him, and commened with him. But after two yeares came Portius Festus in to felix rowme. Yet Felix wyllinge to shewe the Iewes a pleasure, left Paul bounde.

Notes to Chapter 24

⁽¹⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 25

NOw whan Festus was come in to [A] the countre, ouer thre dayes he wente vp from Cesarea to Ierusalem. Then appeared the hye prestes and the chefe of the Iewes before him agaynst Paul, and intreated him, and desyred fauoure agaynst him, that he wolde sende for him to Ierusalem, and layed wayte for him, that they might slaye him by the waye. Then answered Festus, that Paul shulde be kepte at Cesarea, but that he himselfe wolde shortly go thither agayne. Let them therfore (sayde he) which are able amonge you, come downe with vs to accuse the man, yf there be ought in him.

Whan he had taried amonge them more then ten dayes, he wente downe to Cesarea. And on the nexte daye he sat downe on the iudgment seate, and commaunded Paul to be broughte. Whan he was come, yᵉ Iewes which were come downe from Ierusalem, stode rounde aboute him, and broughte vp many and greuous quarels agaynst Paul, which they coulde not proue, whyle he answered for himselfe: I haue nether offended [B] ought agaynst the lawe of the Iewes, ner agaynst the tēple, ner agaynst the Emperoure.

But Festus wyllinge to shewe the Iewes a pleasure, answered Paul, and sayde: Wilt thou go vp to Ierusalem, and there be iudged off these thinges before me? But Paul sayde: I stonde at the Emperours iudgmēt seate, where I ought to be iudged: to the Iewes haue I done no harme, as thou also knowest very well. Yf I haue hurte eny man, or committed eny thinge worthy off death, I refuse not to dye. But yf there are no soch thinges as they accuse me off, then maye no man delyuer me vnto them. I appeale vnto the Emperoure. Then spake Festus with the Councell, and answered: Thou hast appealed vnto the Emperoure, to the Emperoure shalt thou go.

After certayne dayes came kynge Agrippa and Bernice to Cesarea to welcome Festus. And whan they had taried there many dayes, Festus rehearsed Pauls cause vnto the kynge, and sayde: There is a man left [C] bounde of Felix, for whose cause the hye prestes and Elders of the Iewes appeared before me whan I was at Ierusalem, and desyred a sentence agaynst him. Vnto whom I answered: ⁽¹⁾ It is not the maner off the Romaynes to delyuer eny man that he shulde perishe, before that he which is accused, haue his accusers presente, and receaue libertye to answere for him selfe to the accusacion. Whā they were come hither together, I made no delaye, but sat the nexte daye in iudgment, and commaunded the man to be broughte forth. Of whom, whan the accusers stode vp, they broughte no accusacion of soch thinges as I supposed: But had certayne questions agaynst him of their awne supersticions, and of one Iesus deed, whom Paul affirmed to be alyue. Howbeit because I vnderstode not the question, I axed hī, whether he wolde go to Ierusalē, and there be iudged of these matters. But whā Paul had appealed, that he might be kepte vnto the knowlege of the Emperoure, I cōmaunded him to be kepte, tyll I mighte sende him to the Emperoure.

[D] Agrippa sayde vnto Festus: I wolde fayne heare the man also. He sayde: Tomorow shalt thou heare him. And on the nexte daye came Agrippa & Bernice with greate pompe, and wēte in to the comon hall with the captaynes & chefe mē of the cite. And at Festus cōmaundement, Paul was brought forth. And Festus sayde: Kynge Agrippa, and all ye men which are here with vs, ye se this man, aboute whom all the multitude of the Iewes haue entreated me, both at Ierusalē and here also, and cried, that he ought not to lyue eny lenger. But whan I perceaued that he had done nothinge worthy off death, and that he himselfe also had appealed vnto the Emperoure, I determyned to sende him, of whō I haue no certayne thinge to ⟨illegible⟩ryte vnto my lorde. Therfore haue I caused hī to be broughte forth before you, specially before the (O kynge Agrippa) that after examinacion had, I might haue somwhat to wryte. For me thynke it an vnreasonable thinge to sende a presoner, and not to shewe the causes which are layed agaynst him.

Notes to Chapter 25

⁽¹⁾ Deut. 17. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 26

[A] AGrippa sayde vnto Paul: Thou hast leue to speake for thy selfe. Thē Paul stretched forth the hande, and answered for himselfe: I thinke my selfe happye (O kynge Agrippa) because I shal answere this daye before the, of all the thinges wherof I am accused of the Iewes: specially forsomoch as thou art experte in all customes and questions, which are amonge the Iewes. Wherfore I beseche the, to heare me paciently.

My lyuynge truly from youth vp (how it was led from the begynnynge amonge this people at Ierusalē) knowe all the Iewes which knewe me afore at the first, yf they wolde testifye, for after the most strayte secte of oure Iewysh lawe, I lyued a Pharise.⁽¹⁾ And now stonde I, and am iudged because of the hope of the ⁽²⁾ promes, that was made of God vnto oure fathers, vnto the which (promes) oure twolue trybes hope to come, seruynge God instātly daye and nighte. For the which hopes sake (O kynge Agrippa) I [B] am accused of the Iewes. Wherfore is this iudged amonge you not to be beleued, that God rayseth vp the deed?

I also verely thoughte by my selfe, that I oughte to do many cōtrary thinges cleane agaynst the name off Iesus off Nazareth, ⁽³⁾ which I dyd at Ierusalem, whan I shut vp many sayntes in preson, whervpon I receaued auctorite of yᵉ hye prestes. And whā they shulde be put to death, I broughte the sentence. And thorow all the synagoges I punyshed them oft, and compelled thē to blaspheme, and was exceadinge mad vpon them, and persecuted them euen vnto straunge cities. Aboute which thinges as I wente towarde Damascon with auctorite and lycence of the hye prestes, euen at myddaye (O kynge) I sawe in the waye, that a lighte from heauē (clearer then the brightnesse of the Sonne) shyned rounde aboute me, and them that iourneyed with me.

But whan we were all fallen downe to [C] the earth, I herde a voyce speakynge vnto me, and sayēge in Hebrue: Saul Saul, why persecutest thou me? It shalbe harde for the to kycke agaynst the prycke. But I sayde: LORDE, who art thou? He sayde: I am Iesus, whom thou persecutest. But ryse vp, and stonde vpon thy fete, for therfore haue I appeared vnto the, that I mighte ordeyne the to be a mynister and witnesse of it that thou hast sene, and that I wyll yet cause to appeare vnto the. And I wil delyuer the from the people, and from the Heythen, amonge whō I wil now sende the, to opē their eyes, that they maye turne from the darknesse vnto the ⁽⁴⁾ lighte, and from the power of yᵉ deuell vnto God, that they maye receaue forgeuenesse of synnes, and the enheritaunce with them that are sanctified by faith in me.

Wherfore (O kynge Agrippa) I was not [D] faithlesse vnto yᵉ heauēly vision, but shewed it first vnto them at Damascon, and at Ierusalē, and in all the coastes of Iewry, and to the Heythen, that they shulde ⁽⁵⁾ do pennaunce, and turne vnto God, and to do the righte workes of pennaunce. For this cause the Iewes toke me in the temple, and wente aboute to kyll me. But thorow the helpe of God lent vnto me, I stonde vnto this daye, and testifye both vnto small and greate, and saye no other thinge, thē that yᵉ prophetes haue sayde (that it shulde come to passe) and Moses, that Christ shulde suffre, and be the first of the resurreccion from the deed, and shew light vnto the people, and to the Heythen.

Whan he thus answered for himselfe, Festus sayde with a loude voyce: Paul, thou art besydes thy selfe, moch lernynge maketh yᵉ madd. But Paul sayde: I am not madd [E](most deare Festus) but speake the wordes of trueth and sobernesse: for yᵉ kynge knoweth this well, vnto whom I speake frely. For I thinke that none off these thinges is hyd from him: for this was not done in a corner. Beleuest thou the prophetes, O kynge Agrippa? I knowe that thou beleuest. Agrippa sayde vnto Paul: Thou persuadest me in a parte to become a Christen. Paul sayde: I wolde to God, that (not onely in a parte but alltogether,) I mighte persuade not the onely, but all them that heare me this daye, to be soch I am, these bondes excepte. And whan he had spoken this, the kynge rose vp, and the Debyte, and Bernice, and they that sat with them, and wente asyde, and talked together, and sayde: This man hath done nothinge that is worthy of death or of bondes. But Agrippa sayde vnto Festus: This man mighte haue bene lowsed, yf he had not appealed vnto the Emperoure.

Notes to Chapter 26

⁽¹⁾ Act ⟨illegible⟩ Phil. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ and ⟨illegible⟩ Deut▪ ⟨illegible⟩ Psal. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ Act. ⟨illegible⟩ and ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ Esa▪ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 27

[A] WHan it was concluded that we shulde sayle in to Italy, they delyuered Paul and certayne other presoners to the vndercaptayne named Iulius, of the Emperours soudyers. And whan we were entred in to a shippe of Adramitium, to sayle by Asia, we lowsed from londe. And there was with vs one ⁽¹⁾ Aristarchus out of Macedonia off Thessalonica, and on the nexte daye we came vnto Sidon. And Iulius intreated Paul curteously, and gaue him liberty to go to his frendes, and to refresh himselfe. And from thence launched we, and sayled harde by Cypers (because the wyndes were agaynst vs) and sayled ouer the see of Celicia and Pamphilia, and came to Myra in Lycia.

And there the vndercaptayne founde a shippe of Alexādria, ready to sayle in to Italy, and put vs therin. And whan we had sayled slowly, and in many dayes were scarcely come ouer agaynst Gnydon (for the wynde with stode vs) we sayled by Candy nye vnto the cite off Salmo, and came scarcely beyonde it. Then came we to a place, which is called Goodhauen, nye where vnto was the cite Lasea. Now whan moch tyme was spent, and saylinge was now ioperdous, because that they also had fasted ouerlonge, Paul exhorted them, and sayde vnto them: Syrs, I se that this saylinge wyl be with hurte and moch dammage, not onely of the ladynge and of the shippe, but also of oure lyues.

Neuertheles yᵉ vndercaptayne beleued [B] the gouernoure of the shippe and yᵉ master, more then it that was spoken of Paul. And for somoch as the hauē was not comodious to wynter in, the more parte off them toke councell to departe thēce, yf by eny meanes they might come to Phenices to wynter there, which is an hauen of Candy, towarde the Southwest and Northwest wynde. Whan the South wynde blewe, they supposinge to haue had their purpose, lowsed vnto Asson, and sayled past all Candy.

But not longe after, there rose agaynst their purpose a flawe of wynde, which is called the Northeast. And whan the shippe was caught, and coulde not resist yᵉ wynde, we let her go, and draue with the wedder. But we came to an Ile named Claudia, where we coulde scarce get a bote. Which they toke vp, and vsed helpe, and bounde it vnder harde to the shippe, fearinge lest they shulde haue fallen in to the ⁽²⁾ Syrtes, and let downe the vessell, and so were caried. And whan we had bydden a greate tēpest, on the nexte daye they made an outcastinge. And on the thirde daye with oure awne handes we cast out the tacklynge of the shippe. But whā nether Sonne ner starres appeared in many dayes, and no small tempest laye vpon vs, all the hope of oure life was taken awaye.

And after longe abstinence, Paul stode [C] forth in the myddes of thē, and sayde: Syrs, ye shulde haue herkened vnto me, and not to haue lowsed from Candy, and not to haue broughte vs this harme and losse. And now I exhorte you to be of good cheare, for there shal none of oure lyues perishe, but the shippe onely.

For this night stode by me the angell off God (whose I am, & whō I serue) & saide: Feare not Paul, thou must be broughte before the Emperoure. And lo, God hath geuen vnto the all thē that sayle with the. Wherfore syrs be of good cheare: for I beleue God, yᵗ it shal come so to passe, as it was tolde me. Howbeit we must be cast in to a certayne ylonde.

But whan the fourtenth night came, as we were caried in Adria aboute mydnight, yᵉ shipmen demed that there appeared some countre vnto them, and they cast out the leade, and founde it twētye feddoms: and whā they were gone a litle farther, they cast out the leade agayne, and founde fyftene feddoms.

Then fearinge lest they shulde fall on some [D] rocke, they cast foure anckers out of the sterne, and wyszhed for the daye. Whan the shipmen were aboute to flye out of the shippe, and let downe the bote in to the see, (vnder a coloure as though they wolde cast ankers out of the fore shippe) Paul sayde to yᵉ vnder captayne and to the soudyers: Excepte these byde in the shippe, ye can not be saued. Then the soudyers cut of the rope from the bote, and let it fall. And whan it beganne to be daye, Paul exhorted them all to take meate, and sayde: To daye is the fourtene daye that ye haue taried and contynued fastinge, and haue receaued nothinge: Wherfore I praye you to take meate, for youre health:⁽³⁾ for there shal not one heer fall from the heade of eny of you. And whan he had thus spoken, he toke bred, and ⁽⁴⁾ gaue thankes to God before them all, and brake it, and begāne to eate. Then were they all of good cheare, and toke meate also. We were all together in the shippe two hundreth thre score and sixtene soules. And whan they had eaten ynough, they lightened the shippe, and cast out the wheate in to the see.

[E] Whan it was daye, they knewe not the londe. But they spyed an hauen with a banke, in to which they were mynded (yf it were possible) to thrust in the shippe. And whan they had takē vp the anckers, they commytted them selues to the see, and lowsed the rudder bandes, and hoyssed vp the mayne sayle to the wynde, and drue towarde londe. And whan we chaunced on a place which had the see on both the sydes, the shippe daszhed vpon it. And the fore parte abode fast vnmoued, but the hynder parte brake thorow the violence of the wawes.

The soudyers councell was to kyll yᵉ presoners, lest eny of them whan he had swymmed out, shulde flye awaye. But the vndercaptayne wyllinge to saue Paul, keped them from their purpose, and commaunded that they which coulde swymme, shulde cast them selues first in to the see, and escape vnto londe: and the other, some on bordes, some on broken peces of the shippe. And so it came to passe, that all the soules came safe vnto londe.

Notes to Chapter 27

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Syrtes are perlous places ī the see.

⁽³⁾ Mat. 10. d Luc. 12. a

⁽⁴⁾ Mar. 6. c and 8. a Ioh. 6. a ⟨illegible⟩ Tim 4. a

Chapter 28

ANd whā we were escaped, we knewe [B] that the Ile was called Melite. As for the people, they shewed vs no litle kyndnesse: for they kyndled a fyre, and receaued vs all because of the rayne that was come vpō vs, and because of the colde. Whan Paul had gathered a bondell of stickes, and layed them on the fyre, there came a vyper out of the heate, and leape on Pauls hande. Whan the people sawe the beest hange on his hande, they sayde amonge them selues: This man must nedes be a murthurer, whō vengeaunce suffreth not to lyue, though he haue escaped the see. But he shoke of yᵉ beest in to the fyre, and ⁽¹⁾ and felt no harme. Howbeit they wayted, whā he shulde haue swollen, or fallen downe deed sodenly. But whan they had loked a greate whyle, and sawe yᵗ there happened no harme vnto him, they chaunged their myndes, and sayde that he was a God.

In the same quarters the chefe man of the Ile whose name was Publius had a lordshipe: the same receaued vs, and lodged vs thre dayes curteously. It fortuned whā Publius father laye sicke of the feuers and of a bloudy fluxe, Paul wente in vnto him, and prayed, and layed the handes on him, and healed him.

Whan this was done, other also which [B] had diseases in the Ile, came, and were healed. And they dyd vs greate honoure. And whan we departed, they laded vs with thinges necessary.

After the monethes we sayled in a shippe of Alexandria, which had wyntred in the Ile, and had a badge of Castor and Pollux. And whan we came to Syracusa, we taried there thre dayes. And whan we had sayled aboute, we came to Rhegium: and after one daye whan the south wynde blewe, we came to Putiolus, where we founde brethrē and were desyred of them to tarye there seuē dayes, and so came we to Rome. And from thence whan the brethren herde of vs, they came forth to mete vs to Apiforum and to the Thre tauerns. Whan Paul sawe them, he thāked God, and waxed bolde. But whā we came to Rome, the vndercaptayne delyuered the presoners to yᵉ chefe captayne. As for Paul, he had leue to byde alone with one soudyer that kepte him.

[C] After thre dayes it fortuned, yᵗ Paul called yᵉ chefe of yᵉ Iewes together. And whā they were come, he sayde vnto thē: Ye mē & brethrē ⁽²⁾ I haue cōmytted nothinge agaynst o people, ner agaynst yᵉ lawes of yᵉ fathers, yet was I boūde, delyuered out of Ierusalē in to yᵉ Romaynes hādes: which whā they had examyned me, wolde haue let me go, for so moch as there was no cause of death ī me. But whā yᵉ Iewes spake yᵉ cōtrary, I was cōstrayned to appeale vnto yᵉ Empero: not as though I had ought to accuse my people of. For this cause haue I called you, euē to se you, & to speake wᵗ you: because yᵗ ⁽³⁾ for yᵉ hope of Israel, I am bounde wᵗ this cheyne. They sayde vnto hī: We haue nether receaued letter out of Iewry cōcernynge the, nether came there eny of the brethrē, yᵗ shewed or spake eny harme of yᵉ. But we wyl heare of yᵉ, what thou thinkest: for we haue herde of this secte, that euery where ⁽⁴⁾ it is spoken agaynst. And whā they had appoynted hī adaye, there came many vnto hī in to his lodginge: vnto whō he expoūded yᵉ kyngdome of God & preached vnto thē of Iesu, out of yᵉ lawe and out of the prophetes, euē frō mornynge vntyll the euē. And some beleued yᵉ thinge yᵗ he sayde, but some beleued not.

But whā they agreed not amōge thē selues, [D] they departed, whā Paul had spokē one worde: Full well hath the holy goost spokē by yᵉ prophet Esay vnto o fathers,⁽⁵⁾ & sayde: Go vnto this people, and saye: With eares ye shal heare, & not vnderstōde: & with eyes shal ye se, & not perceaue. For yᵉ hert of this people is waxed grosse, & they heare hardly wᵗ their eares: & their eyes haue they closed, yᵗ they shulde not once se wᵗ their eyes, & heare wᵗ their eares, & vnderstōde ī their hertes, and be cōuerted, yᵗ I mighte heale thē. Be it knowne therfore vnto you, yᵗ this saluaciō of God is sent vnto yᵉ Heythē, and they shal heare it. And whā he sayde yᵗ, yᵉ Iewes departed, & had a greate disputacion amonge thēselues. But Paul abode two whole yeares in his owne hyred dwellinge, & receaued all thē yᵗ came in vnto hī, preachinge yᵉ kyngdome of God, and teachinge those thinges which concerne the LORDE Iesus with all boldnesse, vnforbydden.

Notes to Chapter 28

⁽¹⁾ Luc▪ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ b ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ b

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

The ende of the Actes of the Apostles, wrytten by S. Luke, which was present at yᵉ doynges of them.

Colophon

This page is an archival transcription of the printed text, not a Good Works Translation. Source: Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe (M.D.XXXV; STC 2063.3), translated by Myles Coverdale, the copy in Cambridge University Library, keyed and encoded by the Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP Phase I, text A10349, 2005) and released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 public-domain dedication.

12 places illegible in the Cambridge copy were filled from Samuel Bagster’s 1838 page-for-page reprint of the edition (archive.org, holyscriptures00cove), only where the reprint’s reading is certain; each fill is listed on this room’s Supplied Readings page; 258 places are still marked ⟨illegible⟩ (3 in the text, 255 in the marginal notes).

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