New Acts

Well, I was discovering that I was only reading the Acts chapters so that I would have something to blog about and I wasn't real excited about that. And then we went on vacation and I was surrounded by little people from dawn till dusk. And now, so much junk is coming up in my life that I HAVE TO DEAL WITH, that I just don't know if this blog will ever move past todays post. But that's fine. I'm going to pray about it today. And maybe I'll post tomorrow. I'm up to chapter 21 in Acts now. It's really cool. I suggest reading it more. At least, I suggest that to myself. Peace out.

Acts 7 & 8

Well, I read these when I was supposed to, but I don't have time to comment on them currently. Life goes on. Read them with me.

Acts 8

¹AND SAUL was [not only] consenting to [Stephen's] death [he was ^[a]pleased and ^[b]entirely approving]. On that day a great and severe persecution broke out against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles (special messengers).

²[A party of] devout men ^[c]with others helped to carry out and bury Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

³But Saul shamefully treated and laid waste the church continuously [with cruelty and violence]; and entering house after house, he dragged out men and women and committed them to prison.

⁴Now those who were scattered abroad went about [through the land from place to place] preaching the glad tidings, the Word [^[d]the doctrine concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God].

⁵Philip [the deacon, not the apostle] went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ (the Messiah) to them [the people];^(A)

⁶And great crowds of people with one accord listened to and heeded what was said by Philip, as they heard him and watched the miracles and wonders which he kept performing [from time to time].

⁷For foul spirits came out of many who were possessed by them, screaming and shouting with a loud voice, and many who were suffering from palsy or were crippled were restored to health.

⁸And there was great rejoicing in that city.

⁹But there was a man named Simon, who had formerly practiced magic arts in the city to the utter amazement of the Samaritan nation, claiming that he himself was an extraordinary and distinguished person.

¹⁰They all paid earnest attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that exhibition of the power of God which is called great (intense).

¹¹And they were attentive and made much of him, because for a long time he had amazed and bewildered and dazzled them with his skill in magic arts.

¹²But when they believed the good news (the Gospel) about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) as Philip preached it, they were baptized, both men and women.

¹³Even Simon himself believed [he adhered to, trusted in, and relied on the teaching of Philip], and after being baptized, devoted himself constantly to him. And seeing signs and miracles of great power which were being performed, he was utterly amazed.

¹⁴Now when the apostles (special messengers) at Jerusalem heard that [the country of] Samaria had accepted and welcomed the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

¹⁵And they came down and prayed for them that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit;

¹⁶For He had not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁷Then [the apostles] laid their hands on them one by one, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸However, when Simon saw that the [Holy] Spirit was imparted through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he brought money and offered it to them,

¹⁹Saying, Grant me also this power and authority, in order that anyone on whom I place my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.

²⁰But Peter said to him, Destruction overtake your money and you, because you imagined you could obtain the [free] gift of God with money!

²¹You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is all wrong in God's sight [it is not straightforward or right or true before God].^(B)

²²So repent of this depravity and wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this ^[e]contriving thought and purpose of your heart may be removed and disregarded and forgiven you.

²³For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in ^[f]a bond forged by iniquity [to fetter souls].^(C)

²⁴And Simon answered, Pray for me [beseech the Lord, both of you], that nothing of what you have said may befall me!

²⁵Now when [the apostles] had borne their testimony and preached the message of the Lord, they went back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the glad tidings (Gospel) to many villages of the Samaritans [on the way].

²⁶But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, Rise and proceed southward or at midday on the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza. This is the desert [^[g]route].

²⁷So he got up and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship.

²⁸And he was [now] returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, Go forward and join yourself to this chariot.

³⁰Accordingly Philip, running up to him, heard [the man] reading the prophet Isaiah and asked, Do you really understand what you are reading?

³¹And he said, How is it possible for me to do so unless someone explains it to me and guides me [in the right way]? And he earnestly requested Philip to come up and sit beside him.

³²Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading: Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so He opens not His mouth.

³³In His humiliation ^[h] He was taken away by distressing and oppressive judgment and justice was denied Him [caused to cease]. Who can describe or relate in full ^[i]the wickedness of His contemporaries (generation)? For His life is taken from the earth and ^[j]a bloody death inflicted upon Him.^(D)

³⁴And the eunuch said to Philip, I beg of you, tell me about whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?

³⁵Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this portion of Scripture he announced to him the glad tidings (Gospel) of Jesus and about Him.

³⁶And as they continued along on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch exclaimed, See, [here is] water! What is to hinder my being baptized?

^37[k]And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart [if you have ^[l]a conviction, full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah and accept Him as the Author of your salvation in the kingdom of God, giving Him your obedience, then] you may. And he replied, I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

³⁸And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and [Philip] baptized him.

³⁹And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord [^[m]suddenly] caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing on he preached the good news (Gospel) to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Acts 9

¹MEANWHILE SAUL, ^[a]still drawing his breath hard from threatening and murderous desire against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

²And requested of him letters to the synagogues at Damascus [authorizing him], so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way [of life as determined by faith in Jesus Christ], he might bring them bound [with chains] to Jerusalem.

³Now as he traveled on, he came near to Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him,

⁴And he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me [harassing, troubling, and molesting Me]?

⁵And Saul said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. ^[b]It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad [to offer vain and perilous resistance].

⁶Trembling and astonished he asked, Lord, what do You desire me to do? The Lord said to him, But arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.

⁷The men who were accompanying him were unable to speak [for terror], hearing the voice but seeing no one.

⁸Then Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

⁹And he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank [anything].

¹⁰Now there was in Damascus a disciple named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he answered, Here am I, Lord.

¹¹And the Lord said to him, Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying [there].

¹²And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias enter and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.

¹³But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard many people tell about this man, especially how much evil and what great suffering he has brought on Your saints at Jerusalem;

¹⁴Now he is here and has authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call upon Your name.

¹⁵But the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of Mine to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the descendants of Israel;

¹⁶For I will make clear to him how much he will be afflicted and must endure and suffer for My name's sake.

¹⁷So Ananias left and went into the house. And he laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to you along the way by which you came here, has sent me that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸And instantly something like scales fell from [Saul's] eyes, and he recovered his sight. Then he arose and was baptized,

¹⁹And after he took some food, he was strengthened. For several days [afterward] he remained with the disciples at Damascus.

²⁰And immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, saying, He is the Son of God!

²¹And all who heard him were amazed and said, Is not this the very man who harassed and overthrew and destroyed in Jerusalem those who called upon this Name? And he has come here for the express purpose of arresting them and bringing them in chains before the chief priests.

²²But Saul increased all the more in strength, and continued to confound and put to confusion the Jews who lived in Damascus by comparing and examining evidence and proving that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah).

²³After considerable time had elapsed, the Jews conspired to put Saul out of the way by slaying him,

²⁴But [the knowledge of] their plot was made known to Saul. They were guarding the [city's] gates day and night to kill him,

²⁵But his disciples took him at night and let him down through the [city's] wall, lowering him in a basket or hamper.

²⁶And when he had arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate himself with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe he really was a disciple.

²⁷However, Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and he explained to them how along the way he had seen the Lord, Who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached freely and confidently and courageously in the name of Jesus.

²⁸So he went in and out [as one] among them at Jerusalem,

²⁹Preaching freely and confidently and boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and discussed with and disputed against the Hellenists (the Grecian Jews), but they were seeking to slay him.

³⁰And when the brethren found it out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus [his home town].

³¹So the church throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was edified [growing in wisdom, virtue, and piety] and walking in the respect and reverential fear of the Lord and in the consolation and exhortation of the Holy Spirit, continued to increase and was multiplied.

³²Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he went down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

³³There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedfast for eight years and was paralyzed.

³⁴And Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [now] makes you whole. Get up and make your bed! And immediately [Aeneas] stood up.

³⁵Then all the inhabitants of Lydda and the plain of Sharon saw [what had happened to] him and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶Now there was at Joppa a disciple [a woman] named [in Aramaic] Tabitha, which [in Greek] means Dorcas. She was abounding in good deeds and acts of charity.

³⁷About that time she fell sick and died, and when they had cleansed her, they laid [her] in an upper room.

³⁸Since Lydda was near Joppa [however], the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him begging him, Do come to us without delay.

³⁹So Peter [immediately] rose and accompanied them. And when he had arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, crying and displaying undershirts (tunics) and [other] garments such as Dorcas was accustomed to make while she was with them.

⁴⁰But Peter put them all out [of the room] and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, Tabitha, get up! And she opened her eyes; and when she saw Peter, she raised herself and sat upright.

⁴¹And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling in God's people and the widows, he presented her to them alive.

⁴²And this became known throughout all Joppa, and many came to believe on the Lord [to adhere to and trust in and rely on Him as the Christ and as their Savior].

⁴³And Peter remained in Joppa for considerable time with a certain Simon a tanner.

Acts 7

This chapter is a great overview of the Old Testament. I had until recently, never read correctly a small part of the story of Moses. When Moses is with the burning bush, the voice of the Lord tells him that the ground on which he stands is Holy, and to remove his shoes. I'm not sure I understand all the cultural stuff attached to this act, but it sounds to me like taking off your sandals gets you closer to the holiness, not further from it. How wonderful. I am struck by God's desire to be closer to us all the time.

Tonight, we prayed with our eldest daughter (6 years) to receive her heavenly language. How amazing that age has no bearing on hearing from Him and from Him loving us. Her little heart longs to be close to His heart and He longs to be close to hers. How cool that we have only to ask. How cool that He loves us so much that He sent His own son to pay our price and secure our salvation. Wow.

Acts 7

¹AND THE high priest asked [Stephen], Are these charges true?

²And he answered, Brethren and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our forefather Abraham when he was still in Mesopotamia, before he [went to] live in Haran,^(A)

³And He said to him, Leave your own country and your relatives and come into the land (region) that I will point out to you.^(B)

⁴So then he went forth from the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, [God] transferred him to this country in which you are now dwelling.^(C)

⁵Yet He gave him no inheritable property in it, [no] not even enough ground to set his foot on; but He promised that He would give it to Him for a ^[a]permanent possession and to his descendants after him, even though [as yet] he had no child.^(D)

⁶And this is [in effect] what God told him: That his descendants would be aliens (strangers) in a land belonging to other people, who would bring them into bondage and ill-treat them 400 years.

⁷But I will judge the nation to whom they will be slaves, said God, and after that they will escape and come forth and worship Me in this [very] place.^(E)

⁸And [God] made with Abraham a covenant (an agreement to be religiously observed) ^[b]of which circumcision was the seal. And under these circumstances [Abraham] became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac [did so] when he became the father of Jacob, and Jacob [when each of his sons was born], the twelve patriarchs.^(F)

⁹And the patriarchs [Jacob's sons], boiling with envy and hatred and anger, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him,^(G)

¹⁰And delivered him from all his distressing afflictions and won him goodwill and favor and wisdom and understanding in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him governor over Egypt and all his house.^(H)

¹¹Then there came a famine over all of Egypt and Canaan, with great distress, and our forefathers could find no fodder [for the cattle] or vegetable sustenance [for their households].^(I)

¹²But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our forefathers [to go there on their] first trip.^(J)

¹³And on their second visit Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh and his origin and race.^(K)

¹⁴And Joseph sent an invitation calling to himself Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all.^(L)

¹⁵And Jacob went down into Egypt, where he himself died, as did [also] our forefathers;^(M)

¹⁶And their ^[c]bodies [Jacob's and Joseph's] were taken back to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of [silver] money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.^(N)

¹⁷But as the time for the fulfillment of the promise drew near which God had made to Abraham, the [Hebrew] people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

¹⁸Until [the time when] there arose over Egypt another and a different king who did not know Joseph [neither knowing his history and services nor recognizing his merits].^(O)

¹⁹He dealt treacherously with and defrauded our race; he abused and oppressed our forefathers, forcing them to expose their babies so that they might not be kept alive.^(P)

²⁰At this juncture Moses was born, and was exceedingly beautiful in God's sight. For three months he was nurtured in his father's house;^(Q)

²¹Then when he was exposed [to perish], the daughter of Pharaoh rescued him and took him and reared him as her own son.^(R)

²²So Moses was educated in all the wisdom and culture of the Egyptians, and he was mighty (powerful) in his speech and deeds.

²³And when he was in his fortieth year, it came into his heart to visit his kinsmen the children of Israel [^[d]to help them and to care for them].

²⁴And on seeing one of them being unjustly treated, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian and slaying [him].

²⁵He expected his brethren to understand that God was granting them deliverance by his hand [taking it for granted that they would accept him]; but they did not understand.

²⁶Then on the next day he ^[e]suddenly appeared to some who were quarreling and fighting among themselves, and he urged them to make peace and become reconciled, saying, Men, you are brethren; why do you abuse and wrong one another?

²⁷Whereupon the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed [Moses] aside, saying, Who appointed you a ruler (umpire) and a judge over us?

²⁸Do you intend to slay me as you slew the Egyptian yesterday?

²⁹At that reply Moses sought safety by flight and he was an exile and an alien in the country of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.^(S)

³⁰And when forty years had gone by, there appeared to him in the wilderness (desert) of Mount Sinai an angel, in the flame of a burning bramblebush.

³¹When Moses saw it, he was astonished and marveled at the sight; but when he went close to investigate, there came to him the voice of the Lord, saying,

³²I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob. And Moses trembled and was so terrified that he did not venture to look.

³³Then the Lord said to him, Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground and worthy of veneration.

³⁴Because I have most assuredly seen the abuse and oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their sighing and groaning, I have come down to rescue them. So, now come! I will send you back to Egypt [as My messenger].^(T)

³⁵It was this very Moses whom they had denied (disowned and rejected), saying, Who made you our ruler (referee) and judge? whom God sent to be a ruler and deliverer and redeemer, by and with the [protecting and helping] hand of the Angel that appeared to him in the bramblebush.^(U)

³⁶He it was who led them forth, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and during the forty years in the wilderness (desert).^(V)

³⁷It was this [very] Moses who said to the children of Israel, God will raise up for you a Prophet from among your brethren as He raised me up.^(W)

³⁸This is he who in the assembly in the wilderness (desert) was the go-between for the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and our forefathers, and he received living oracles (words that still live) to be handed down to us.^(X)

³⁹[And yet] our forefathers determined not to be subject to him [refusing to listen to or obey him]; but thrusting him aside they rejected him, and in their hearts yearned for and turned back to Egypt.^(Y)

⁴⁰And they said to Aaron, Make us gods who shall [be our leaders and] go before us; as for this Moses who led us forth from the land of Egypt--we have no knowledge of what has happened to him.^(Z)

⁴¹And they [even] made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol and made merry and exulted in the work of their [own] hands.^(AA)

⁴²But God turned [away from them] and delivered them up to worship and serve the host (stars) of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: Did you [really] offer to Me slain beasts and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness (desert), O house of Israel?^(AB)

⁴³[No!] You took up the tent (the portable temple) of Moloch and carried it [with you], and the star of the god Rephan, the images which you [yourselves] made that you might worship them; and I will remove you [carrying you away into exile] beyond Babylon.^(AC)

⁴⁴Our forefathers had the tent (tabernacle) of witness in the wilderness, even as He Who directed Moses to make it had ordered, according to the pattern and model he had seen.^(AD)

⁴⁵Our forefathers in turn brought it [this tent of witness] in [with them into the land] with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations which God drove out before the face of our forefathers. [So it remained here] until the time of David,^(AE)

⁴⁶Who found grace (favor and spiritual blessing) in the sight of God and prayed that he might be allowed to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. [II Sam. 7:8-16; Ps. 132:1-5.]

⁴⁷But it was Solomon who built a house for Him. [I Kings 6.]

⁴⁸However, the Most High does not dwell in houses and temples made with hands; as the prophet says,^(AF)

⁴⁹Heaven [is] My throne, and earth the footstool for My feet. What [kind of] house can you build for Me, says the Lord, or what is the place in which I can rest?

⁵⁰Was it not My hand that made all these things?^(AG)

⁵¹You stubborn and stiff-necked people, still heathen and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always ^[f]actively resisting the Holy Spirit. As your forefathers [were], so you [are and so you do]!^(AH)

⁵²Which of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute? And they slew those who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, Whom you now have betrayed and murdered--

⁵³You who received the Law as it was ordained and set in order and delivered by angels, and [yet] you did not obey it!

⁵⁴Now upon hearing these things, they [the Jews] were cut to the heart and infuriated, and they ground their teeth against [Stephen].

⁵⁵But he, full of the Holy Spirit and controlled by Him, gazed into heaven and saw the glory (the splendor and majesty) of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand;

⁵⁶And he said, Look! I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at God's right hand!

⁵⁷But they raised a great shout and put their hands over their ears and rushed together upon him.

⁵⁸Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.^(AI)

⁵⁹And while they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my spirit!

⁶⁰And falling on his knees, he cried out loudly, Lord, fix not this sin upon them [lay it not to their charge]! And when he had said this, he fell asleep^[g][in death].

Acts 6

Stephen is definitely another person I look forward to meeting in heaven. That will be very much awesome. I LOVE how they describe him as full of grace and power and that those who were debating with him were unable to resist the intelligence and wisdom of the Spirit with which and by Whom he spoke.

That is so perfect. It wasn't Stephen they couldn't resist, but the Spirit. Wow. That sort of warps how I look at things.

Acts 6

¹NOW ABOUT this time, when the number of the disciples was greatly increasing, complaint was made by the Hellenists (the Greek-speaking Jews) against the [native] Hebrews because their widows were being overlooked and neglected in the daily ministration (distribution of relief).

²So the Twelve [apostles] convened the multitude of the disciples and said, It is not seemly or desirable or right that we should have to give up or neglect [preaching] the Word of God in order to attend to serving at tables and superintending the distribution of food.

³Therefore select out from among yourselves, brethren, seven men of good and attested character and repute, full of the [Holy] Spirit and wisdom, whom we may assign to look after this business and duty.

⁴But we will continue to devote ourselves steadfastly to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

⁵And the suggestion pleased the whole assembly, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith (a strong and welcome belief that Jesus is the Messiah) and full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte (convert) from Antioch.

⁶These they presented to the apostles, who after prayer laid their hands on them.

⁷And the message of God kept on spreading, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem; and [besides] a large number of the priests were obedient to the faith [in Jesus as the Messiah, through Whom is obtained eternal salvation in the kingdom of God].

⁸Now Stephen, full of grace (divine blessing and favor) and power (strength and ability) worked great wonders and signs (miracles) among the people.

⁹However, some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (freed Jewish slaves), as it was called, and [of the synagogues] of the Cyrenians and of the Alexandrians and of those from Cilicia and [the province of] Asia, arose [and undertook] to debate and dispute with Stephen.

¹⁰But they were not able to resist the intelligence and the wisdom and [the inspiration of] the Spirit with which and by Whom he spoke.

¹¹So they [secretly] instigated and instructed men to say, We have heard this man speak, using slanderous and abusive and blasphemous language against Moses and God.

¹²[Thus] they incited the people as well as the elders and the scribes, and they came upon Stephen and arrested him and took him before the council (Sanhedrin).

¹³And they brought forward false witnesses who asserted, This man never stops making statements against this sacred place and the Law [of Moses];

¹⁴For we have heard him say that this Jesus the Nazarene will tear down and destroy this place, and will alter the institutions and usages which Moses transmitted to us.

¹⁵Then all who sat in the council (Sanhedrin), as they gazed intently at Stephen, saw that his face had the appearance of the face of an angel.

Acts 5

Ooooo. Ananias and Sapphira. Pwned.* I feel certain that there is more in depth explanation as to why these two were stricken dead, but you know, I just don't feel like I need more. They lied. They died. It makes sense to me. Think I'll avoid that.

I am excited about someday hearing Peter talk in heaven. He was a pretty righteous (and by that I mean awesome) speaker on earth. Once he is perfected in heaven, what will it be like to talk to and listen to him? I know I will be perfected too, but I have to imagine that in heaven we all have things we are really good at. Peter will have to be good at speaking. Bummer there won't be any sickness in heaven because I won't get to watch him heal the sick. But that's okay right? It's not about watching Peter. It's about watching Jesus heal people.

I had someone speak over my husband and I that we would be "healers", and while that might sound weird, SWEET!!! I. AM. SO. EX. CI. TED!!! That was at least a year and a half ago, and amazing healings HAVE happened since then. I feel as if I have been in a bit of a lull since the holidays and I am ready for that to be over. My dear dear sweet friend Jen has just returned from holiday travel and she is all crazy on fire for Jesus and seeing people healed and I cannot wait to walk through a mall or restaurant with her and pray for someone and see them get healed. It sounds wild, because it is. Wild and crazy bonkers about Jesus. Just like He is about us. Wild, crazy and bonkers about us. Whew. It's getting warm in here. (That's for you Jen)

Final note, Gamaliel is a stud. You should read the chapter.

* While the Urban Dictionary provided some colorful definitions for this word, none fit my own understanding of it. It is what happened when Al Capone got a hold of you. You got "Caponed", or "poned/pwned" for short. You died.

Acts 5

¹BUT A certain man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property,

²And with his wife's knowledge and connivance he kept back and wrongfully appropriated some of the proceeds, bringing only a part and putting it at the feet of the apostles.

³But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart that you should lie to and attempt to deceive the Holy Spirit, and should [in violation of your promise] withdraw secretly and appropriate to your own use part of the price from the sale of the land?

⁴As long as it remained unsold, was it not still your own? And [even] after it was sold, was not [the money] at your disposal and under your control? Why then, is it that you have proposed and purposed in your heart to do this thing? [How could you have the heart to do such a deed?] You have not [simply] lied to men [playing false and showing yourself utterly deceitful] but to God.

⁵Upon hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great dread and terror took possession of all who heard of it.

⁶And the young men arose and wrapped up [the body] and carried it out and buried it.

⁷Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not having learned of what had happened.

⁸And Peter said to her, Tell me, did you sell the land for so much? Yes, she said, for so much.

⁹Then Peter said to her, How could you two have agreed and conspired together to try to deceive the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out [also].

¹⁰And instantly she fell down at his feet and died; and the young men entering found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

¹¹And the whole church and all others who heard of these things were appalled [great awe and strange terror and dread seized them].

¹²Now by the hands of the apostles (special messengers) numerous and startling signs and wonders were being performed among the people. And by common consent they all met together [at the temple] in the covered porch (walk) called Solomon's.

¹³And none of those who were not of their number dared to join and associate with them, but the people held them in high regard and praised and made much of them.

¹⁴More and more there were being added to the Lord those who believed [those who acknowledged Jesus as their Savior and devoted themselves to Him joined and gathered with them], crowds both of men and of women,

¹⁵So that they [even] kept carrying out the sick into the streets and placing them on couches and sleeping pads, [in the hope] that as Peter passed by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

¹⁶And the people gathered also from the towns and hamlets around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those troubled with foul spirits, and they were all cured.

¹⁷But the high priest rose up and all who were his supporters, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and being filled with ^[a]jealousy and indignation and rage,

¹⁸They seized and arrested the apostles (special messengers) and put them in the public jail.

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

²⁰Go, take your stand in the temple courts and declare to the people the whole doctrine concerning this Life (the eternal life which Christ revealed).

²¹And when they heard this, they accordingly went into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. Now the high priest and his supporters who were with him arrived and called together the council (Sanhedrin), even all the senate of the sons of Israel, and they sent to the prison to have [the apostles] brought.

²²But when the attendants arrived there, they failed to find them in the jail; so they came back and reported,

²³We found the prison quite safely locked up and the guards were on duty outside the doors, but when we opened [it], we found no one on the inside.

²⁴Now when the military leader of the temple area and the chief priests heard these facts, they were much perplexed and thoroughly at a loss about them, wondering into what this might grow.

²⁵But some man came and reported to them, saying, Listen! The men whom you put in jail are standing [right here] in the temple and teaching the people!

²⁶Then the military leader went with the attendants and brought [the prisoners], but without violence, for they dreaded the people lest they be stoned by them.

²⁷So they brought them and set them before the council (Sanhedrin). And the high priest examined them by questioning,

²⁸Saying, We definitely commanded and strictly charged you not to teach in or about this Name; yet here you have flooded Jerusalem with your doctrine and you intend to bring this ^[b]Man's blood upon us.

²⁹Then Peter and the apostles replied, We must obey God rather than men.

³⁰The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, Whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree (cross).^(A)

³¹God exalted Him to His right hand to be Prince and Leader and Savior and Deliverer and Preserver, in order to grant repentance to Israel and to bestow forgiveness and release from sins.

³²And we are witnesses of these things, and the Holy Spirit is also, Whom God has bestowed on those who obey Him.

³³Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and infuriated and wanted to kill the disciples.

³⁴But a certain Pharisee in the council (Sanhedrin) named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, highly esteemed by all the people, standing up, ordered that the apostles be taken outside for a little while.

³⁵Then he addressed them [the council, saying]: Men of Israel, take care in regard to what you propose to do concerning these men.

³⁶For before our time there arose Theudas, asserting himself to be a person of importance, with whom a number of men allied themselves, about 400; but he was killed and all who had listened to and adhered to him were scattered and brought to nothing.

³⁷And after this one rose up Judas the Galilean, [who led an uprising] during the time of the census, and drew away a popular following after him; he also perished and all his adherents were scattered.

³⁸Now in the present case let me say to you, stand off (withdraw) from these men and let them alone. For if this doctrine or purpose or undertaking or movement is of human origin, it will fail (be overthrown and come to nothing);

³⁹But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop or overthrow or destroy them; you might even be found fighting against God!

⁴⁰So, convinced by him, they took his advice; and summoning the apostles, they flogged them and sternly forbade them to speak in or about the name of Jesus, and allowed them to go.

⁴¹So they went out from the presence of the council (Sanhedrin), rejoicing that they were being counted worthy [dignified by the indignity] to suffer shame and be exposed to disgrace for [the sake of] His name.

⁴²Yet [in spite of the threats] they never ceased for a single day, both in the temple area and at home, to teach and to proclaim the good news (Gospel) of Jesus [as] the Christ (the Messiah).

Acts 4

I am always amazed at the rotten attitudes the Pharisees and Sanhedrin had. Instead of listening, they always seemed to be looking at what the message of hope was going to do to their situation instead of what it meant for their life. Like I can talk.

There are these seemingly few moments in which apostles are brought before them and they seem as if they might listen. But they get so bogged down with what will happen when everyone else hears the news that it never gets into their own hearts.

I struggle with this because I relate. I am constantly thinking about what the message I hear "means" for my life instead of just listening and receiving from the Holy Spirit. Even in this moment, I am struggling. I am more worried about potentially offending my wonderful, amazing Jewish relatives with my limited knowledge of the Jewish faith in these blog posts; my "rotten attitudes" comment regarding the Pharisees was accurate. And I have those same attitudes. Like right now. So, it's nothing to do with the Pharisees being Jewish, yet that's all I can wrap my brain around. The messages the apostles brought won't sink further when I am worked up about how stuff will play out in my life.

Jesus, I know that you won't "take control" of me, because that would go against why you came to die for me. But I wish you would sometimes. I feel so unable to control my thoughts. I also know that you love me more than anything and you love to be with me and talk to me and help me. Help me to say no to distraction and yes to the Holy Spirits' promptings.

Acts 4

¹AND WHILE they [Peter and John] were talking to the people, the high priests and the military commander of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,

²Being vexed and indignant through and through because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in [the case of] Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

³So they laid hands on them (arrested them) and put them in prison until the following day, for it was already evening.

⁴But many of those who heard the message believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on Jesus as the Christ). And their number grew and came to about 5,000.

⁵Then on the following day, their magistrates and elders and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem,

⁶Including Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and all others who belonged to the high priestly relationship.

⁷And they set the men in their midst and repeatedly demanded, By what sort of power or by what kind of authority did [such people as] you do this [healing]?

⁸Then Peter, [because he was] filled with [and controlled by] the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and members of the council (the Sanhedrin),

⁹If we are being put on trial [here] today and examined concerning a good deed done to benefit a feeble (helpless) cripple, by what means this man has been restored to health,

¹⁰Let it be known and understood by all of you, and by the whole house of Israel, that in the name and through the power and authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, [but] Whom God raised from the dead, in Him and by means of Him this man is standing here before you well and sound in body.

¹¹This [Jesus] is the Stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the Head of the corner [the Cornerstone].^(A)

¹²And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved.

¹³Now when they saw the boldness and unfettered eloquence of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and untrained in the schools [common men with no educational advantages], they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

¹⁴And since they saw the man who had been cured standing there beside them, they could not contradict the fact or say anything in opposition.

¹⁵But having ordered [the prisoners] to go aside out of the council [chamber], they conferred (debated) among themselves,

¹⁶Saying, What are we to do with these men? For that an extraordinary miracle has been performed by (through) them is plain to all the residents of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

¹⁷But in order that it may not spread further among the people and the nation, let us warn and forbid them with a stern threat to speak any more to anyone in this name [or about this Person].

¹⁸[So] they summoned them and imperatively instructed them not to converse in any way or teach at all in or about the name of Jesus.

¹⁹But Peter and John replied to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you and obey you rather than God, you must decide (judge).

²⁰But we [ourselves] cannot help telling what we have seen and heard.

²¹Then when [the rulers and council members] had further threatened them, they let them go, not seeing how they could secure a conviction against them because of the people; for everybody was praising and glorifying God for what had occurred.

²²For the man on whom this sign (miracle) of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

²³After they were permitted to go, [the apostles] returned to their own [company] and told all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

²⁴And when they heard it, lifted their voices together with one united mind to God and said, O Sovereign Lord, You are He Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them,^(B)

²⁵Who by the mouth of our forefather David, Your servant and child, said through the Holy Spirit, Why did the heathen (Gentiles) become wanton and insolent and rage, and the people imagine and study and plan vain (fruitless) things [that will not succeed]?

²⁶The kings of the earth took their stand in array [for attack] and the rulers were assembled and combined together against the Lord and against His Anointed (Christ, the Messiah).^(C)

²⁷For in this city there actually met and plotted together against Your holy Child and Servant Jesus, Whom You consecrated by anointing, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and peoples of Israel,^(D)

²⁸To carry out all that Your hand and Your will and purpose had predestined (predetermined) should occur.

²⁹And now, Lord, observe their threats and grant to Your bond servants [full freedom] to declare Your message fearlessly,

³⁰While You stretch out Your hand to cure and to perform signs and wonders through the authority and by the power of the name of Your holy Child and Servant Jesus.

³¹And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage.

³²Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one of them claimed that anything which he possessed was [exclusively] his own, but everything they had was in common and for the use of all.

³³And with great strength and ability and power the apostles delivered their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace (loving-kindness and favor and goodwill) rested richly upon them all.

³⁴Nor was there a destitute or needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses proceeded to sell them, and one by one they brought (gave back) the amount received from the sales

³⁵And laid it at the feet of the apostles (special messengers). Then distribution was made according as anyone had need.

³⁶Now Joseph, a Levite and native of Cyprus who was surnamed Barnabas by the apostles, which interpreted means Son of Encouragement,

³⁷Sold a field which belonged to him and brought the sum of money and laid it at the feet of the apostles.