A   In the former treatyse (deare frende Theophilus) I haue written of all that Iesus beg&abar;ne to do and teache, vntyll the day in whyche he was tak&ebar; vp after that he, through the holy ghost, had geuen commaundementes vnto þe; Apostles whiche he had chosen: to whom also he shewed him selfe aliue after his passion by many tokens, apperynge vnto them fourty dayes, ∧ speakinge of the kyngdome of God, ∧ gathered th&ebar; together, and c&obar;maunded th&ebar;, that they shoulde not departe from Hierusalem: but to wayt for the promys of the father, wherof ye haue hearde of me. ^noteFor Iohn baptysed with water: but ye shal be baptised with the holy ghost, and that wyth in thys feawe dayes. When they were come together they axed of him saiynge: Lorde wylt thou at thys tyme restore againe the kyngdome to Israel? And he sayed vnto them: It is not for you to know the tymes or the seasons which the father hath put in hys owne power but ye shall receiue power of the holy ghost, whiche shall come on you. And ye shall be witnesses vnto me in Hierusalem, and in al Iewrye, and in Samary and euen vnto the worldes ende.

B   And when he had spoken these thynges whyle they beheld, he was taken vp, and a cloud receiued him vp out of their sighte, And while they loked stedfastlye vp to heauen as he went, beholde two men stode by them in whyt apparell, whyche also sayde: ye men of Galile, why stande ye gasynge vp into heau&ebar;? This same Iesus which is tak&ebar; from you into heauen, shal so come, eu&ebar; as ye haue sene hym go into heauen. &cross3;

^noteThen returned they vnto Hierusalem fr&obar; mounte Oliuete, whiche is nie to Hierusalem counteynynge a saboth05Q1389 dayes iorney. And when they were come in, they went vp into a parler where abode bothe Peter, and Iames, Iohn and Andrew, Philip ∧ Thomas, Bartlemew and Matthewe, Iames the sonne of Alpheus and Simon zelotes, and Iudas Iames sonne. These all continued wyth one accorde in prayer and supplicacion with the women and Mary the mother of Iesu, and with hys brethren.

C   &cross2; And in those dayes Peter stode vp in the myddes of the dyscyples and sayde (the numbre of names that were together, were about an hundred and twenty) Ye men and brethren this scripture muste haue nedes ben fulfilled, which the holy ghost through þe; mouth of Dauid spake before of Iudas, whiche was gyde to them that toke Iesus. For he was noumbred wyth vs and had obtayned felowshype in this ministracion. ^noteAnd the same hath now possessed a plot of grounde with the rewarde of iniquitie, and when he was hanged, brast a sondre in the myddes. and all his bowels gushed out. And it is knowen vnto all the inhabiters of Ierusalem, in so much that, that felde is called in theyr mother tonge Acheldama, that is to say, the bloude fielde.

D    ^note&rhand; It is written in the boke of Psalmes: His habitacion be voide, and no man be dwelling ther in: and his Byshoprycke let another take. Wherfore of these men whiche haue companyed with vs all the tyme that the Lorde Iesus went in and oute among vs, beginning at þe; baptisme of Iohn, vnto that same daye that he was taken vp from vs, muste one be ordeyned to beare wytnes with vs of hys resurreccion.

^note&rhand; And they apoynted two, Ioseph called Barsabas (whose syr name was Iustus) and Mathias. And they praysed saiynge: thou Lorde whyche knowest the hertes af all men, shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen, that the one may take the roume of this mynystracion and Apostleshippe, from þt; which Iudas by transgression fel, that he myght go to his owne place. And they gaue forth theyr lottes, and the lot fell on Mathias, and he was counted with the eleuen Apostles. &cross3; ^note The .ij. Chapter. The comminge of the holye Ghost. The sermon of Peter before the congregation at Hierusalem, and the encrease of the faythfull.

A    ^noteWhen the fyfty daye was come, they were all with one accorde together in one place. And sodainly there came a sounde fr&obar; heauen, as it had bene the comynge of a myghty wynd, and it filled al the housse where they sate. And there appeared vnto them clouen tounges, lyke as they had bene fyre, and it sate vpon eche of them, and they were all filled with the holye ghoste, and began to speake wyth other tounges, euen as the spyryte gaue them vtteraunce.

B    ^noteAnd there were dwelling at Hierusalem Iewes, deuout men, whyche were of all nations vnder heauen. When thys was noysed aboute, the multitude came together ∧ were astonied, because that euery man hearde them speake hys owne toung. They wondred all ∧ merueyled sayinge among them selues: Behold are not al these which speake of Galile? And how heare we euery m&abar; his own to&ubar;ge wherin we were borne? Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, and the inhabiters of Mesopotamia, of Iewry, and of Cappadocia, and of Ponthus and Asia, Phrysia, Pamphilia, and of Egypte, and of the parties of Libia, which is besyde Syren, and straungers of Rome, Iewes, and conuertes, Grekes, and Arabi&abar;s: we haue heard them speake: wyth our owne tounges the great workes of God. &cross3; They were all amased, and woundered saiynge one to another: what meaneth thys? Other mocked them sayinge: they are full of newe wyne.

&cross2; But Peter stepped forth wyth the eleuen, and lyfte vp his voyce, and sayed vnto them: Ye men of Iewrye, and all ye that inhabite Hierusalem: be thys knowen vnto you, and wyth youre eares heare my wordes. These art not drounke, as ye suppose, for it is yet but the thyrde houre of the day. ^note C   But thys is that which was spoken by the Prophet Iohel: It shal be in the laste daies saith God, of my spirite: I wil pour out vpon all flesh. And your sonnes and daughters shal prophesie, ∧ your youngmen shal se visions, and your oldmen shall dreame dreames. And on my seruauntes and on my handmaydens, I wyll pour out of my spirite in those dayes, and they shall prophesye. And I wyll shewe wounders in heau&ebar; aboue, and tokens in the earth beneth, bloude ∧ fyre, and the vapoure of smoke. The sonne shalbe turned into darckenes, and the mone into bloude, before that greate and notable day of the Lorde come. And it shall be, that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saued. &cross3;

D    ^{note note}&cross2; Ye men of Israel heare these wordes: Iesus of Nazareth, a m&abar; approued of God amonge you wyth miracles, woundres, and signes whiche God dyd by hym in the middes of you, as ye your selues knowe: hym haue ye taken by the handes of vnryghtuous persons after he was delyuered by the determinate counsell and for knowledge of God, and haue crucifyed and slayne: whom God hath raysed vp and lowsed the sorowes of deathe, because it was vnpossible þt; he shoulde be holden of it. ^noteFor Dauid speaketh of hym afore hand. I sawe the Lorde alwayes before me: For he is on my ryghte hande, that I shoulde not be moued. Therefore dyd my herte reioice, and my tounge was glad. ^noteMoreouer also my fleshe shall reste in hope, because thou wylt not leaue my soule in hel, neyther wylte suffer thine holy, to se corrupti&obar;. Thou hast shewed me the wayes of lyfe, and shalte make me full of ioye, &wt; thy countenaunce. &cross3;

^noteMen and brethren, let me frely speake vnto you of þe; patriarche Dauid: For he is both dead and buryed, and hys sepulchre remaineth wyth vs vnto this daye. Therfore seiyng he was a Prophet, and knew that God had sworne wyth an othe to hym, that the fruyte of hys loynes shoulde sit on hys seat (in that Christ shoulde ryse agayne in the flesh) he sawe before: and spake of the resurreccion of Christ, that hys soule shoulde not be lefte in hell: neyther hys fleshe should se corruption. Thys Iesus hath God raised vp wher of we all are witnesses.

F    ^noteSence nowe that he by the ryght hand of God is exalted, and hath receiued of þe; father the promyse of the holy ghost, he hath shed forth, that whyche ye now se and heare. For Dauid is not ascended into heauen: but he sayd: The Lord said to my Lord, syt on my ryght h&abar;de vntyll I make thy fooes thy fote stole. So therefore let all the house of Israell knowe for a surety, that God hath made the same Iesus whom ye haue crucifyed, bothe Lord and Christe.

&rhand; When they hearde this, they were prycked in their hertes, and sayd vnto Peter and vnto the other Apostles. Ye men and brethr&ebar;, what shall we do? Peter sayde vnto them: repent and be baptysed euerye one of you in the name of Iesus Christe for the remissi&obar; of sinnes, and ye shall receiue the gifte of the holye ghost. For the promyse was made vnto you and to your chyldren, ∧ to all that are a farre, euen as manye as the Lorde oure God shall call. And wyth manye other wordes bare he wytnes and exhorted th&ebar; saiynge: Saue your selues from thys vntowarde generacion. Th&ebar; they þt; gladlye receiued his preachinge, were baptysed, and the same daye there were added vnto them about thre thousande soules.

G    ^noteAnd they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowshyppe, and in breakyng of bread, and in praier. And feare came ouer euery soule. And many woundres ∧ signes were shewed by the Apostles. And all that beleued kept them selues together, and had all thinges commen, and solde their possessions and goodes, and departed th&ebar; to all men as euery m&abar; had nede. And they contynued dayly wyth one accorde in the temple and brake bread in euerye house, and dyd eate their meate together, with gladnes and singlenes of hert praisynge

God, and had fauour wyth all þe; people: And the Lorde added to the congregacion dayly suche as should be saued. The .iij. Chapter. The halte is restored to hys fete. Peter preacheth Christe to the people.

A    ^notePeter and Iohn wente vp together into the temple at þe; nynth houre of prayer. And ther was a certayne man halte from hys mothers wombe, whome they broughte and layed at the gate of the temple called beutifull, to axe almes of them that entred into the t&ebar;ple. Whyche same when he sawe Peter and Iohn, that they woulde into the temple, desiered to receiue an almes. And Peter fastened hys eyes on hym wyth Iohn and sayed: loke on vs. And he gaue heede vnto them, trustynge to receyue somethinge of them. Then sayed Peter: Syluer and gold haue I none, suche as I haue geue I the. In the name of Iesu Christ of Nazareth, ryse vp ∧ walke. And he toke hym by the right hande, and lyft him vp. And immedyatlye B   hys fete and ancle bones receyued strenght. And he sprange, stode and also walked, and entred wyth them into the temple, walkynge and leaping and laudinge God.

And all the people sawe hym walke and laude God. And they knewe hym that it was he whyche sate and begged at the beutyfull gate of the temple. And they wondred ∧ were sore astonied at that, which had happened vnto hym. And as the halte whych was healed held Peter and Iohn, all the people ran amased vnto them in Solomons porche.

C   &rhand; When Peter saw that, he aunswered vnto the people:&cross2; ye men of Israel why maruaile ye at this or why loke ye so stedfastly on vs as though by our owne power or holines, we had made this man go. ^noteThe God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob, the God of our fathers hath glorified hys sonne Iesu, whom ye delyuered and denyed in the presence of Pylate, when he had iudged hym to be lowsed. But ye denyed the holye and iuste: and desyred a mortherer to be geuen you and kylled the05Q1390 Lorde of lyfe, whom god hath raysed from death, of the whiche we are wytnesses. And hys name through the fayth of his name, hath made this man sound: wh&obar; ye se and knowe. And the fayth whych is by hym, hath geuen to hym thys health in the presence of you all.

D   And nowe brethren I wote well þt; through ignoraunce ye dyd it, as did also your heades. But those thinges whyche God before had shewed, by the mouth of all hys prophetes, howe that Christe shoulde suffer, he hath thus wyse fulfilled. Repent ye therfore and turne, that youre synnes maye be done awaye. &cross3; Wh&ebar; the tyme of refreshing commeth, which we shall haue of the presence of þe; Lorde, and when God shal sende hym, which before was preached vnto you, that is to wytte, Iesus Christe, whiche he must receiue heauen, ^note vntyl the tyme that al thinges (which God hath spoken by the mouthe of all hys holye Prophetes sence the worlde beganne) be restored agayne.

^noteFor Moyses sayd vnto the fathers: A Prophete shall the Lorde youre God raise vp vnto you, euen of youre brethren lyke vnto me: hym shall ye heare in all thynges, whatsoeuer he shall saye vnto you. For the tyme wyll come, that euerye soule, whyche shal not heare that same prophete, shal be destroyed from amonge the people. Also all the Prophetes from Samuel and thence forth, as manye as haue spoken, haue in lykewyse tolde of these dayes.

^noteYe are the chyldren of the prophetes and of the couenaunt, which God hath made vnto our fathers saiynge to Abraham: Eu&ebar; in thy sede shall all þe; kynredes of the earthe be blessed. Fyrste vnto you hath God raysed vp his sonne Iesus, and hym he hath sent to blesse you, that euery one of you shuld turne from your wickednes. ^note The .iiij. Chapter. The Apostles are taken and broughte before the co&ubar;cell. They are forbidden to preache, but they turne them vnto prayer, and are more obediente vnto God then vnto men.

A    ^noteAs they spake vnto the people: the Priestes and the Rular of the Temple, and the Saduces came vpon them, taking it greuouslye that they taughte the people and preached05Q1391 in Iesus the resurreccion frome deathe. And layed h&abar;des on them, and putte them in holde vntyll the nexte daie, for it was nowe euen tyde.

&rhand; Howe be it, manye of them which hearde the wordes, beleued: and the numbre of þe; men was about fyue thousande.

And it chaunced on the morowe that theyr rulars, and elders, and scribes, as Annas the chiefe Prieste, and Cayphas, and Iohn, and Alexander, and as many as were of the hye priestes gathered together at Ierusalem, and set them before them, ∧ axed: by what power or in what name haue ye done this syrs? B    ^note&cross2; Then Peter full of the holy ghost sayed vnto them: ye rulars of the people, and elders of Israel, if we thys day are examined of the good dede done to the sicke m&abar; by what meanes he is made whole: be it knowen vnto you all and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Iesus Christe of Nazareth, ^note whom ye crucifyed, and whom God raysed agayne from deathe, euen by hym doth thys m&abar; st&abar;de here presente before you whole. This is the stone cast asyde of you builders, which is set in the chiefe place of the corner. Neither is ther saluacion in any other. Nor yet also is there any other name geuen to men wherin

we muste be saued. &cross3;

C   &rhand; When they sawe the boldnes of Peter ∧ Iohn and vnderstode that, they were vnlerned men and lay people, they meruailed, and they knew then that they were with Iesu: and beholdinge also the man whiche was healed standynge wyth them, they coulde not saye agaynst it. But they commaunded them to go a syde out of the counsell, and co&ubar;celed am&obar;ge them selues saiynge: what shall we do to these men? For a manifeste signe is done by them, and is openlye knowen to all them that dwell in Hierusalem, and we can not denie it. But þt; it be noised no further among the people, let vs threaten and charge them that they speake henceforth to no man in this name.

D    ^noteAnd they called them and commaunded them that in no wyse they should speake or teache in the name of Iesu. But Peter and Iohn aunswered to th&ebar; and sayd: whether it be ryght in þe; syght of God to obey you more then God, iudge ye. For we can not. But speake that whiche we haue sene and heard. So threatened they them and let them go, and founde nothinge howe to punyshe them, because of the people. For all men lauded God for the myracle which was done, for the man was aboue fourty yeare olde, on whom thys myracle of healynge was shewed.

E   Assone as they were let go, they came to their fellowes, and shewed all that the hye priestes and elders had sayed to them. And when they hearde that, they lifte vp their voices to God with one accorde, and saied: Lorde, thou art God, whiche haste made heauen and earth, the sea and al that in them is, whiche by the mouth of thy seruaunt Dauid hast said:

^noteWhy dyd the heathen rage, and the people imagyn vaine thinges. The kinges of þe; earth stode vp and þe; rulers came together, againste Lorde and agaynste his Chryste.

F   For of a trueth againste thy holy childe Iesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herode and also Poncius Pilate, with the Gentyls ∧ the people of Israel, gathered them selues together, for to do whatsoeuer thy hande and thy co&ubar;cell determined before to be done. And nowe Lorde, beholde their threateninges, and graunte vnto thy seruauntes with all confidence to speake thy worde. So þt; thou stretche forth thy hande, that healing and signes and wounders be done by the name of thy holye chylde Iesus. And assone as they had prayed, the place moued where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the holy ghoste, and they spake the worde of God boldlye.

G    ^note&cross2; And the multitude of them that beleued were of one herte, and of one soule. Also none of them said that anye of the thinges whyche he possessed, was his owne: but had all thinges commune. And with greate power gaue the Apostles wytnes of the resurreccion of the Lorde Iesus. And greate grace was geuen &wt; them all. Neyther was there anye amonge them that lacked. ^noteFor as manie as were possessours of landes and houses, sold them and broughte the price of the thinges, that were solde, and layed it doune at the Apostles fete. And distribution was made vnto euery man accordinge as he had nede. &cross3;

And Ioses who was also called of þe; Apostles Barnabas (that is to say the sonne of c&obar;solation) beynge a Leuite, and of the country of Cipers, had lande, and solde it, and laied the pryce doune at the Apostles fete. ^note The .v. Chapter. ¶ The dissemblinge of Ananias ∧ Sephira is punished: miracles are done by the Apostles, who are taken, but the Angell of God bringeth them out of pryson. They are broughte before the counsell, the sentence of Gamaliel, the Apostles are beat, they reioyce in trouble.

A    ^noteA certain man named Ananyas with Saphira his wyfe solde a possession, and kept awaye parte of the price (hys wyfe also beyng of counsel,) and brought a certain parte, and05Q1392 layd it doune at þe; Apostles fete. Then said Peter. Ananias, how is it, that Sathan hath fylled thyne hert, þt; thou shouldest lye vnto the holy ghost, and kepe awaye part of the pryce of the lyuelod: Pertained it not vnto the onelie, and after it was solde, was not the price in thine owne power? Howe is that, thou hast conceiued this thinge in thyne herte? Thou hast not lied vnto men, but vnto God. When Ananias hearde these wordes, he fell doune and gaue vp the ghost. And great feare came on all them that hearde these thinges. And the younge men rose vp, and put him a parte and caryed hym out, and buried him.

B   &rhand; And it fortuned as it were aboute þe; space of thre houres after that hys wyfe came in, ignoraunt of that whiche was done. And Peter sayed vnto her: Tell me, gaue ye þe; l&abar;de for so much? And she said: ye for so much. Then saied Peter vnto her: why haue ye agreed together to t&ebar;pte þe; spiryte of þe; Lorde? Beholde, þe; fete of th&ebar; whiche haue buried thy husb&abar;de, are at the dore, and shal cary the out. Th&ebar; she fell doune straighte waye at his fete, and yelded vp the ghoste. And the yonge men came in and founde her dead, and caryed her out ∧ buried her by her housbande. And great feare came on al the congregation, and on as manie as hearde it.

C    ^noteBy the handes of the Apostles were manie signes and wounders shewed amonge the people. And they were all together wyth one accorde in Solom&obar;s porch. And of other durst no man ioyne him selfe to them: neuerthelater the people magnifyed them. The numbre of them that beleued in the Lorde, both of men and wom&ebar;, grewe more and more: in so much that they broughte the sycke into the stretes, ∧ layed them on beddes and palettes, that at the leaste waye, the shaddowe of Peter when he

came by, myght shadowe some of th&ebar;. There came also a multitude out of the cyties round about vnto Hierusalem, bringinge sicke folke, and them whiche were vexed wyth vncleane spirites. And they were healed euery one.

D    ^noteThen the chiefe Prieste arose vp ∧ al they that were with hym (which is the seete of the Saduces) and were full of indignacion, and laied handes on the Apostles, and put them in the commune prison. But the Aungell of þe; Lorde by nyght opened the prison dores, and broughte th&ebar; forth, ∧ sayed: go, steppe forthe, and speake in the temple to the people all the wordes of this lyfe. When they heard þt;, they entred into the temple early in the mornynge and taught.

E   The chiefe Prieste came ∧ they that were with him, and called a counsell together, and all the elders of the children of Israell, ∧ sent to the prison to fetche them. When the mynisters came and founde them not in the prison, they returned and tolde saiynge: the pryson founde we shut as sure as was possible, and the kepers standynge wyth out before the dores. But when we had opened, we founde no man with in. When the chiefe Priest of al and the ruler of the temple and the hye Priestes heard these thinges, they doubted of th&ebar; whervnto thys woulde growe.

F   &rhand; Then came one and shewed them: beholde the men that ye put in prison, stande in the t&ebar;ple, and teache the people. Then went the ruler of the temple with ministers, and brought them without viol&ebar;ce. For they feared þe; people: least they should haue bene stoned. And when they had brought th&ebar;, they set them before the counsell. And the chiefe prieste axed them saiynge: dyd not we straytely c&obar;ma&ubar;de you, that ye shoulde not teach in this name. And behold ye haue fylled Hierusalem with your doctrine, and ye intended to brynge this mannes bloude vpon vs.

^notePeter and the other Apostles aunswered ∧ saied. We ought more to obey God, then m&ebar;. The God of our father raysed vp Iesus whom ye slewe and h&abar;ged on tree. Hym hath God lyfte vp with his ryght hand to be a ruler and a sauiour, for to geue repentaunce to Israell and forgeuenes of synnes? And we are hys recordes concerninge these thinges, ∧ also the holy ghost, whom God hath geu&ebar; to them that obey him. When they heard that they claue a sunder, ∧ sought meanes to slea them. ^noteThen stode ther vp one in the counsel, a pharisey named Gamaliel, a doctoure af law, had in aucthorite amonge all the people, and commaunded to put the Apostles a syde a litel space, and saide vnto them: M&ebar; of Israel take hede to youre selues what ye entende to do as touching these men. ^noteBefore these dayes rose vp one Theudas bostynge him selfe: to wh&obar; resorted a numbre of men, aboute a foure hundred which was slaine, and they all which beleued him: were scatred abroade, ∧ brought to nought. ^noteAfter this man, arose ther vp one Iudas of Galile in the tyme when tribute beg&abar;, and drewe awaie muche people after him. He also perished, and all euen as manye as harkened to hym: are scattered abroade.

G   &rhand; And nowe I saye vnto you: refrayne youre selues from these men, let them alone. For if the counsel of this worke be of men, it wil come to nought. But and if it be of God ye can not destroye it, leaste haply ye be fo&ubar;d to striue against god. And to h&ibar; they agreed, and called the Apostles, and beate them, and commaunded that they shoulde not speake in the name of Iesu, and let them go.

&rhand; And they departed from the counsel, reioysinge that they were counted worthy, to suffer rebuke for his name. And dayly in the temple and in euerye house they ceased not, teachinge and preachinge Iesus Christe. ^note The .vi. Chapter. Ministers or Deacons are ordeined in the congregation, to do seruice in necessarye thinges of the bodye, that the Apostles may wayte only vp&obar; the worde of God. Stephan is accused.

A    ^noteIn those dayes as the numbre of the disciples grewe, ther arose a a grudge amonge the Grekes agaynste the Hebrues, because their05Q1393 widdowes were despysed in the dayly ministracion. Then þe; twelue called the multitude of the dysciples together and saide: it is not mete that we shoulde leaue the worde of God and serue at the tables. Wherfore brethren, loke ye out amonge you seu&ebar; men of honeste reporte, and full of the holye ghoste and wysdome, whyche we maye apoint to this nedfull busines. But we wyl geue our selues contiuually to prayer, and to the ministracion of the word. And the saiynge pleased the whole multitude. And they chose B   Stephan a man full of faieth and of the holye ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nichanor, and Timon, and Permenas, and Nicholas a conuerte of Antioche. Whiche they set before the Apostles, and they praied and05Q1394 laide their handes on them.

C    ^noteAnd the worde of God encreased, and the numbre of the disciples multiplyed in Hierusalem greatly, and a great companye of the priestes were obedient to the faith. &cross2; And Stephane ful of fayth and power, dyd greate wounders and miracles amonge the people. Then arose certaine of the Synagoge, whyche are called Lybertines and Syrenites, and of Alexandria, and of Cilicia, and Asia, and disputed with Stephan. And they could not resist the wysdome, and the spyryte &wt; whyche

he spake. Then sent they in men, whiche said: we haue heard him speake blasphemous wordes against Moyses and against God. And they moued the people and the elders and the scribes: and came vpon him and caught hym, and brought him to the counsell and brought forth false witnesses whiche sayde. D   This man ceaseth not to speake blaspemous wordes against thys holy place, and the lawe, for we hearde him saie: this Iesus of Nazareth shall destroye this place, and shal chaung the ordinaunces, which Moises gaue vs. And al that sate in the counsel loked stedfastlye on hym, and saw hys face as it had bene the face of an aungel. ^{note note} The .vij. Chapter. Stephan maketh aunswere to hys accusati&obar;, rebuketh the hardenecked Iewes, and is stoned to death.

A    ^noteThen sayde the chiefe priest: is it euen so? And he sayde: ye men, brethren, and fathers, hark&ebar; to. The God of glorye appeared vnto our father Abrah&abar; whyle he was yet in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, ∧ saied to him: come oute of thy co&ubar;trey ∧ from thy kynred, and come into the lande, whiche I shall shewe the. ^noteThen came he out of the lande of Chaldey, and dwelt in Charran. And after that assone as his father was dead he brought him into thys lande, in whiche ye now dwell, and he gaue him none inheritaunce in it, no not the bredeth of a fote: but promised that he would geue it to hym to possesse, and to his seed after him, wh&ebar; as yet he had no chylde.
^noteGod verely spake on this wyse that his sede should be a dweller in a straung land, ∧ that they should kepe them in bondage ∧ entreate them euyll .iiij.C. yeares. ^noteBut the nacion to whome they shalbe in bondage, will I iudge, sayed God. And after that shall they come forth and serue me in this place. And he gaue hym the couena&ubar;t of circumcision. And he begat Isaac, and circumcised him the .viij. daye and Isaac begatte Iacob, and Iacob þe; twelue Patriarches.

B    ^noteAnd the patriarches hauinge indignacion sold Ioseph into Egypt. And God was wyth him, and deliuered him out of all his aduersities and gaue him fauoure and wysdome in the sight of Pharao kynge of Egypt, whiche made him gouerner ouer Egypte, and ouer al his houshold.

Then came there a derth ouer all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, that our fathers founde no sustenaunce. But when Iacob hearde that there was crone in Egypt: he sent our fathers first. ^noteAnd at the seconde tyme, Ioseph was knowen of hys brethren, and Iosephes kinred was made know&ebar; vnto Pharao. Then sente Ioseph and caused hys father to be brought and all his kyn, thre score and .xv.05Q1395 soules. ^noteAnd Iacob descended into Egypte, and dyed both he and our fathers, and were translated into Sichem, and were put in the sepulcher, that Abraham bought for money of the sonnes of Emor, at Sichem.

C    ^noteWhen the tyme of the promys drue nye, (which God had sworne to Abraham) þe; people grew and multiplied in Egypte, tyll another kyng arose, whiche knew not of Ioseph. The same dealt subtely wyth oure kynred, ∧ euyll intreated oure fathers, and made them to caste out theyr yonge chyldr&ebar;, þt; they should not remayne aliue. ^noteThe same time was Moises borne, and was a proper chylde in þe; sight of God, whiche was nourished vp in hys fathers house thre monethes. Wh&ebar; he was cast out Pharaos doughter toke him vp, ∧ nourished hym vp for her owne sonne. And Moises was learned in al maner wysdome of the Egyptians, and was mighty in dedes and in wordes.

And when he was full forty yeare old, it came into his herte to vysyte his brethren the chyldren of Israell. And when he sawe one of them suffer wronge, he defended hym and auenged his quarel that had the harme done to hym, and smote the Egyptian. For he supposed his brethren woulde haue vnderstande how that God by his handes should saue th&ebar;. But they vnderstode not.

D    ^note&rhand; And the nexte daye he shewed hym selfe vnto th&ebar; as they stroue, and woulde haue set them at one againe saiyng: Syrs, ye are brethren, why hurte ye one another? But he that dyd his neighboure wr&obar;ge, thrust him awaie sayinge: who made the a ruler and a iudge am&obar;ge vs? What, wilt thou kyll me, as thou dydest the Egyptian yester daye? Then fled Moyses at that saiyng, and was a straunger in the lande of Madyan, where he begatte two sonnes.

^noteAnd when .xl. yeares were expired, ther appeared to him in the wyldernes of mount Sina, an aungel of the Lord in a flamme of fyre in a bushe. When Moyses saw it he woundred at the sight. And as he drue near to behold, the voice of the Lord came vnto hym. I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abrah&abar; the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob? Moises trembled and durst not behold. Th&ebar; sayde the Lorde to him: Put of thy shewes from thy fete, for the place where thou standeste, is holye grounde. ^noteI haue perfectly sene

the affliction of the people, which is in Egipt and I haue heard their groninge, ∧ am come doune to deliuer them. And nowe come, and I wyl sende the into Egypte.

E   This Moyses whom they forsoke saiyng: who made the a ruler and a iudge, the same God sente both a ruler and a deliuerer, by the handes of the angell, whiche appeared to him in the bushe. And the same brought them out shewing woundres and signes in Egypte, ∧ in the red sea, and in the wildernes .xl. yeares. ^noteThis is that Moises which said vnto the children of Israell: A Prophet shall the Lorde your God rayse vp vnto you of youre brethren, lyke vnto me, him shal ye heare.

&rhand; This is he that was in the congregation, in the wyldernes wyth the aungell, whyche spake to hym in the mounte Syna, and wyth oure fathers. This man receiued the worde of lyfe to geue vnto vs, to whom our fathers woulde not obey, but cast it from them, and in their hertes turned backe againe into Egipt, saiynge vnto Aaron: ^note Make vs Gods to go before vs. For this Moises that broughte vs out of the lande of Egipte, we wote not what is become of him. And they made a calfe in those dayes, and offred sacrifices, vnto the ymage, and reioysed in the workes of their owne handes.

Then God turned him selfe, and gaue th&ebar; vp that they shoulde worship the starres of þe; skye, as it is written in the boke of the Prophetes. ^noteO ye of the house of Israell, gaue ye to me sacrifyces and meate offeringes by the space of .xl. yeare in the wildernes? And ye toke vnto you the tabernacle of05Q1396 Moloch, ∧ the star of your God R&ebar;phan, figures which ye made to worshippe them. And I wil tr&abar;slate you beyonde Babylon.

F    ^noteOur fathers had the tabernacle of witnes in the wildernes, as he had apoynted th&ebar; speaking vnto Moyses, that he shoulde make it accordynge to the fashy&obar; that he had sene, Whiche tabernacle our fathers receiued, and brought it in with Iosue into the possession of the Gentils, whiche God draue out before þe; face of our fathers vnto the tyme of Dauid. ^noteWhich found fauour before God, and desired that he myght fynde a tabernacle for the God of Iacob. But Solomon buylt hym an house.

Howe be it he that is hyest of all, dwelleth not in temples ^note made with handes, as sayth the prophet: Heauen is my seate, and earth is my fotestole, what house wil ye builde for me sayed þe; Lorde? or what place is that I should reste in? hath not my hande made all these thinges.

&rhand; Ye styfe necked, and of vncyrcumcysed hertes and eares, ye haue al wayes resisted þe; holye ghoste as your fathers dyd, so do ye. Whyche of the prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted? And they haue slayne them, which shewed before of the c&obar;minge of þe; iuste whom ye haue nowe betrayed and mordred. And ye also haue receiued a lawe by the ordinaunce of aungels, and haue not kepte it.

G   &rhand; Wh&ebar; they heard these th&ibar;ges, their hertes claue a sunder, and they gnashed on him with theyr tethe. But he beynge full of the holye ghoste: loked vp stedfastly wyth his eyes into heauen, and sawe the glorye of God, ∧ Iesus standynge on the ryghte hand of God, ∧ sayde: beholde, I se the heauens open, and the sonne of man standynge on the ryght hande of God. Then they gaue a shut wyth a loude voice, and stopped their eares, and ranne vp&obar; hym al at once, and cast him out of the cytie, ∧ stoned him. And the witnesses layde doune theyr clothes at a yonge mannes fote named Saul. ^noteAnd they stoned Stephan calling on ∧ saiyng: Lord Iesu receiue my spyryte. And he kneled doune and cryed with a loude voice: Lord laye not thys sinne to their charge. And when he had thus spoken: he fel a slepe. &cross3; ^{note note} The .viij. Chapter. ¶ Saule persecuteth the Christen. The Apostles are scattered abroade. Phylippe commeth into Samaria. Simon Magus is baptised. He dissembleth. Philippe baptyseth the chamberlaine.

A    ^noteSaul had pleasure in hys death. And at þe; tyme ther was a great persecution agaynste þe; c&obar;gregati&obar;, whiche was at Ierusalem, ∧ they were all scattered abroade thorowout þe; regi&obar;s of Iury ∧ Samaria, excepte þe; Apostles. Th&ebar; deuout m&ebar; dressed Steph&abar;, ∧ made great lam&ebar;tation ouer hym. But Saul made hauoke of þe; congregaci&obar; entring into euery house, and drewe oute bothe man and woman, and thruste them into prysone. They that were scatered abroade, w&ebar;te euery where preaching the word. ^noteThen came Philyp into a cytye of Samarya, and preached Christe vnto them. And the people gaue hede vnto those thinges, whiche Philippe spake, wyth one accord, in that they heard and sawe the miracles which he dyd. For vncleane spyrites criynge with loude voyce, came out of manye that were possessed of them. And manye taken wyth palsyes, and manye that halted, were healed.

B    ^noteAnd ther was greate ioye in þe; citye. And ther was a certaine man called Simon, which before tyme in þe; same citye, vsed wytchcraft and bewitched the people of Samarye, sayinge that he was a man that coulde do greate thinges. Whom they regarded, from the lest to the greatest, saiyng: this felow is the great power of God. And hym they set much by: because that of long tyme he had mocked th&ebar; with sorcery. But assone as they beleued Philippes preachinge of the kyngedome of God and of the name of Iesu Christe, they were baptysed both men and women. Then Symon hym selfe beleued also, and was baptysed,

and continued wyth Philip, and woundred beholdinge the miracles ∧ signes whiche were shewed.

C    ^note&cross2; When the Apostles whiche were at Ierusalem hearde saye, that Samaria had receiued the word of God, they sente vnto them Peter and Iohn. Whyche when they were come prayed for them that they myght receiue the holy ghost. For as yet he was come on none of them, but they were baptysed onlye in the name of Christ Iesu. Th&ebar; laied they theyr handes on th&ebar;05Q1397 ∧ they receiued þe; holy ghost. &cross3; When Simon saw that thorow laiyng on of the Apostles h&abar;des on th&ebar;, þe; holy ghoste was geuen, he offred th&ebar; money saiyng: Geue me also this power, that on wh&obar;soeuer I put the handes, he may receiue the holy ghost. Then sayd Peter vnto him: thy money perishe with the, because thou wenest that the gift of God maye be obteyned &wt; money. Thou hast neither parte nor fellowshippe in thys busynes. For the hert is not ryght in the sight of God. Repent therfore of this thy wyckednes, and praye God, that the thought of thyne herte maye be forgeu&ebar; the. For I perceiue, þt; thou art full of bitter gal, ∧ wrapped in iniquitie. D   &rhand; Then aunswered Simon, and said: praye ye to the Lord for me, that none of these thinges, which ye haue spok&ebar; fal on me. And they when they had testified and preached þe; worde of the Lorde returned towarde Ierusalem, ∧ preached the Gospel in manie cities of the Samaritans.

&cross2; Then the aungel of the Lorde spake vnto Philippe, saiynge: aryse and go Southward vnto the way, that goeth doune from Ierusalem vnto Gaza, which is in the desert. And he arose and wente on. And beholde a man of Ethiopia, whiche was a chamberlayne, and of greate auctorite with Candace quene of the Ethiopians, and had the rule of all her treasure, came to Hierusalem for to praye. And as he returned home againe sittinge in hys charet, he reade Esay the prophete.

E   Then the spyrite sayed to Phylippe: God neare, and ioyne thy selfe to yonder charete. And Philippe ranne to him, and hearde hym reade the Prophete Esaias and saied: Vnderstandeste thou what thou readeste? And he saied: how c&abar; I excepte I had a gyde? And he desiered Philyp, that he woulde come vp and syt wyth hym. The tenoure of the scripture whiche he reade, was thys. He was led as a shepe to be slaine, and lyke a Lambe dombe before his sherar, so opened he not his mouth: 05Q1398 Because of hys h&ubar;blenes, he was not estemed: who shall declare hys generacyon? ^note for his lyke is taken from the earth. The chamberlayne aunswered Phylippe, and sayed: I pray the of wh&obar; speaketh the Prophete this? of him selfe, or of some other man?

F   And Philippe opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached vnto him Iesus. And as they wente on their waye, they came vnto a certaine water, and the ch&abar;berlaine sayed: Se here is water, what shall let me to be baptysed? Philyp saide vnto him: If thou beleue with all thyne herte, thou maieste. He aunswered and saied, I beleue that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God. And he commaunded the charete to stande styll. And they went doune both into the water: both Philippe and also the chamberlayne, and he baptysed him. And assone as they were come out of the water, the spyryte of the Lorde caught awaye Phylip, that the chamberlayne sawe him no more. And he went on his waie reioysinge: but Philippe was found at Azotus. And he walked thorow out the countrie preachynge in theyr cytyes, tyll he came to Cesarea. &cross3; ^{note note} The .ix. Chapter. Paul is conuerted, and confoundeth the Iewes. Peter rayseth Tabytha.

A    ^{note note}And Saul yet breathynge out threatening ∧ slaughter against the Disciples of the Lorde, went vnto þe; hye priest, and desired of him letters to Damasco to the synagoges that if he founde anye of thys way, whether they were men or women, he mighte bring them bound vnto Hierusalem. ^noteBut as he went on his iorneye, and was come nye to Damasco, sodenly there shyned round aboute him a lyght from heauen, ∧ he fell to þe; earth, and hearde a voice saiyng to him: Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me? And he saide: what art thou Lorde? And the Lorde saide: I am Iesus whom thou persecutest it shalbe hearde for the to kycke agaynste the prycke. And he both tremblinge and astonied sayde: Lorde what wylt thou haue me to do? And þe; Lorde sayde vnto hym: aryse, and go into the cytye, and it shal be tolde what thou shalt do.

B   Then the men whiche iornyed wyth hym stode amased, for they heard a voice, but sawe no man. And Saul arose from the earth, and opened his eyes, but saw no man. Then led they hym by the hande, and broughte him into Damasco. And he was thre dayes &wt; out sight ∧ neyther eate nor dr&abar;ke. ^noteAnd ther was a certaine disciple at Damasco, named Ananias, ∧ to hym sayd þe; Lorde in a vision: Ananias. And he sayd: beholde I am here Lorde.

And the Lorde sayd vnto him: aryse, and go into the streat, whiche is called strayght, and seke in the house of Iudas, after one called Saul of Tharsus. For beholde he prayeth, ∧ hath sene in a visi&obar; a man named Ananias c&obar;minge in to hym, and putting hys handes on him that he myght receiue hys sight.

C   &rhand; Then Ananias aunswered: Lord, I haue heard by many of this man, how much euyll he hath done to thy05Q1399 sainctes at Ierusal&ebar;, and here he hath auctorite of the hye Pryestes to bynd all that call on thy name. The Lorde said vnto him: go thy wayes for he is a chosen vessel vnto me, to beare me name before the gentyls and kynges, and the chyldren of Israel. For I wil shew hym howe greate thinges he muste suffer for my names sake.

Ananias went hys waye and entred into the house, and put his handes on him, ∧ said: brother Saul the Lord that appeared vnto þe; in the waye as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou myghtest receiue thy sight, and be fylled with the holy ghoste. And immediatly ther fel from hys eyes as it had bene scales, and he receiued sight and arose and was baptised, and receiued meate, and was conforted.

D    ^noteThen was Saul certaine dayes wyth the dyscyples whyche were at Damasco. And straight way he preached Christ in the Synagoges, howe that he was the sonne of God. All that heard him, were amased and sayde: is not this he that spoiled them, whiche called on this name in Hierusalem, and came hyther for the intente that he shoulde brynge them bounde vnto the hye priestes? But Saul encreased in strengthe, and confounded þe; Iewes whiche dwelte at Damasco affirminge that this was verye Christe. &cross3;

E    ^note&rhand; And after a good whyle, the Iewes toke counsell together to kyl him. But their laying awaite was knowen of Saule. ^noteAnd they watched at the gates day and night, to kyl hym, then the disciples toke hym by nyght and put hym thorow the wall, and let him doune in a basket.

And when Saule was come to Hierusal&ebar; he assaied to couple him selfe wyth the dyscyples and they were all afraied of him and beleued not that he was a dyscyple. But Barnabas toke hym and broughte hym to the Apostles and declared to them, howe he had sene the Lorde in the waye, and had spoken wyth hym: and howe he had done boldlye at Damasco in the name of Iesu. And he had his c&obar;uersation wyth them at Hierusalem, and quit hymselfe boldlie in the name of the Lorde Iesus. And he spake and disputed with the Grekes: and they wente aboute to slea him. But when the brethren knew of that, they brought him to Cesaria, and sent him forth to Tharsus. Then had the congregations reste thorowe out all Iewry and Galile and Samarie, and were edified, and walked in the feare of the Lorde, and multiplied by the confort of the holy ghoste.

F    ^noteAnd it cha&ubar;ced that as Peter walked thorow out al quarters, he came to the sainctes, whiche dwelt at Lydda, and there he founde a certaine m&abar; named Eueas, which had kepte his bed .viij. yere sycke of þe; palsey. Then saied Peter vnto hym: Eneas, Iesus Christe make the whole. Aryse, and make thy bed. And he arose immediatlie. And all that dwelte at Lidda and Assaron, sawe hym, and turned to the Lorde.

^noteTher was at Ioppa a certaine woman, (which was a disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Doreas) the same was ful of good workes and almes dedes, whiche she did. And it cha&ubar;sed in those daies that she was sicke and dyed. When they had washed her, and layed her in a chamber: Because Lidda was nye to Ioppa, and the discyples had hearde, that Peter was there, they sent vnto hym, desieringe hym that he would not be greued to come vnto them.

G   Peter arose and came wyth them ∧ when he was come, they brought him into the chamber. And all the wydowes stode round about him wepynge and shewynge the cotes ∧ garmentes, whyche Dorcas made whyle she was wyth them. And Peter put them al forth and kneled doune, and praied and turned him to the bodye, and saied: Tabitha, aryse. And she opened her eyes, and when she sawe Peter she sat vp. And he gaue her the hande, and lyfte her vp, and called the Sayntes and wydowes, and sheweth her alyue. And it was knowen thorowe out all Ioppa, and many beleued on the Lorde. And it fortuned that he taried manye dayes in Ioppa wyth one Sim&obar; a tanner. ^note The .x. Chapter. ¶ The vision that Peter sawe, Howe he. was sente to Cornelius. The heathen also receiue the spiryte and are baptysed.

A    ^noteThere was a certain man in Cesaria, called Cornelius, a captaine of the souldiers of Italy, a deuout man, ∧ one þt; feared God &wt; al his houshold whiche gaue much almes to the people, and prayed God alway. The same man saw in a vision euydently aboute the ninth houre of the daye, an aungel of God commyng in to hym, and saiyng vnto him: Cornelius. When he loked on hym he was afraid and said, what is it Lord? He sayed vnto hym:05Q1400 Thy prayers and all thy almeses are come vp into remembraunce before God.

&rhand; And now send men to Ioppa and call for

one, Symon named also Peter. He lodgeth &wt; one Symon a tanner, whose house is by the sea syde. He shall tell the, what thou oughtest to do. When the aungell whiche spake vnto Cornelius, was departed, he called two of his housholde seruauntes, and a deuout souldier of them that waited on him and told them all the mater, and sent them to Ioppa.

B    ^noteOn the morow as they wente on theyr iourneye, and drewe nye vnto the cytie, Peter wente vp into the toppe of the house to praye about the .vi. houre. Then wexed he an houngred, and woulde haue eaten. But whyle they made ready, he fell into a traunce, and sawe heauen opened, and a certaine vessel come doune vnto hym as it had bene a greate sheete knyte at the .iiij. corners, and was let doune to the earth, wherin were all maner of .iiij. foted beastes of the earth, and verm&ebar; and wormes, and foules of the ayer. And ther came a voyce to hym: ryse Peter kyll and eate. But Peter sayed: God forbydde Lorde, for I haue neuer eaten anye thynge that is comen or vncleane. And the voyce spake vnto hym agayne the seconde tyme: what God hath clensed, that make thou not comm&ebar;. This was done thrise, and the vessell was receyued vp againe into heauen.

C   &rhand; While Peter mused in himself: what this vision, whiche he had sene, meant: beholde, the men whiche were sente from Cornelius had made inquiraunce for Simons house, ∧ stode before the dore. And called oute one and axed, whither Simon, whiche was also called Peter were lodged there. While Peter thoughte on thys vision, the spyryte sayed vnto hym: Beholde men seke the, aryse therfore, get the doune, and go with them, and doubt not, for I haue sent them, Peter went doune to the men, whiche were sent vnto hym from Cornelius, and saide. Beholde, I am he whom ye seke, what is the cause, wherfore ye are come? And they sayde vnto him: Cornelius the captaine, a iuste man, and one that feareth God, and of good reporte amonge al the people of the Iewes, was warned by an holye aungel to sende for the into hys house, and to heare wordes of the. Then called he th&ebar; in, and lodged them.

D   And on the morowe Peter wente awaye wyth them, and certaine brethren from Ioppa accompanyed him. And the thyrd daye entred they into Cesaria. And Cornelius wayted for them, and had called together his kinsmen, and speciall frendes. And as it chaunsed Peter to come in, Cornelius met him, and fel doune at his fete, and worshipped him. But Peter toke him vp saiynge: stand vp: for euen I me selfe am a man. And as he talked wyth him he came in, and founde manye that were come together. And he sayde vnto them: Ye knowe howe that it is an vnlawfull thynge for a man that is a Iewe, to companye or come vnto an aliaunte: but God hath shewed me that I should not cal any man commen, or vncleane: therfore came I vnto you wyth out saiynge naye, assone as I was sente for I axe therfore, for what intente haue ye sent for me?

E   &rhand; And Cornelius sayde: Thys daye nowe iiij. dayes I fasted and at the nynthe houre I prayde in my house: and beholde, a man stode before me in brighte clothinge, and sayd: Cornelius, thy prayer is hearde, and thine almes deades are had in remembraunce in the sight of God. Send therfore to Ioppa, and call for Simon whiche is also called Peter. He is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea syde, the which assone as he is come, shall speake vnto the. Then sent I for the immediatly, and thou hast wel done for to come. Nowe are we all here present before God, to heare al thinges that are commaunded vnto the of God.

^noteThen Peter opened hys mouth and saide: Of a trueth I perceyue, that God is not partyall, but in all people he that feareth hym and worketh rightuousnes, is accepted wyth hym.

F   &rhand; Ye knowe the preachinge that God sent vnto the chyldren of Israel, preachynge peace by Iesus Christe, whiche is Lorde ouer all thinges. &cross2; Whiche preaching was published thorow out all Iewry, and beganne in Galile, after the baptisme, whiche Iohn preached, howe God had annoynted Iesus of Nazareth wyth the holy ghost, and wyth power. Whiche Iesus went about doynge good, and healinge all that were oppressed of the deuils for God was wyth him. And we are witnesses of al thinges whiche he did in the lande of the Iewes and at Ierusalem: wh&obar; they slewe and honge on tree. Hym God reysed vp the thyrd daye, and shewed hym openlye, not to all the people, but vnto vs witnesses chosen before of God, whiche eate and dronke wyth him, after he arose from death.

G   &rhand; And he commaunded vs to preache vnto the people ∧ testifye that it is he that is ordeined of God a iudge of quicke and deade. ^{note note}To hym geue all the Prophetes witnes, that thorowe hys name, all that beleue in hym, shall receyue remission of sinnes. &cross3;

^note&cross2; Whyle Peter yet spake these wordes the holye Ghoste fel on all them whyche hearde the preaching. And they of the circumcision, whyche beleued, were astonied, as manye as came wyth Peter, because that on the G&ebar;tils, also was shede out the gyfte of þe; holy ghoste. For they heard them speake wyth tounges ∧ magnified God. Then aunswered Peter. C&abar; anye man forbydde water that these shoulde not be baptysed, whiche haue receyued the holye ghoste as well as we? And he commaunded them to be baptysed in the name of the Lorde. &cross3; Then prayed they hym to tarye a fewe dayes. ^note

The .xi. Chapter. Peter sheweth the cause wherfore he went to the heathen. Barnabas and Paul preach vnto the heath&ebar;. Agabus prophecieth of the derth to come.

A    ^noteAnd the Apostles and the brethr&ebar; þt; were thorowout Iewry, harde say that the heathen had also receyued the word of God. And when Peter was come vp to Hierusalem, they of the circuncysyon reasoned with him saiyng: Thou wentest into men vncircumcysed, and eatest with them.

&rhand; Then Peter began and expounded the thing in order to them saiyng: I was in the cytie of Ioppa praiynge, and in a traunce I sawe a vision, a certaine vessell descende, as it had bene a large linnen cloth, let doune from heauen by the fower corners, and it came to me. Into the which when I had fastned myne eyes, I consydered and sawe fower foted beastes of the earth, and vermen, wormes, and foules of the aier. And I hearde a voice saiyng vnto me, aryse Peter sley ∧ eate. And I saide: God forbid Lord, for nothing05Q1401 commen or vncleane, hath at anye tyme entred into my mouth. But the voice aunswered me agayne from heauen, count not thou those thinges c&obar;men, whiche God hath clensed. And this was done thre times: And all were taken vp againe into heauen.

B   &rhand; And beholde immediatly there were thre men come vnto the house where I was, sent from Cesarea vnto me, that I should go with them, wythout doubting. More ouer these sixe brethren accompanied me: and we entered into the mans house. And he shewed vs how he had sene an Angel in hys house, whiche stode and sayed to him. Sende men to Ioppa, and call for Simon named also Peter, he shal tell the wordes, wherby both thou and all thyne housse shal be saued. And as I beg&abar; to preach, the holy ghost fell on them, as he dyd on vs at the beginninge.

C    ^noteThen came to his remembraunce þe; wordes of the Lorde, howe he sayed: Iohn Baptised with water, but ye shal be baptysed wyth the holy ghost. For as much th&ebar; as God gaue them lyke giftes, as he dyd vnto vs, when we beleued on the Lord Iesus Christe: what was I that I shoulde haue withstand God? Wh&ebar; they heard thys, they helde their peace ∧ gloryfyed God, sayinge: then hath God also to the gentyls graunted repentaunce vnto lyfe.

D   &rhand; They whiche were scattered abroade thorowe the affliction that arose aboute Steph&abar;, walked thorowe oute tyll they came to Phenices and Cypers, and Antioche, preachinge the worde to no man, but vnto the Iewes onely. Some of them were men of Cypers ∧ Syrene, whyche when they were come into Antioche spake to the Grekes, and preached the Lorde Iesus. And the hande of the Lorde was with them, and a greate numbre beleued and turned to the Lorde.

^noteTydinges of these thynges came to the eares of the congregation, which was at Hierusalem. And they sent forth Barnabas that he should go vnto Antioche. Which when he was come, and had sene the grace of God, was gladd, and exhorted them all that wyth purpose of hert they woulde c&obar;tinually cleaue vnto the Lorde. For he was a good man, and ful of the holy ghoste and of faith: and much people was added vnto the Lord. ^noteThen departed Barnabas to Tharsus for to seke Saul. And when he had fo&ubar;de hym, he brought him vnto Antioche. And it chaunced that a whole yere they had theyr conuersation with þe; congregation there, and taught much people: in so much that the disciples of Antioche were þe; fyrst that were called christians.

In those dayes came Prophetes from Hierusal&ebar; vnto Antioche. And there stode vp one of them, named Agabus, and signified by the spyrite that there shoulde be greate derth thorowe out all the world, whiche came to passe in the Emperour Claudius daies. Then the disciples euery man accordinge to his abilite, purposed to send succoure vnto the brethren, which dwelt in Iewry. Whiche thynge they also dyd, and sente it to the elders, by the handes of Barnabas and Saule. ^note The .xij. Chapter. ¶ Herode persecuteth the Christians, kylleth Iames and putteth Peter in prison, whom the Lorde deliuereth by an Angell. The shamfull death of Herode. &cross2;

A    ^noteIn that tyme Herode the Kinge stretched forth hys handes to vexe certayne of the congregacyon. And he killeth Iames the brother of Iohn &wt; the swearde and because he sawe that it pleased the Iewes he proceaded forther, and toke Peter also. Th&ebar; were the dayes of swete bread. And when he had caught hym, he put hym in pryson, ∧ deliuered hym to ^note .iiij. quaternions of soudyers to be kept, entendynge after Easter to bryng hym forth to the people. Th&ebar; was Peter kept in pryson. But prayer was made without ceasing of the congregacyon vnto God for hym: And when Herode woulde haue brought him out to the people, the same nyght slept Peter betwene two souldiours bo&ubar;d with two chaynes, and the kepers before the dore kepte the pryson.

B    ^note&rhand; And beholde the aungell of the lorde was there presente, and a light shyned in þe; lodge. And he smote Peter on the syde, and stered hym vp, saiyng: aryse vp quickly. And hys chaynes fell of from hys handes. And the a&ubar;gell sayed vnto him: gyrde thy selfe, and bind on thy ^note sandales. And so he dyd. And he sayed vnto hym: cast thy mantle aboute the, ∧ folow me. And he came out, and folowed hym, and wist not that it was truthe, whiche was done by the aungell, but thought he had sene a vysion. When they were past the fyrste and the second watche, they came vnto the Iron gate, that leadeth vnto the citie which opened to th&ebar; by his owne accorde. And they went oute and passed thorowe one strete, and by and by the aungell departed from hym.

C   &rhand; And when Peter was come to hym selfe, he sayde. Nowe I knowe of a suretye, that the Lorde hath sent hys aungell, and hath delyuered me out of the hande of Herode, and from all the waytyng for of the people of þe; Iewes. And as he consydered the thynge, he came to the house of Mary the mother of one ^note Iohn which was called Marke also, where manye were gathered together in prayer. As Peter knocketh at the entry dore, a d&abar;sell came forth to herken, named Rhoda, when she knew Peters voyce, she opened not the entrey for gladnes, but ran in and tolde, how Peter stode before the entrey. And they sayde vnto her: thou arte mad. And she bare th&ebar; doune that it was euen so. Then sayde they: it is hys Aungel. But Peter contynued knockynge. And when they had opened the dore, and sawe hym, they were astonyed. And he beckened vnto them with the hande to holde theyr peace, and tolde them by what meanes the Lord hath brought hym out of the pryson. And he sayde: go shew these thynges vnto Iames, and to the brethr&ebar;. And he departed, and w&ebar;t into another place.

D   &rhand; Assone as it was daye, there was no litell a do amouge the soudyers, what was become of Peter. When Herode had called for hym, and founde hym not, he examined the kepers, and commaunded them to be caryed awaye. And he descended from Iewry to Cesarea, ∧ there abode. Herode was displeased with th&ebar; of Tyre ∧ Sydon, And they came all at once, and made intercessyon vnto Blastus þe; kinges chamberlayne, ∧ desyred peace, because theyr countrey was nouryshed by the kynges l&abar;de. And vpon a daye appoynted Herode arayed hym in royall apparell, and set hym in hys seate, and made an oracyon vnto them. And þe; people gaue a shout, saiyng: it is the voyce of a God, and not of a man. And immediatly þe; aungell of the Lorde ^note smote hym, because he gaue not God the glorye, and he was eaten of wormes, and gaue vp the ghost.

&rhand; And the worde of God grew and multyplyed. And Barnabas and Paul returned to Hierusalem, when they had fulfylled theyr offyce, and toke with them ^note Iohn whiche also called Marcus. The .xiij. Chapter. ¶ Paul and Barnabas are called to preache amonge the gentyls and heathen. Of Sergius Paulus ∧ Elymas the sorcerer, Paule preacheth at Antioche.

A    ^noteThere were at Antioche in the c&obar;gregacyon certayne05Q1402 Prophetes and teachers: as Barnabas and Symon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, ∧ Manahen.

Herode the Tetrarkes noursfelowe. and Saule. As they ministred to the Lorde and fasted, the holy ghost sayde: separate me Barnabas and Saule, for the worke where vnto I haue called them. Then fasted they and prayed, and05Q1403 put theyr handes on them, ∧ let them go. And they after they were sent of the holye ghost, came vnto Seleutia, ∧ from thence they sayled to Cyprus. And wh&ebar; they were come to Salamyne, they shewed þe; word of God in the synagoges of the Iewes. And they had Iohn to theyr minister.

B    ^noteWhen they had gone thorowout the yle vnto the citie of Paphos, they founde a certayne sorcerer, a false Prophet which was a Iewe named05Q1404 Bariesu, whiche was with the ruler of the countrey one Sergius Paulus a prud&ebar;t man. The same ruler called vnto hym Barnabas and Saule, and desyred to heare the word of God. ^noteBut Elymas the sorcerer (for so was hys name by interpretacyon) withstode th&ebar;, ∧ sought to turne awaye the ruler from þe; faith. ^noteThen05Q1405 Saul which also is called Paul be&ibar;g full of the holy ghost set hys eyes on hym, ∧ sayde. O full of all subteltie and disseytfulnes the chylde of the deuyll, and the enemye of all ryghteousnes, thou ceasest not to peruerte the strayghte wayes of the Lorde. And nowe beholde the hande of the Lorde is vpon the, and thou shalbe blynde, and not se the sunne for a season. And immediatlye there fell on hym a myste and a darcknes, and he wente about sekynge them that shoulde leade hym by the hande. Then the rular when he saw what had happened, beleued, and wondered at the doctryne of the Lorde.

^note&rhand; When they that were with Paule, were departed by shippe from Paphus, they came to Perga a cytie of P&abar;philia: and there Iohn departed from them, and returned to Ierusalem. But they wandred thorow the co&ubar;treys from Perga to Antioche a citie of the co&ubar;trye of Pisidia, and went into the synagoge on the Saboth daye, and sat doune. And after þe; law and the prophetes we read, the rulers of the synagoge sent vnto them, saiyng: Ye m&ebar; and brethren, yf ye haue anye sermon to exhort the people, saye on.

C    ^note&rhand; Then Paule stode vp, and beckened wyth the hande, and sayde: Men of Israell, and ye that feare God, geue audience. The God of thys people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as straungers in the lande of Egypt, and with a myghtye arme brought them out of it, and aboute the tyme of .xl. yeares suffred he theyr maners in þe; wyldernes. ^noteAnd he destroyed .vij. nacyons in the lande of Canan, and deuyded theyr lande to them by Lot. ^noteAnd afterwarde he gaue vnto them iudges about the space of05Q1406 iiij.C. and .l. yeares vnto the tyme of Samuel the prophet. And after that, they desyred a kyng, and God gaue vnto them Saul the sonne of Cis, a man of the trybe of Beniamin by the space of .xl. yeares. ^note D   And after he had put him doune, he set vp Dauid to be theyr kynge of whom he reported sayinge: I haue founde Dauid þe; s&obar;ne of Iesse, a man after myne owne hert, he shall fulfyll all my wyll.

^noteOf thys mans seed hath God (accordynge to hys promes) brought forth to the people of Israell a sauyour, one Iesus, when Iohn had fyrste preached before hys commyng the baptisme of rep&ebar;ta&ubar;ce to Israel. And when Iohn had fulfylled hys course he sayde: whome ye thinke that I am, the same am I not. But behold ther cometh one after me, whose shewes of hys fete I am not worthy to lowse.

E   &cross2; Ye men and brethren, chyldren of the generacyon of Abraham, and whosoeuer amonge you, feareth God, to you is this worde of saluacyon sente. The inhabiters of Ierusalem ∧ theyr rulers, because they knowe him not, nor yet the voices of þe; prophetes which are reade euerye Saboth daye, they haue fulfylled th&ebar; in condempnyng hym. And when they found no cause of death in hym, yet desyred they Pylate to kyll hym. ^noteAnd when they had fulfilled all that were written on hym, they toke hym doune from the tree, and put hym in a sepulchre. But God raysed hym agayne fr&obar; death, and he was sene manye dayes of th&ebar; whiche came with hym from Galile to Ierusalem, Which are hys wytnesses vnto the people.

And we declare vnto you, how that the promes made vnto the fathers, God hath fulfylled vnto vs theyr childr&ebar;, in that he raysed vp Iesus agayne, &cross3; euen as it is wryten in the fyrste psalme: ^note Thou arte my sonne, thys same daye begat I the. As concernyng that he raysed hym vp from death, nowe no more to returne to corrupcion, he sayed on thys wyse. The holy promyses made to Dauid, ^note I wyll geue them faythfully to you. Wherfore he sayth also in another place: Thou shalte not suffer thyne holy one to se corrupcyon. Howbeit Dauid after he had in hys tyme fulfylled the wyll of God, he slepte, and was layde with hys fathers, and sawe corrupcyon. But he whome God raysed agayne, sawe no corrupcyon.

F    ^noteBe it knowen vnto you therfore ye men ∧ brethren, that thorowe thys man is preached vnto you the forgeuenes of synnes, and that by hym are all that beleue iustifyed from all thynges from the which ye coulde not be iustifyed by the lawe of Moses. Beware therfore leste that fall on you, whiche is spoken of in þe; Prophetes: Beholde ye despysers, and wonder, and peryshe ye: for I do a worke in your dayes, whiche ye shall not beleue, yf a man woulde declare it you.

When they were come out of the Sinagoge of the Iewes, the gentyls besought þt; they woulde preache the folowyng wordes to th&ebar; on the Saboth. When the congregacy&obar; was broken vp, many of the Iewes ∧ vertuouse c&obar;uertes, folowed Paule and Barnabas, which spake to them, and exhorted them to continue in the grace of God. And the next Saboth day came almost the whole citie together, to heare the worde of God. When the Iewes saw the people, they were ful of indignacyon ∧ spake agaynste those thynges, whiche were spoken of Paule, speakynge agaynst it, and railynge on it.

Then Paule and Barnabas wexed bolde, and sayed: it was mete that the worde of God shoulde fyrste haue ben preached to you. G   But seynge, ye put it from you, and thynke youre selues vnworthy of euerlastyng lyfe: lo, we turne to the gentyls: For so hath the Lorde c&obar;maunded vs: I haue made the a lyghte to the gentyls, that thou be the saluacion to the ende of the worlde.

^noteThe gentyls hearde and were glad ∧ glorifyed the worde of the Lorde, and beleued euen as many as were ordeyned vnto eternal lyfe. And the worde of the Lorde was publyshed thorowout all the regyon. But the, Iewes moued the worshypfull and honorable women, ∧ the chiefe men of the citie, and raysed persecucion agaynste Paule and Barnabas, ∧ expelled them out of theyr costes. ^noteAnd they shoke of þe; dust of theyr fete agaynst them, and came vnto Iconium. And the discyples were fylled &wt; ioye and with the holy ghoste. &cross3; ^{note note note}

^{note note} The .xiiij. Chapter. ¶ Paule and Barnabas preache at Iconium. Some beleue, some stere vp sedicyon. At Lystra, they woulde do sacrifyce to Barnabas and Paule, who refuse it ∧ exhorte the people to worshyp the true God. Paul is stoned. After that cometh he to Derba, Lystra, Iconi&ubar; and Antioche.

A   And it fortuned in Iconi&ubar;, that they went both together into þe; synagoge of the Iewes, and so spake that a greate multitude bothe of the Iewes, and also of the grekes beleued. But the vnbeleuynge Iewes stered vp, and vnquieted the myndes of the gentyls agaynst the brethren. Long tyme abode they there, and quyt them selues boldely with the helpe of the Lorde, which gaue testimonye vnto the worde of hys grace, ∧ caused signes and wondres to be done by theyr handes. The people of the citie were deuyded: and parte helde with the Iewes, and parte &wt; the Apostles.

B    ^note&rhand; When there was a sault made both of the gentyls, and also of the Iewes with theyr rulars, to put them to shame and to stone them, they were ware of it, and fled vnto Lystra ∧ Darba, cities of Lycaonia, and vnto the regyon that lyeth rounde aboute, and there preached the Gospel. And there sate a certayne m&abar; at Listra weake in hys fete, beyng creple fr&obar; hys mothers wombe, and neuer walked. The same hearde Paule preache. Whiche behelde hym, and perceyued that he had faythe to be whole, and sayed with a loude voyce stande vpryght on the fete. And he sterte vp, ∧ walked. ^noteAnd when the people sawe, what Paule had done, they lyfte vp theyr voyces, saiynge in the speache of Lycaonia: Goddes are come doune to vs in the lykenes of men. And they called Barnabas Iupiter and Paul Mercurius, because he was the preacher. Then Iupiters prieste whiche dwelte before theyr citie, brought oxen and garlandes to the churche porche, and woulde haue done sacrifice with þe; people.

C   But when the Apostles Barnabas ∧ Paul hearde that, they rent theyr clothes, and ran in amonge the people, criynge, and saiynge: Syrs why do ye thys? ^noteWe are mortall men lyke vnto you, and preache vnto you, that ye shoulde turne from these vanities vnto the liuynge God, which made heauen and earthe and the sea, and all that in them is: the whiche in tymes paste suffered all nacyons to walke in theyr owne wayes. Neuerthelesse he lefte not hym selfe without wytnes, in that he shewed hys benefytes, in geuynge vs rayne fr&obar; heauen, and fruteful ceasons, fyllyng our hertes with fode and gladnes. And with these saiynges scace refrayned they the people þt; they had not done sacrifyce vnto them.

D    ^note&rhand; Thyther came certayne Iewes from Antioche and Iconium, and obtayned the peoples consent, and stoned Paul, and drewe him out of the citie, supposyng he had bene dead. ^noteHowbeit as the disciples stode rounde about him, he arose vp, and came into the citie. And þe; next daye, he departed with Barnabas to Derba. After they had preached to that citie, and had taughte manye, they returned agayne to Lystra, and to Iconium and Antioche, and str&ebar;gthed the disciples soules exhortynge them to continue in the faith, ^note affyrmyng that we must thorowe muche tribulacion enter into the k&ibar;gdome of God. And when they had ordeyned them elders by electi&obar; in euery congregacion, and after they had prayed and fasted, they c&obar;mended them to God on whom they beleued. ^noteAnd they wente thorowout Pisidia and came into Pamphilia, and when they had preached the worde of God in Perga, they descended into Attalia, and thence departed by shyppe to Antioche, from whence they were delyuered vnto the grace of god, to the worke which they had fulfylled. When they were come ∧ had gathered the congregation together, they rehearsed all that God had done by them, and how he had opened the dore of fayth to the g&ebar;tyls. And there they abode longe tyme with the discyples. The .xv. Chapter. Variaunce about circumcision. The Apostles pacifye the matter at Hierusalem. Paul and Barnabas preache at Antioche.

A    ^noteThen came certayne fr&obar; Iewrye, and taughte the brethren: excepte ye be circumcised after the maner of Moyses, ye can not be saued. And when there was rysen dissention and disputyng not a lytle vnto Paul and Barnabas against them. They determyned that Paule and Barnabas, and certayne other of them, should ascende to Hierusalem vnto the Apostles and elders about this question. And after they were brought on theyr waye by the congregacyon, they passed ouer Phenices and Samaria declarynge the conuersyon of the Gentyls, and they brought great ioye vnto all the brethren. And when they were come to Ierusalem, they were receyued of the congregacyon, and of þe; Apostles and elders. And they declared what thynges God had done by them. Then arose

there vp certayne that were of the secte of the Pharises which dyd beleue, saying, þt; it was nedefull, to circumcyse them and to enioyne them to kepe the lawe of Moyses. And the Apostles and elders came together to reason of B   thys matter. ^note

&rhand; And when there was muche disputynge, Peter rose vp, and sayde vnto th&ebar;: Ye w&ebar; and brethren ye knowe howe that a good whyle a go, God chose amonge vs that the gentils by my mouth shoulde heare the worde of the Gospell, and beleue. ^noteAnd God which knoweth þe; herte bare them wytnes, and gaue vnto them the holy ghost, euen as he dyd vnto vs: and he put no difference betwene them and vs, but with fayth05Q1407 purified theyr hertes. Now therfore why tempte ye God, that ye woulde put a yoke on the disciples neckes, which neyther our fathers nor we were able to beare. ^noteBut we beleue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesu Christ, we shalbe saued, as they do. Th&ebar; all the multitude was peased, and gaue audience to Barnabas and Paul which told what sygnes and wondres God had shewed am&obar;g the gentyls by them.

C   And when they helde theyr peace, Iames aunswered, saiynge: Men and brethren herk&ebar; vnto me. Simon told, how God at the beginnynge dyd visite the gentyls, and receyued of them people vnto hys name. And to this agreeth the wordes of the Prophetes, as it is wryten. ^noteAfter thys I wyll returne, and wyll buyld agayne the tabernacle of Dauid which is fallen doune, and that whiche is fallen in dekeye of it, wyll I buylde agayne, ∧ I wyll set it vp, that the resydue of men myghte seke after the Lorde, and also the gentyls05Q1408 vpon whome my name is named (sayth the Lorde) which doth all these thynges: knowen vnto God are all hys workes from the beginning of the worlde. ^note D   Wherfore my sentence is that we trouble not them whiche from among the gentyls are turned to God, but that we write vnto them, that they abstayne them selues fr&obar; fylthynes of ymages, from fornicacyon, fr&obar; 05Q1409 stranglyde and from bloude. For Moses of olde tyme hath in euerye cytie that preache hym, and he is reade in the synagoges euerye saboth daye.

&rhand; Then pleased it the Apostles and elders with the whole congregacion, to sende chosen men of theyr owne companye to Antioche &wt; Paule and Barnabas. They sent Iudas called also Barsabas and Sylas, whiche were chiefe men among the brethr&ebar;, and gaue them letters in theyr handes after thys maner.

E   &rhand; The Apostles, elders, and brethren sende gretynges vnto the brethren whiche are of the gentyls in Antioche, Syria, and Celicia. For as muche as we haue hearde that certayne whiche departe from vs, haue troubled you with wordes, and combred your myndes, saiynge: Ye must be circumcysed, and kepe the lawe, to whom we gaue no suche commaundement. It semed therfore to vs a good thynge, when we were come together with one accord to sende chosen men vnto you, with our beloued Barnabas and Paule, men that haue ieoperded theyr lyues for the name of our Lorde Iesu Christ. We haue sent therfore Iudas ∧ Sylas, whiche shall also tell you, the same th&ibar;ges by mouth. For it semed good to the holye ghost ∧ to vs, to put no greuous thyng to you more then these necessarye thynges, that is to saye that ye abstayne from thynges offered to ymages, from bloude, from strangled and fornicacion. From which yf ye kepe your selues ye shall do well. So fare ye well.

F   &rhand; When they were departed, they came to Antioche, and gathered the multitude together, and delyuered the Epistle. When they had reade it, they reioysed of that consolaci&obar;. And Iudas and Sylas beynge ^note prophetes, exhorted the brethren with muche preachyng, and strengthed them. And after they had taryed there a space they were let go in peace of the brethren vnto the Apostles. Notwithstandynge it pleased Sylas to abyde there styll. Paule and Barnabas contynued in Antioche teachynge and preachynge the worde of the Lorde with other manye.

G   &rhand; But after a certayne space, Paule sayd vnto Barnabas: Let vs go agayn and visite our brethren in euery citie where we haue shewed the worde of the Lorde, and se howe they do. And Barnabas gaue counsell to take with them: Iohn called also Marke. ^noteBut Paule thoughte it not mete to take hym vnto theyr companye whiche departed from them at P&abar;philia, and went not with them to the worke. And the dissencyon was so sharpe betwene them, that they departed a sunder one from þe; other, so that Barnabas toke Marke and sayled vnto Cypers. And Paule chose Sylas and departed, delyuered of the brethren vnto the grace of God. And he went throughe al Ciria and Cilicia, stablyshynge the congregacions, 05Q1410 commaundyng to kepe the preceptes of þe; Apostles and elders. ^{note note note note} The .xvi. Chapter. ¶ Timothe is circumcysed, Paule preacheth at Phylippos, and there is he put in pryson.

A    ^noteThen came he to Derba and to Lystra. And beholde a certayne disciple was there named Timotheus, a womans sonne whiche was a Ieweas and beleued: but

hys father was a Greke. Of whom reported well, the brethren of Lystra and Iconi&ubar;. The same Paule woulde that he shoulde go forthe with hym, and toke and circumcysed him, because of the Iewes whiche were in those quarters: for they knewe all, that hys father was a Greke. As they went through the cities, they delyuered them the decrees for to kepe, ordeyned of the Apostles and elders, whiche were at Ierusalem. And so were the congregacions stablysheth in the fayth, and encreased in no&ubar;bre daylye.

B   &rhand; When they had gone through oute Phrygia, and the regyon of Galacia, and were forbidden of the holy ghost to preache the worde in Asia they came to Misia, and sought to go into Bethinia. But the spirite suffered them not. Then they went ouer Misia, and came doune to Troada. And a visyon appeared to Paule in the nyght. There stode a man of Macedonia, and prayed hym, saiynge: come into Macedonia, and helpe vs. After he had sene the vysyon, certifyed that the Lorde had called vs for to preache the Gospell vnto th&ebar;. Then loused we forth fr&obar; Troada, and with a strayght course came to Samothracia, and the nexte daye to Neapolym, and from thence to Phylyppos, which is the chiefe citie in the partes of Macedonia, and a fre citie.

C    ^noteWe were in that citie abydynge certayne dayes. And on the Saboth dayes we wente out of the citie besydes a ryuer, where men were wonte to praye. And we sate doune, and spake vnto the wom&ebar; which resorted thyther. And a certayne woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the citie of Thiatyra, which worshypped God, gaue vs audience. Whose hart the Lorde opened, that she attended vnto the thynges whiche Paul spake. When she was baptysed and her housholde, she besoughte vs saiyng: Yf ye thynke that I beleue on þe; Lord come into my house, and abyde there. And she constrayned vs.

D    ^note&rhand; And it fortuned as we went to prayer, a certayne damsell possessed with a spirite that prophesyeth, met vs, which brought her mayster and maysters muche vauntage with prophesiynge. The same folowed Paul and vs, ∧ cryed, saiynge: These men are the seruauntes of the moste hye God, which shew vnto vs þt; waye of saluacyon. And thys dyd she manye dayes. But Paule not content turned aboute, and sayed to the spirite: I commaunde the in the name of Iesu Christe, that thou come oute of her. And he came out the same houre.

^note&rhand; And when her maister and maysters saw, that the hope of theyr gaynes was gone, they caughte Paule and Sylas, and drue them into the market place vnto the rulars, ∧ brought them to the offycers saiynges: These m&ebar; trouble oure citie, whiche are Iewes, and preache E   ordinaunces whiche are not laufull for vs to receyue, neyther to obserue, seynge we are Romayns. ^noteAnd the people came on them, and the offycers rent theyr clothes, and commaunded them to be beaten with roddes. And wh&ebar; thei had beaten them sore, they caste them into pryson, commaundynge the iayler to kepe them surelye. Which iaylar when he had receyued such commaundemente thruste them into the ynner pryson, and made theyr fete fast in the stockes.

&rhand; At mydnyght Paule and Sylas prayed, ∧ lauded God. And the prysoners hearde them. And sodenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundacion of the pryson was shak&ebar;, and by and by all the dores opened, and euery mannes bondes were loused. When þe; keper of the pryson waked oute of hys slepe, F    and sawe the pryson dores open, he drue oute hys swearde, and woulde haue kylled hym selfe, supposynge the prysoners had bene fled. But Paule cryed with a lowde voyce, saiyng: do thy selfe no harme, for we are all here.

&rhand; Then he called for a lyght, and sprang in, and came tremblyng, and fell doune before Paule and Sylas, and brought them out and sayde: Syr what muste I do to be saued? And they sayd: beleue on þe; Lord Iesus ∧ þu; shalt be saued ∧ thy housholde. And they preached vnto h&ibar; the worde of the Lorde, ∧ to all þt; were in hys house. And he toke them the same houre of the nyght, and washed theyr woundes, and was baptysed with all that bel&obar;ged vnto him strayght waye. When he had broughte them into hys house: he set meate before them, and ioyed that he with all hys housholde beleued on God.

G   And when it was daye, the offycers sente the ministers sayinge: Let those men go. The keper of the pryson tolde this saiyng to Paul: the officers haue sent word to loose you. Now therfore get you hence, and go in peace. Then sayde Paule vnto them. They haue beaten vs openly vncondempned, for all that we are Romaynes, and haue caste vs into pryson: ∧ now woulde they sende vs awaye priuely? Naye not so, but let them come them selues, and set vs out. When the ministers tolde these wordes vnto the offycers, they feared when they hearde that they were Romaynes, and came and besought them, and brought them oute, ∧ desyered them to departe out of the cytie. And they went oute of the pryson, and entred into the housse, of Lydya, and when they had sene the brethren, they comforted them, and departed. The .xvij. Chapter. Paule cometh to Thessalonica, where the Iewes set the citie on an vproure. Paule escapeth ∧ cometh to Athens, where he maketh knowen the vnknowen God.

A   As they made theyr iorney thorowe Amphipolis, and Appolonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagoge of þe; Iewes. And Paule as his maner was, went in vnto them, and thre Saboth dayes declared oute of the scripture vnto th&ebar;, openynge and aledgynge that Christe muste nedes haue suffered and rysen agayne from

death, and that thys Iesus was Christe, wh&obar; (sayed he) I preache to you. And some of them beleued and came, and compayned with Paul and Sylas: also of the honorable Grekes a greate multytude, and of the chief wom&ebar; not a fewe.

B   But the Iewes which beleued not, hauing indignacyon, toke vnto them euyl men which were vagabondes, and gathered a companie, and set all the citie on a rore, and made asaulte vnto the house of Iason, and sought to bryng them out to the people. But when they found them not, they drue Iason and certayne brethren vnto the heades of the citie, criynge: these that trouble the worlde are come hyther also, which Iason hath receyued pryuely. And these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, affyrmyng another kynge, one Iesus. And they troubled the people and the officers of the citie, when they hearde these thynges. And when they were suffyciently aunswered of Iason, and of the other, they let them go.

C   And the brethren immediatly sente awaye Paule and Sylas by nyghte vnto Berrea. Whiche when they were come thyther, they entred into the synagoge of the Iewes. These were the noblest of byrthe among th&ebar; of Thessalonia whiche receyued the worde with al diligence of mynde, ^note and searched the scriptures daylye whether those thynges were euen so. And many of them beleued: also of worshipfull women which were Grekes, and of men not a feawe. When the Iewes of Thessalonia had knowledge that the worde of GOD was preached of Paul at Berrea, they came and moued the people there. And then by and by the brethren sente awaye Paule to go as it were to the sea: but Sylas and Timotheus abode there styll. Aud they that gyded Paule brought hym vnto Athens, and receyued a c&obar;maundement vnto Sylas ∧ Timotheus for to come to hym at once and came theyr waye.

D    ^noteWhyle Paule wayted for them at Athens, hys spirite was moued in hym, to se the cytye geuen to worshyppynge of ymages: Then he disputed in the synagoge with the Iewes, and with the deuoute persones and in þe; market daylye with them that came vnto hym. Certayne Philosophers of the Epicures and of the Stoickes, disputed with him. And some there were, whiche sayed. E   What wyll this babler saye? Other said he semeth to be a tydynges brynger of newe deuyls, because he preached vnto them Iesus and the resurreccyon. And they toke hym, and broughte hym into Marsestrete, saiynge: maye we not knowe what thys newe doctrine whereof thou speakest is? For thou bryngest straung tydynges to oure eares. We woulde knowe therfore what these thynges meane. For all the Athenians and straungers which were there, gaue them selues nothynge els, but eyther to tell or to heare newe tydynges. Paule rode in the myddes of Marsestrete, and sayd: Ye men of F   Athens I perceyue that in all thynges ye are to supersticyous. ^noteFor as I passed by, and behelde the master, howe ye worshyppe youre Goddes, I founde an Altare wherein was wrytten: vnto the vnknowen God. ^noteWhom ye then ignorauntelye worshyppe hym, shew I vnto you. God that made the worlde, and all that are in it, seynge that he is Lorde of heau&ebar; and earth, he dwelleth not in temples made with handes, neyther is worshypped &wt; mennes handes, as though he neded of any thing seynge he hym selfe geueth lyfe and brethe to al men euerye where, and hath made of one bloude all nacyons of men, for to dwell on al the face of the earth, and hath assygned before howe longe tyme, and also the endes of theyr inhabitacyon, that they shoulde seke God, yf they myght fele and fynde hym though he be not far from euerye one of vs. For in him we lyue, moue, and haue our beyng, as certayne of your own Poetes sayd. For we are also05Q1411 hys generacion. For as muche then as we are the generacy&obar; of God, we ought not to thinke that the God hede is lyke vnto golde, syluer, or stone grauen by crafte and ymagynacyon of man.

G   And the tyme of thys ignoraunce God regarded not. But now he byddeth all m&ebar; euerye where repent, because he hath appoynted a daye, in the whiche he will iudge the world accordynge to ryghteousnes, by that m&abar; wh&obar; he hath apoynted, and hath offered05Q1412 fayth to all men, after that he had raysed hym from death.

^note&rhand; When they hearde of the resurreccion fr&obar; death, some mocked, and other sayd: we wyll heare the agayne of thys matter, So Paul departed from amonge them. Howbeit certayne men claue vnto Paule, and beleued, amonge the which was Dionisius a senatoure, and a woman named Damaris and other wyth them. ^{note note} The .xviij. Chapter. ¶ Paule preacheth at Corinthium contynuyng there an yere and an halfe, goeth agayne into Syrya, commeth to Ephesus, Cesaria, and Antioche. Of Apollos, Aquyla, and Priscilla.

A    ^noteAfter that Paule departed from Athens, and came to Corinthum and founde a certayne Iewe named Aquila, borne in Ponthus, latelye come from Italye wyth hys wyfe Priscilla (because that the Emperour Claudius had commaunded all Iewes to depart from Rome) and he drewe vnto th&ebar;. And because he was of þe; same craft, he abode with them and wroughte: theyr crafte was to

make tentes. And he preached in the Synagoge euerye Saboth daye and exhorted the Iewes and the gentyls.

^note¶ Wh&ebar; Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paule was constrayned by the spirit to testify to the Iewes that Iesus was very Christ. And when they sayde contrary and blasphemed, he shoke his raymente and sayed vnto them, youre bloude vp&obar; youre owne heades, ∧ frome henceforth I go blameles vnto the g&ebar;tils. And he departed thence, ∧ entered into a certayne mannes house named iustus a worshypper of God, whose house ioyned harde to the synagoge. How be it one Crispus the chiefe rular of the Synagoge beleued on the Lorde wyth al his houshold, ∧ manye of the Corinthians gaue audience ∧ beleued, and were baptised. C   Th&ebar; spake the Lorde to Paule in the nyght by a vision: be not afrayde, but speake, and hold not thy peace: for I am with the, and no man shal inuad the that shal hurt the. For I haue much people in this citie. And he continued there a yeare and sixe monethes, and taught them the word of God.

¶ When Gallio was ruler of the co&ubar;tre of Achaia the Iewes made insurrection with one accorde agaynst Paule, D   ∧ brought him to the iudgement seate saiynge: this felowe councelleth men to worship God c&obar;trary to the lawe. And as Paul was aboute to open hys mouthe. Gallio sayde vnto the Iewes: yf it were a matter of wr&obar;ge, or an euyl dede (o ye Iewes) reason would that I should hear you: but if it be a questi&obar; of words or of names, or of your law, loke ye to it your selues. For I wil be no iudge in suche matters and he draue them from the seate. Then toke all þe; grekes Sostenes the chiefe ruler of the Synagoge, ∧ smote hym before the iudges. seate. And Gallio cared for none of those thinges. E   &rhand; Paule after this, taried there, yet a whyle, and then toke his leaue of the brethren, ∧ sayled thence into Ciria, Priscilla and Aquila accompaniynge him. And he shore hys heade in Ceuchrea, for he hadde a vowe. ^noteAnd he came to Ephesus and lefte th&ebar; there: but he him self entred into þe; sinagoge, and reasoned with the Iewes. When they desyred him to tary longer tyme with them, he consented not but bad them fare well saiynge. ^noteI must nedes at this feaste þt; cometh, be in Ierusalem: but I will returne agayne vnto you, yf God will. And he departed fr&obar; Ephesus and came vnto Cesarea: ∧ asc&ebar;ded and saluted the congregacion, and departed vnto Antioch, and when he had taryed there a while he departed. And went ouer al the countrey of Galacia and Phrigia by order, strenthinge al the disciples.

^note&rhand; And a certayne Iewe named Apollos, borne at Alexandria, came to Ephesus, an eloquente m&abar; and mighty in the scriptures. The same was informed in the waye of the Lorde, and spake feruently in the spirit, and taught diligently the thinges of the Lorde, and knewe but the baptysme of Iohn only. And the same began to speake boldely in the Synagoge. And wh&ebar; Aquila ∧ Priscilla had hearde him, they toke him vnto th&ebar; ∧ expo&ubar;ded vnto him þe; way of God more perfectly.

¶ And when he was disposed to goe into Acaia, the brethren wrote exhortynge the disciples to receyue hym. After he was come thethere, he holpe them muche whych hadde beleued thorowe grace. And myghtely he ouercame the Iewes, and that openly, shewinge by the scriptures that Iesus was Christe. The .xix. Chapter. Of the .xij. men whom Paul baptysed at Ephesus, and what miracles were done by him. Demetrius moueth sedicion in the cytye.

A    ^noteIt fortuned, whyle Appollo was at Corinth&ubar;, that Paule passed thorowe þe; vtter costes and came to Ephesus, ∧ fo&ubar;de certayne disciples and sayed vnto them: haue ye receyued the holy ghoste sence ye beleued? And they sayd vnto hym: no we haue not heard whether there be anye holy Ghost or no. And he sayed vnto them: wherewyth were ye then baptised? And they said wyth Iohns baptisme. 05Q1413Th&ebar; sayed Paule: Iohn verelye baptised with the baptisme of repentaunce, ^note sayinge vnto the people that they should beleue on hym whyche shoulde come after hym: that is on Christe Iesus. When they hearde that they were Baptised in the name of the Lorde Iesus, and Paule layed hys handes vpon them, and the holy Ghoste came on them, and they spake wyth tonges and prophecied, ∧ all the men were about.xij.

B    ^note¶ And he went into the synagoge, ∧ speake boldelye for the space of thre monethes, disputynge and geuynge them exhortacions of the kyngedome of God. &cross3; When diuers waxde hard herted ∧ beleued not, but spake euyll of the waye, and that before the multitude: he departed from them, and seperated the disciples. And disputed dayly in the schole of one called Tyrannus. And thys continued by the space of two yeares: so that all they whyche dwelt in Asia, hearde the worde of the Lorde Iesu, both Iewes ∧ Grekes. And God wrought no small miracles by the h&abar;des of Paule, so þt; from his bodye, were brought vnto the sycke, napkyns or partletes, and the diseases departed from them, and the euill spirites went out of them.

C   &rhand; Then certayne of the vagabo&ubar;de Iewes exorcistes toke vpon them to call ouer them whyche had euyl spirites, the name of the Lorde Iesus saiynge: We adiure you by Iesu whom Paul preacheth. And there were seuen sonnes of one Sceua a Iew and chiefe of the priestes which did so. And þe; euyl spirite answered and said: Iesus I know and Paull I know: but who are ye? And þt; man

in whom the euyll spyryte was ranne on th&ebar; and ouercame them, and preuayled agaynste them, so that they fledde out of that house naked and wounded. And this was knowen to al the Iewes and Grekes also, which dwelt at Ephesus, and feare came on them al, and they magnified the name of the Lord Iesus.

D   &rhand; And many that beleued, came and confessed, and shewed their workes. Manye of them, whiche vsed curious craftes, broughte their bokes and burned them before al men, and they counted the price of them, ∧ founde it fyfty thousand ^note syluerlinges. So myghtyly grew the word of God, and preuayled. After these thynges were ended, Paul purposed in the spyryte, to passe ouer Macedonia and Achaia, and to go to Ierusalem, saiynge: After I haue ben there, I must also se Rome. So sent he into Macedonia two of them that ministred vnto him Timotheus ∧ Erastus: but he hym selfe remayned in Asia for a season. E   The same tyme there arose no lytell ado about that way. ^noteFor a certain m&abar; named Demetrius, a siluersmith, whiche made siluer shrynes for Diana, was not a litel beneficial vnto the craftes men. Whiche he called together with the workem&ebar; of like occupacion, ∧ sayde: Syrs: ye knowe that by thys crafte we haue vauntage. Moreouer ye se ∧ heare that not alone at Ephesus, but almoste thorough out al Asia, this Paule hath persuaded and turned away muche people: saying that they be not Goddes, whiche are made wyth handes. So that not onelye thys our craft cometh into pacel to be set at nought: but also that the t&ebar;ple of the great Goddas Diana shoulde be despised, and her magnific&ebar;ce should be destroied, which al Asia, and the world worshyppeth.

F   ¶ When they hearde these sayinges, they were full of wrath, and cryed oute sayinge: Great is Diana of the Ephesyans. And all the cytye was on a rore, and they rushed into the commune hal wyth one assent, ∧ caughte Gayus and Aristarcus, men of Macedonia, Paules companyons. When Paul woulde haue entered in vnto the people, the dyscyples suffered hym not. Certayne also of the chiefe of Asia, whiche were hys frendes, sent vnto him, desiringe hym that he woulde not prease into the commen hall. Some cryed one thynge, and some another, and the congregacyon was all oute of quyete, and the more parte knewe not wherfore they were come together.

G   Some of the company drewe forth Alexander, the Iewes thrusting hym forwardes. Alexander beckened with the hand, ∧ would haue geuen the people an aunswere. When they knewe that he was a Iewe, there arose a shoute almost for the space of two houres, of all men cryinge, greate is Diana of the Ephesyans.

¶ When the towne clarke had ceased the people he saied: ye men of Ephesus, what m&abar; is it that knoweth not how that the cytye of the Ephesyans is a worshypper of the great God as Diana, and of the ymage, which05Q1414 came from heauen. Seyng then that no man sayth her agaynst, ye oughte to be contente, ∧ to do nothyng rashlye, for ye haue brought hether these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet despysers of your Godas. Wherfore yf Demetrius and the craftes men, whiche are wyth him haue any saiynge to any man, the law is open, and there are rulars let them accuse one another. Yf ye go aboute any other thynge, it may be determined in a lawful congregaci&obar;. For we are in ieoperdy to be accused of this dayes busines. For as much as there is no cause wherby we may geue a rekening of this c&obar;course of people. And when he had thus spoken he let the congregacyon departe. ^{note note} The .xx. Chapter. Paule goeth into Macedonia and into Grece. At Troas he rayseth by a dead bodye. At Ephesus he calleth elders of the congregacyon together, committeth the kepyng of Gods flocke vnto them, warneth them of false teachers, maketh hys praier with them, and departeth to shyp.

A   After the rage was ceased: Paule called the disciples vnto him, ∧ toke his leaue of th&ebar;, ∧ departed for to go into Macedonia. And wh&ebar; he had gone ouer those partyes, and geuen them large exhortacyons he came into Grece, and there abode thre monethes. And when the Iewes layde wayte for him as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to returne thorough Macedonia. There accompanyed hym into Asia, Sopater of Berrea, and of Thessalonia Aristarcus and Secundus, ∧ Gaius of Derba, and Timotheus, and out of Asia, Tichycus and Trophimos. These wente before, ∧ taryed vs at Troas. And we sayled awaye from Philippus after the easter holy daies, and came vnto them do Troas in .v. dayes where we abode seuen dayes.

B   &rhand; And on the morowe after the saboth day þe; disciples came together for to breake bread and Paule preached vnto them (readye to departe on the morowe) and contynued the preachynge vnto midnyght. And there were manye lyghtes in the chamber where they

were gathered together, ^note and there sate in a wyndowe a certayne yonge man named Eutichos, fallen into a depe slepe. And as Paule declared, he was the more ouercome with slepe, and fell doune from the thyrde lofte, and was taken vp dead. Paule wente doune and fell on hym, and embrased hym, and sayed: make nothynge a do, for hys lyfe is in hym. When he was come vp again, he brake bread and tasted, and commened a longe whyle eu&ebar; tyll the mornynge, and so departed. And they brought the yonge man alyue, and were not a lytle comforted.

C    ^noteAnd we went afore to shyppe, and loused vnto Asson there to receyue Paule. For so had he appoynted and woulde hym self go afore. When he was come to vs to Assone, we toke hym in and came to Mitelenes. And we sailed thence, and came the next daye ouer agaynste Chios. And the next daye we aryued at Samos, and taryed at Trogilio. The nexte daye we came to Mileton, for Paule had determyned to leaue Ephesus as they sayled, because he woulde not spende the tyme in Asia. For he hasted to be (yf he coulde possible) at Ierusal&ebar; at the daye of Pentecoste. Wherfore fr&obar; Myleton he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the c&obar;gregacy&obar;. And when they were come to hym, he sayde vnto them. D   Ye knowe from the fyrste daye that I came into Asia, after what maner I haue ben with you at al ceas&obar;s seruynge the Lorde with all humblenes of mynde, and with many teares, and temptacyons whiche happened to me by the laiynges awayte of the Iewes, and howe I kept backe nothyng that was profytable, but that I haue shewed you, and taughte you openlye, and at home in your houses, wytnessyng both to the Iewes, and also to the Grekes, the rep&ebar;ta&ubar;ce towarde God and fayth towarde oure Lorde Iesus.

E    ^noteAnd now beholde I go bounde in the spyryte vnto Ierusalem, and knowe not what shal come on me there, but that the holy ghost wytnesseth in euerye citie, saiynge: that b&obar;des and trouble abyde me. But none of these thinges moue me: neyther is my lyfe dere vnto my selfe: that I myght fulfyl my course with ioye, and the ministracyon whiche I haue receyued of þe; Lord Iesus, to testifye the gospell of the grace of God. F   And now beholde, I am sure that h&ebar;ceforth ye al (through wh&obar; I haue gone preachyng þe; kingd&obar; of God) shal se my face no more. Wherfore I take you to recorde this same daye that I am pure from þe; bloud of all men. For I haue kept nothynge backe, but haue shewed you all the counsell of God. Take hede therfore vnto youre selues, and to all the flocke wherof the holy ghoste hath made you ouersears, to rule the congregacyon of God, which he hath purchased &wt; hys bloude. ^noteFor I am sure of this, that after my depart&ibar;g shall greuous wolues enter in amonge you, which wyll not spare the flocke. Moreouer of your own selues shal m&ebar; aryse speakyng peruerse th&ibar;ges to draw disciples after th&ebar;. Therfore awake ∧ rem&ebar;ber, that by the space of .iij. yeares I ceased not to warne euerye one of you both night and daye with teares.

^note&rhand; And nowe brethren I commende you to God, and to the worde of hys grace, which is able to buylde further, and to geue you an inheritaunce amonge all them which are sanctifyed I haue desyred no mans syluer, golde or vesture. Ye knowe well that these h&abar;des haue ministred vnto my necessities, ∧ to them that were with me, I haue shewed you all th&ibar;ges, how that so laborynge ye ought to receyue þe; weake ∧ to remember the wordes of the lorde Iesu, how that he sayde: it is more blessed to geue then to receyue.

When he had thus spok&ebar;, he kneled doune ∧ prayed with th&ebar; all. And they wept al abo&ubar;dauntly, and fell on Paules necke, ∧ kyssed h&ibar; sorowynge moste of all for the wordes which he spake, that they should se hys face no more. And they acc&obar;panied hym vnto the shyppe. The .xxi. Chapter. ¶ Paules iorney by shyppe. Of Philippe the Euangeliste, and Agabus the Prophet who warned Paulo not to go to Hierusalem. He remayneth stedfaste in hys purpose, and is taken in the temple.

A   And it chaunsed that assone as we had launched forthe, ∧ were departed fr&obar; th&ebar;, we came with a strayght course vnto Choon, ∧ the daye folowing vnto þe; Rhodes, and fr&obar; th&ebar;ce vnto Patara. And we fo&ubar;d a shyppe ready to sayle vnto Phenices ∧ w&ebar;t a bourde and set forthe. Then appeared vnto vs Cyprus, and we left it on the lefte hand, ∧ sayled vnto Syria, ∧ came vnto Tire. For ther the shyp vnladed her burthen. And when we had founde brethren, we taryed there .vij. dayes. And they tolde Paule throughe the spirite þt; he shoulde not go vp to Hierusalem. And when the dayes were ended, we departed and went our wayes, ∧ they al brought vs on our way, with theyr wyues and children, tyll we were come out of the citye. And we kneled doune in the shore and prayde. And when we had taken our leaue one of another, we toke shyp, and they returned home agayne.

B    ^noteWhen we had full ended the course from Tyre we arryued at Ptolomaida, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one daye. The nexte daye, we that were of Paules companye, departed and came vnto Cesarea. And we entred into the house of Philip the Euangeliste, whiche was one of the .vij. deacones, ∧ abode wyth hym. ^noteThe same man had foure doughters virgens which dyd prophesy. And as we taryed there a good manye of dayes, there came a certayne Prophete from Iewry, named Agabus. When he was come to vs, he toke Paules gyrdell, and bound hys handes and fete, and sayed: thus sayeth the holye Ghoste: so shall the Iewes at Hierusalem bynde the man that oweth thys gyrdell,

and shall delyuer hym into the handes of the gentyls.

C   When we hearde thys, both we and other of the same place, besoughte hym, þt; he would not go vp to Ierusalem. Then Paul aunswered and sayd: what do ye wepynge and breakyng myne hert? I am ready not to be bound onelye: but also to dye at Hierusalem for the name of the Lorde Iesus. When we coulde not turne hys mynde, we ceased saiynge: the wyll of the Lorde be fulfylled. After those dayes we made oure selues readye, and went vp to Hierusalem. There wente vp with vs also certayne of the discyples of Cesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an olde disciple with whom we should lodge. And when we were come to Hierusalem, the brethren receyued vs gladlye. And on the morowe Paule wente in wyth vs vnto Iames. And all the elders came together. And when he had saluted them, D   he tolde by ordre al thynges that God had wroughte amonge the G&ebar;tyles by hys ministracyon. And when they hearde it, they glorifyed the Lorde, and sayed vnto hym: thou seest brother, howe manye thousande Iewes there are that beleue, ∧ they are all zelous ouer the lawe. And they are informed of the, that thou teacheste all the Iewes whiche are amonge the gentyls, to forsake Moyses, and sayest, that they oughte not to circumcyse theyr chyldren, neyther to lyue after the customes. What is it therfore? The multytude muste nedes come together. For they shal heare that thou arte come. Do therfore thys that we saye to the.

E    ^note&rhand; We haue foure men which haue a vowe on them. Th&ebar; take and purifye thy self &wt; th&ebar;, and do coste on them that they maye shaue theyr heades, and all shall knowe that those thinges, whiche they haue heard, concerning the, are nothinge: but that thou thy selfe also walkest and kepest the lawe. For as touching the Gentylles whiche beleue, we haue writen and concluded, that they obserue no such thinges: but that they kepe them selues from thynges offered to Idols, from bloude, from strangled, and from fornicacyon. Then the next daye Paule toke the men, and puryfyed hym selfe with them, and entred into the temple, declarynge that he obserued the dayes of the purifycation, vntyll that an offerynge shoulde be offered for euerye one of them.

&rhand; And as the seuen dayes shoulde haue ben ended, the Iewes which were of Asia when they sawe hym in the temple, they moued all the people, and layed handes on hym, criyng: Ye men of Israell, healpe. Thys is the man that teacheth all men euerye where agaynste the people and the lawe, and this place. More ouer also he hath brought Grekes into the t&ebar;ple, ∧ hath polluted thys holy place. For they sawe one Trophimus an Ephesyan with him in the cytie. Hym they supposed Paule had brought into the temple. And all the citie was moued, and the people swarmed together. And they toke Paule, and drue hym out of þe; temple, and forthwith the dores were shut to.

F   As they wente aboute to kyll hym, tydinges came vnto the hye captayne of the souldyers, that all Ierusalem was moued. Whiche immediatlye toke souldyers and vndercaptaynes, and ran doune vnto them. Wh&ebar; they sawe the vpper captayne and the souldyers, they left smittynge of Paule. Then the captayne came neare, and toke hym: and c&obar;maunded hym to be bounde with two chaynes, and demaunded what he was, and what he had done. And one cryed thys, another that, am&obar;g the people, And when he coulde not know the certaintye for the rage, he commaunded hym to be caryed into the castle. And when he came vnto a grece, it fortuned that he was borne of the souldyers, for the violence of the people. For the multitude of the people folowed after cryenge awaye with hym.

G   &rhand; And as Paule shoulde haue bene caryed into the castle, he sayde vnto the hye captaine: maye I speake vnto the? Which sayde: canste thou speake Greke? arte not thou that Egyptian whiche before these dayes made an vproure, and led oute into the wyldernes .iiij.M men that were mortherers? But Paule sayd: I am a man which am a Iewe of Tharsus a citie in Cicyll, a cytisyn of no vyle cytie, I beseche the, suffer me to speake vnto the people. When he had geuen hym licence. Paul stode on the stoppes, and beckened with the hande vnto the people, and there was made a great silence. And he spake vnto them in the Hebrew tonge, saiynge. The .xxij. Chapter. Paule aunswereth the Iewes, is scourged ∧ layed in pryson agayne.

A   Ye men, brethren, and fathers: heare myne aunswere whiche I make vnto you. When they heard that he spake in the Hebrue tonge to them: they kept þe; more silence. And he sayd: I am verely a m&abar; which am a Iewe borne in Tharsus, a citie in Cicil: neuerthelesse yet brought vp in thys citie at þe; fete of Gamaliel, and informed diligentlye in the lawe of the fathers, and was feruent mynded to godwarde, as ye all are this same day, and I persecuted thys waye vnto the deathe, byndynge and delyuerynge into pryson both men and wom&ebar;, as the chief priest doth beare me wytnes and all the elders, of whome also I receyued letters vnto the brethren, and went to Damasco to bring them which were there bounde vnto Ierusalem for to be punyshed.

B   And it fortuned as I made my iorney and was come nye vnto Damasco aboute none, that sodenlye there shone fr&obar; heauen a greate lyght rounde aboute me, and I fell to the earthe, and heard a voyce, saiynge vnto me: Saul, Saule, why persecutest thou me? And I aunswered: what arte thou Lorde? And he sayde vnto me: I am Iesus of Nazareth wh&obar;

thou persecutest. And they that were with me sawe verelye a lyghte and were afrayde: but they hearde not the voyce of hym that spake with me. And I sayde, what shall I do Lord? And the Lorde sayed vnto me. Aryse and go into Damasco, and there it shalbe tolde the of all thynges which are appoynted for the to do. And when I sawe nothynge for þe; brightnes of that lyght, I was ledde by the hand of th&ebar; þt; were with me, and came into Damasco.

C    ^noteAnd one Ananias a perfecte man, and as pertaynynge to the lawe hauynge good reporte of all the Iewes whiche there dwelte, came vnto me, and stode, and sayde vnto me: brother Saule, loke vp. And that same houre I receyued my sighte, and sawe hym. And he sayde: the God of oure fathers hath ordeyned the before, that thou shouldeste knowe hys wyll, and shouldeste se that which is ryghtfull: and shouldest heare the voyce of hys mouth: for thou shalte be hys wytnes vnto all men of those thynges whiche thou haste sene and hearde. And now, why taryest thou? aryse and be baptysed, and washe awaye thy synnes in callynge on the name of the Lorde.

D   &rhand; And it fortuned when I was come agayn to Ierusalem, and prayde in the temple that I was in a traunce, and sawe hym, saiyng vnto me: Make hast, and get the quickly out of Ierusalem: for they wyll not receyue the wytnes that thou bearest of me. And I sayde: Lorde, they knowe that I prysoned and beate in euery synagoge then that beleued on the, and when the bloude of thy witnes Stephan was shede: I also stode by, and consented vnto his death, and kepte the rayment of th&ebar; that slew hym. And he sayd vnto me: depart, for I wyl sende the a farre hence vnto the gentyls. They gaue audience vnto thys worde, and then lyft vp theyr voyces, and sayde: awaye with suche a felowe from the earthe, it is pytye that he shoulde lyue. And as they cryed, and caste of theyr clothes, and thrue duste into the ayer, þe; captayne bad h&ibar; to be brought into the castel and commaunded hym to be scourged, and to be examyned, that he myght knowe wherfore they cryed on hym. And as they bounde hym with thonges, Paule sayde to the Centuryon that stode by. Is it lawfull for you to scourge a man that is a Romayne and vncond&ebar;pned? When the Centuryon hearde that, he wente, and tolde the vpper captayne saiynge: What intendest thou to do? This man is a Romayn. &rhand; Then the vpper Captayne came, and said to hym: tell me, arte thou a Romayne? E   He sayde: Yea. And the captayn aunswered: with a great some obtayned I thys fredome: And Paul sayd: I was free borne. Then strayght waye departed from hym, they which should haue examyned hym. And the hye Captayne also was afrayde, after he knewe that he was a Romayne: because he had bounde hym.

&rhand; On the morowe because he woulde haue knowen the certaintye wherfore he was accused of the Iewes, he loused hym from his b&obar;des, and commaunded the hye Priestes and all the counsell to come together, and brought Paule and set hym before them. The .xxiij. Chapter. ¶ Paule cometh before the counsayle. Debate ariseth amonge the people. The captayne delyuereth hym. God conforteth hym.

A   Paul behelde the counsell ∧ said: men and brethren. I haue liued in al good c&obar;sci&ebar;ce before God vntyll thys day. The hye priest Ananias commaunded th&ebar; that stode by, to smyte hym on the mouth. Then sayde Paul to hym: God smite the thou paynted wall. Sittest thou and iudgest me after the lawe, and commaundest me to be smyten contrarye to the lawe? ^noteAnd they that stode by, sayde: reuylest thou Gods hye priest? Then sayde Paule: I wyste not brethren that he was the hye priest. For it is writen: thou shalt not cursse the ruler of thy people.

B    ^{note note}When Paule perceyued that the one part were Saduces, and the other Pharyses: he cryed oute in the counsell: Men and brethren, I am a Pharisey, the sonne of a Pharysey. Of the hope and resurreccyon from death. I am iudged. And when he had so sayde, there arose a debate betwene the Pharyseis and the Saduces, and the multytude was deuyded: For the Saduces saye, that there is no resurreccyon, neyther aungell, nor spirite. ^noteBut the Pharyseis graunte both. And there arose a great crye, and the Scrybes whiche were of the Phariseys parte arose and stroue, saiyng: we fynde none euyll in thys man. Thoughe a spirite or an angell haue appeared to hym, let vs not stryue agaynst God.

C   And when there arose great debate, the captayne fearynge lest Paule shoulde haue bene plucked a sundre of them, commaunded the souldyers to go doune, and to take hym from among them, and to bryng hym into the castle. The nyght folowynge, God stode by hym and sayed: be of good cheare Paule: for as thou haste testifyed of me in Ierusal&ebar;, so must thou beare wytnes at Rome.

D   &rhand; When daye was come, certayne of the Iewes gathered them selues together, ∧ made a vowe, saiynge, that they woulde neyther eate nor drynke, tyll they had kylled Paul. They were about .xl. which had made thus conspiracyon. And they came to the chiefe priestes and elders, and sayde: we haue bounde our selues with a vowe, that we wyll eate nothynge vntyll we haue slayne Paule. Nowe therfore geue ye knoweledge to the vpper captayne ∧ to the counsell, that he brynge hym forthe vnto vs to morowe as thoughe we woulde knowe some thynge more perfectlye of hym: But we, E   or euer he come neare, are readye in the meane season to kyll hym. When Paules systers sonne heard of theyr laiyng awayt: he went ∧ entred into the castle, and tolde Paul.

And Paul called one of the vnder captaynes to hym, and sayde: brynge thys yongemen to the hye captayne, for he hathe a certayne thinge to shewe hym. And he toke hym, ∧ led hym to the hygh captayne, ∧ sayde: Paul the prysoner called me vnto hym, and prayed me to brynge thys yonge man vnto the whiche hath a certayne matter to shewe the.

&rhand; The hye captayne toke him by the hande, and wente aparte with hym oute of the way, and axed hym, what haste thou to saye vnto me? And he sayde: the Iewes are determyned to desyre the that thou wouldest brynge forthe Paule to morowe into the counsell, as though they woulde enquyre some what of him more perfectely. But folowe not theyr myndes: for there lye in wayte for hym of them, moo then xl. men, which haue bounde them selues with a vowe, that they wyll neyther eate nor drinke tyll they haue kylled hym. F   And now are they readye, and loke for thy promes. The vpper captayne let the yonge m&abar; departe, ∧ charged hym: se thou tel it out to no man that thou hast shewed these thynges to me. And he called vnto hym two vnder captaynes, saiynge: make readye two hundred souldyers to go to Cesarea, and horsm&ebar; thre score and ten, and speare men two hondred at the thyrde houre of the nyght. And delyuer th&ebar; beastes that they may put Paule on, and bryng hym safe vnto Felix the hye debitie, and wrote a letter in thys maner.

Claudius Lisias to the moste myghtye rular Felix sendeth gretynges. Thys m&abar; was taken of the Iewes, and shoulde haue ben kylled of them. Then came I with souldiers and reserued hym, and perceyued that he was a Romayne. And when I woulde haue know&ebar; þe; cause, wherfor they accused him, I brought hym forth into theyr counsell: there perceyued I that he was accused of questyons of theyr lawe: but was not gyltye of any thynge worthy of death or of boundes. Afterward when it was shewed me, how that the Iewes layde wayte for the man, I sent him strayght waye to the, and gaue commaundement to hys accusars, yf they had oughte agaynste hym to tell it vnto the. Fare well.

G   Then the souldyours as it was commaunded them, toke Paule and broughte hym by nyght to Antipatras. On the morowe they lefte the horsmen to go with hym and returned vnto the castle. Whiche when they came to Cesarea, they delyuered the Epistle to the debitie, and presented Paul before hym. Wh&ebar; the debitie had redde þe; letter, he axed of what countreye he was: and when he vnderstode þt; he was of Cicill, I wyll heare the (sayde he) when thyne accusars are come also: and commaunded hym to be kepte in Herodes Pallayce. The .xxiiij. Chapter. Paule is accused before Felix, he aunswereth for hym selfe.

A   After fyue dayes Ananias the hye prieste descended &wt; the elders and with a certayne oratour named Tertullus, and enformed the rular of Paul. Wh&ebar; Paule was called forth. Tartullus began to accuse hym, saiynge: Seynge that we lyue in a great quietnes by the meanes of the: ∧ that manye good thynges are done vnto thys nacyon throughe thy prouidence: that alowe we euer and in all places, most myghty Felix, &wt; all thankes. Notwithstandyng that I be not tedyous vnto the. I praye the that thou wouldest heare vs of thy curtesy a fewe wordes.

B   &rhand; We haue founde thys man a pestylent felowe, and a mouer of debate vnto all the Iewes thoroughout the world, and a mayntayner of the secte of the Nazarites, and hath also enforsed to pollute the temple. Whome we toke, and woulde haue iudged accordynge to our law, but the hye captayne Lysyas came vpon vs, and with great violence toke hym awaye out of our hande, commaundyng hys accusars to come vnto the. Of whome thou mayest (yf thou wilt enquyre) knowe the certaintye of al these thynges, wherof we accuse hym. The Iewes lykewyse affirmed, saiyng: that it was euen so.

C   &rhand; Then Paule (after that the ruler him selfe had beckened vnto hym that he should speake aunswered I shall with a more quyet mynde aunswere for my selfe, for as muche as I vnderstande that thou haste bene of manye yeares a iudge vnto thys people, because þt; thou mayest know that there are yet but .xij. dayes sence I wente vp to Ierusalem for to praye, ∧ that they neyther founde me in the temple disputynge with anye man, eyther raysynge vp the people neither in the synagoges, nor in the citie. Neyther can they proue the thynges wherof they accuse me.

D   &rhand; But thys I confesse vnto the, that after that waye (which they call heresye) so worshyppe I the God of my fathers, beleuynge al thynges which are written in the lawe and the Prophetes, and haue hope towardes God that the same resurreccyon of the dead (which they them selues loke for also) shall be both of iuste and vniuste. And therfore studye I to haue a cleare conscience towarde God, and towarde man also.

E   But after many yeares I came ∧ brought almes to my people and offerynges, in the whiche they founde me puryfyed in the temple, neyther with multytude, nor yet with vnquyetnes. Howe be it there were certayne Iewes oute of Asia, which ought to be here present before the, ∧ accuse me, yf they had ought agaynste me: or els let these same here saye, yf they haue founde anye euyll doynge in me, whyle I stand here in the councell: excepte it be for thys one voyce that I cryed standynge am&obar;ge them, of the resurreccyon from death, am I iudged of you thys daye.

&rhand; When Felix heard these thinges he deferred

them, F   for he knewe verye well of that way, and sayed when Lisias the captayne is come, I wil knowe the vtmost of youre matters. And he commaunded an vnder captaine to kepe Paul, and that he shoulde haue reste, and that he shoulde forbidde none of hys acquaintaunce to minister vnto hym, or to come vnto him.

G   &rhand; And after a certaine daies came Felix and his wyfe Drusilla, which was a Iewas, and called forth Paul, and heard him of the fayth which is towarde Christ. And as he preached of rightuousnes, temperaunce and iudgem&ebar;t to come. Felix trembled and aunswered: thou haste done inough at this tyme, departe. Wh&ebar; I haue a conueniente tyme, I wil send for the. He hoped also, that money should haue bene geu&ebar; hym of Paul, that he myght louse him: wherfore he called him the oftener, and communed wyth hym. But after .ij. yeare Festus Porcius came into Felix roume. And Felix wyllynge to shewe the Iewes a pleasure, left Paule in prison bounde. The .xxv. Chapter. The Iewes accuse Paule, before Festus. He appealeth to the Emperoure, and is sent to Rome.

A    ^noteWhen Festus was come into þe; prouince, after .iij. dayes, he ascended from Cesarea to Hierusalem. Then enfourmed hym the hye priestes and the chiefe of the Iewes, of Paule. And they besoughte hym, and desiered fauoure agaynste him, that he would sende for him to Hierusalem: and layed awayte for him in the waye to kyl him. Festus a&ubar;swered, that Paul shoulde be kepte at Cesaria, but that he him selfe would shortly departe thyther. Let them therfore (saied he) whyche amonge you are able to do it, come doune with vs and accuse him, if there be any faulte in the man.

B    ^noteWhen he had taried there more then .x. dayes he departed vnto Cesarea, and the next daye sate doune in the iudgemente seate, and commaunded Paule to be broughte. When he was come, the Iewes, whiche were come from Hierusalem, came about hym and layd many and greuous complayntes agaynste Paul, whiche they could not proue as longe as he aunswered for him selfe, that he had neither againste the lawe of the Iewes, neither againste the temple, nor yet againste Cesar, offended any thynge at al. Festus willing to do the Iewes a pleasure, aunswered Paule ∧ sayd. Wylt thou go to Hierusalem, and there be iudged of these thinges before me? C   Then saied Paule: I stand at Cesars iudgement seate, where I oughte to be iudged. To the Iewes haue I no harme done, as thou verye wel knowest. Yf I haue hurte them, or committed anye thinge worthye of deathe, I refuse not to dye. Yf none of these thinges are, wherof they accuse me, no man ought to deliuer me to them. I appeale vnto Cesar. Then spake Festus wyth deliberation, and aunswered. Thou haste appealed vnto Cesar, vnto Cesar shalt thou go.

D    ^noteAfter certaine daies, kynge Agrippa and Bernice came vnto Cesaria to salute Festus. And when they had bene ther a good ceason, Festus rehersed Paules cause vnto the Kinge saiynge: there is a certaine man left in prison of Felix, about whom when I came to Hierusalem, the hye priestes, and elders of þe; Iewes enfourmed me, and desiered to haue iudgemente againste him. ^noteTo whome I aunswered: It is not the maner of the Romaynes to deliuer any man that he shoulde perishe, before that he whiche is accused, haue the accusers before hym, ∧ haue lic&ebar;ce to aunswere for him selfe concerninge the crime layde against him: E   when they were come hither, without delaye on þe; morowe, I sate to geue iudgem&ebar;te, and commaunded the m&abar; to be brought forth. Againste whom when the accusers stode vp, they brought none accusation of such thinges as I supposed, but had certayne questyons againste him of their owne supersticion, and of one Iesus, whiche was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alyue, And because I doubted of such maner questions, I axed him whether he would go to Ierusalem, and there be iudged of these matters. Then when Paul had appealed to be kept vnto the knowledge of Cesar: I c&obar;maunded him to be kept, tyll I might send him to Cesar.

F   Agrippa saied to Festus: I woulde also heare the man my selfe. To morowe (saide he) thou shalt heare him. And on the morow wh&ebar; Agrippa was come, and Bernice with greate pompe, ∧ were entred into the counsel house wyth the captaines, and chiefmen of the cytye: at Festus commaundemeut Paule was brought forth. And Festus said. Kinge Agrippa, and al m&ebar; which are here present with vs: ye se this man about whom all the multitude of the Iewes haue bene with me both at Hierusalem ∧ also here, crying that he ought not to lyue anye lenger. G   Yet founde I nothinge worthy of death that he had committed. Neuertheles seynge that he hath appealed to Cesar: I haue determined to sende him. Of wh&obar; I haue no certaine thynge to writte vnto my Lorde.

Wherfore I haue broughte him vnto you, and specially vnto the, Kynge Agrippa, that after examination had, I myght haue some what to writte. For me thinketh it vnreasonable, for to sende a prysoner, ∧ not to shewe the causes, whiche are layed againste hym. The .xxvi. Chapter. ¶ Kynge Agrippa heareth Paule, who telleth hym hys vocation euen from the begynninge.

A   Agrippa sayd vnto Paule: thou art permitted to speake for thy selfe, Then Paule stretched forthe the hand, and aunswered for him selfe, I thinke my selfe happye kynge Agrippa, because I shall a&ubar;swere

this day before þe;, of all thinges wherof I am accused of þe; Iewes, namely because thou art exparte in all customes and questions, which are amonge the Iewes. Wherfore I beseche the to heare me paciently.

B   My liuinge of a childe, whiche was at the fyrst amonge myne owne nacion at Ierusalem, knowe all the Iewes, whyche knew me from the beginninge if they woulde testyfye it. For after the most strayteste secte of oure laye, lyued I a phariseye, and now I stand, ∧ am iudged for the hope of the promis made of God vnto our fathers vnto whyche promys our .xij. trybes instantlye, seruynge God daie and nighte hope to come. For whiche hopes sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of þe; Iewes. Why should it be thought a thinge vncredible vnto you, that God shoulde raise agayne the dead?

C   &rhand; I also verely thought in my selfe, that I ought to do manie contrarye thinges, clene agaynste the name of Nazareth, which thinge I also dyd in Ierusalem. Where manye of þe; sainctes I shut vp in prison, and had receiued authorite of the hye priestes. And when they were put to death, I gaue the sentence. And I punyshed them ofte, in euerye synagoge, and compelled them to blaspheme, and was yet more madde vpon them, and persecuted them euen vnto straunge cities. Aboute which thinges as I wente to Damasco with authoryte and licence of the hye priestes, euen at mydday (O king) I saw in the way alyght from heauen, aboue the bryghtnes of the sunne, shyne rounde aboute me, and them whyche iorneyed wyth me.

D   When we were all fallen to the earth: I heard a voice speakinge vnto me, and saiynge in the Hebrue tonge: Saul Saul, why persecutest þu; me? It is hard for the to kicke against the pricke. And I said. Who art thou Lorde? And he sayd: I am Iesus whom thou persecutest, but ryse and stand vp on thy fete. For I haue appeared vnto the for this purpose, to make the a minister, and a wytnes both of those thinges, whiche thou hast sene, ^note and of those thinges in the which I wil appeare vnto the deliuering the from the people, and fr&obar; the gentils, vnto whiche nowe I sende the, to open theyr eyes, that they myght turne from darckenes to lyght, and from the power of Satan vnto God: that they maye receiue forgeuenes of synnes, and inheritaunce amonge them whyche are sanctyfyed by fayth in me.

E    ^noteWherfore kynge Agrippa I was not disobedient vnto the heau&ebar;ly vision: but shewed fyrst vnto them of Damasco, and at Hierusalem and through out all the coastes of Iewry, and to the gentyls, that they should repent, ∧ tourne to God, and do the ryght workes of repentaunce. For this cause the Iewes caught me in the temple, and went aboute to kyll me. Neuerthelesse I obtained helpe of God, and continue vnto this daye wytnessinge both to smal and to great, saiyng none other thinges, then those which the prophetes and Moyses dyd saye shoulde come that Christe shoulde suffer, and that he shoulde be the fyrste, that shoulde ryse from death, and shoulde shewe lyghte vnto the people, and to the gentyls.

F   As he thus aunswered for him selfe, Festus saied with a loude voyce. Paul, thou art besides thy selfe. Muche learninge hath made the mad. And Paul saied: I am not mad, most deare Festus, but speake the wordes of trueth ∧ sobernes. The kinge knoweth of these thinges, before whom I speake frelye, neither thinke I that anye of these thinges are hydden from hym. For this thinge was not done in a corner. Kinge Agrippa beleuest thou the prophetes? I wote well thou beleuest. Agrippa saied to Paule: Some what thou bringest me in mynd for to become a Christian, And Paul sayde: I would to God that not onlye thou: but also all that heare me to daye, were not some what onelye but altogether suche as I am, excepte these bondes. G   And wh&ebar; he had thus spoken: the kynge rose vp, and the debitie, and Bernice and they that sate with them. And when they were gone aparte: they talketh betwene them selues saiyng. Thys man doth nothinge worthy of death, nor of b&obar;des. Then sayde Agrippa vnto Festus: Thys man might haue bene loused if he had not appealed vnto Cesar. The .xxvij. Chapter. Paule shipping towarde Rome. Iulius the Chapitaine entreateth him courteouslye, At the last they suffered shipwrake.

A    ^noteWhen it was concluded that we shoulde sayle into Italye, they deliuered Paule, and certaine other prisoners vnto one named Iulius, an vnder captayne of Cesars souldiers. And we entred into a ship of Adramicium, and lowsed from land, appointed to saile by the coastes of Asia, one Aristarcus out of Macedonia, of the co&ubar;trey of Thessalia, beinge with vs. And the next day we came to Sidon. And Iulius courteously entreated Paule, and gaue hym libertie to go vnto his fr&ebar;des, and to refreshe him selfe. And from thence lanched we, and sayled hard by Cypers, because the windes were c&obar;trarie. Then sayled we ouer the sea of Cylycia, and Pamphilia, and came to Mira a citie in Lycia.

B   &rhand; And there the vnder captaine founde a shyp of Alexander redy to sayle into Italy ∧ put vs therin. And wh&ebar; we had sailed slowly manye dayes, and scace were come ouer againste Gnidou (because the wynde withstode vs) we sayled harde by the coastes of Candy, ouer againste Salmo, and with much worcke sayled beyonde it, and came vnto a place called good porte. Nye wherunto was a cytie called Lasea. When muche tyme was spente and sailinge was nowe ieoperdous, because also that we had ouerlonge fasted, C   Paule put them in remembraunce, and sayed vnto them Sirs: I perceiue that thys viage wilbe

wyth hurte and much domage, not of the lodynge. And ship onely: but also of oure liues. Neuerthelater the vndercaptaine beleued the gouerner ∧ the maister, better then those thinges, which were spoken of Paule. And because the hauen was not commodious to winter in, many toke counsell to departe thence, if by anye meanes they mighte attaine to Phenices, and there to winter, which is an hauen of Candy, and serueth to the southwest and northwest wind. Wh&ebar; the south wind blewe, they supposynge to obtayne theyr purpose, loused vnto Asson and sailed paste al Candy.

D   &rhand; But anone after there arose againste their purpose, a flowe of winde out of þe; northeaste. And when the shyp was caughte, and coulde not resiste the winde, we lette her go ∧ draue with the wether. And we came vnto an yle named Clauda, and had muche worke to come by a bote, whiche they toke vp an vsed helpe, vndergerdinge the shippe, fearinge lest they shoulde haue fallen into05Q1415 Syrtes and we let doune a vessell and so were caried. The nexte daye, when we were tossed with an excedinge tempest, they lightened the shippe, ∧ the third daye we cast out with oure owne handes, the tacklinge of the shippe. When at the laste nether sunne nor starre in manye dayes appeared, and no smal tempest laye vpon vs, all hope that we shoulde be saued, was then taken awaye.

Then after longe abstinence, Paul stode forth in the middest of them and saied: Syrs ye shoulde haue herkened to me, E   and not haue loused from Candy, neyther to haue brought vnto vs this harme and losse. And nowe I exhorte you to be of good chere, for there shall be no losse of anye mans lyfe amonge you, saue of the shyppe onelye. For there stode by me this nyght the aungell of God. Whose I am, and whom I serue, sayinge. Feare not Paule, for thou muste be broughte before Cesar. And lo, God hath geuen vnto the all that sayle wyth the. Wherfore Syrs be of good cheare: for I beleue God, that so it shal be eu&ebar; as it was tolde me. How be it we must be cast into a certaine Ilande.

F   But when the fourtenth nyghte was come, as we were caryed in Adria about midnyght, the shipmen demed that there appeared some countreye vnto them: and sounded, and fo&ubar;de it .xx. feadoms. And wh&ebar; they had gone a litle further, they sounded againe, and founde .xv. feadoms. Then fearing lest they should haue fallen on some Rocke, they cast .iiij. ancres out the sterne, and wyshed for the day. As the shipmen were about to flee out of the shyp, ∧ had let doune the bote into the sea, vnder a coloure, as though they woulde haue cast ancres out of the forshyppe: Paule sayed vnto the vnder captaine, and the souldiers: excepte these abyde in the shyp, ye can not be safe. Then the souldiers cut of the rope of the bote, and let it fall away.

G   And in the meane tyme betwixt that and daye, Paule besoughte them al to take meate, sayinge: thys is the fourtenth daye, that ye haue taried, and c&obar;tinued fastinge, receiuinge nothinge at all. Wherfore I praye you take meate: for thys no doubte is for your health: for there shall not an heire fal from the heade of anye of you. And when he had thus spoken, he toke bread, and gaue thankes to God in presence of them all, and brake it, and began to eate. Then were they all of good cheare, and they also toke meate. We were all together in the shippe, two h&ubar;dreth three score and sixtene soules. And when they had eaten inough, they lyghtened the shippe, ∧ cast out the wheate into the sea.

&rhand; When it was daye, they knewe not the land, but they spied a certaine hauen wyth a banke, into the which they were minded (if it were possible) to thrust in the shippe. And wh&ebar; they had taken vp the ancres, they committed them selues vnto the sea, and loused þe; rudder bondes, and hoysed vp the manye sayle to the winde and drue to lande. But they chaunsed on a place, whiche had the sea on both the sydes, and thruste in the ship. And the fore part stucke fast and moued not, but þe; hinder brake wyth the violence of the wawes.

&rhand; The souldiers counsel was to kyll þe; prysoners, lest anye of them, when he had swome out, shoulde flee awaye. But the vnder captaine willing to saue Paule, kepte them from their purpose, and commaunded that they þt; could swyme, should cast them selues first into the sea, and scape to land. And the other he commaunded to go, some on bourdes, ∧ some on broken peces of the shyp. And so it came to passe, that they came al safe to lande. ^note The .xxviij. Chapter. The bytynge of the vyper hurteth not Paules hande. He healeth Pubilus father, and preacheth Christ at Rome.

A   And when they were scaped, then they knewe that the Ile was called Milete. And þe; people of the countrey shewed vs no lytel kyndnes: for they kindled a fyre, and receiued vs euery one, because of the presente rayne, and because of the colde. And when Paule had gathered a boundel of styckes, and put them into the fyre, there came a viper out of the heate, and lept on his hand. When the men of the countrey sawe the worme hange on his hande, they sayd amonge them selues: this m&abar; must nedes be a murtherer. Whom (though he haue escaped the sea) yet vengeaunce suffreth not to lyue. But he shouke of the vermen into the fyre and felt no harme. Howe be it they wayted when he should haue swolne or fallen doune dead sodenly. But after they had loked a greate whyle, and sawe no harme come

come to him, they chaunged their mindes, and said that he was a God.

In the same quarters the chiefe man of the yle whose name was Publius had a lordeshyp: the same receiued vs, and lodged vs thre dayes courteouslye. B   And it fortuned that þe; father of Publius laie sicke of a fieuer and of a blouddy flixe. ^noteTo whom Paule entred in and prayed, and layed his handes on him, and healed him. When this was done, other also which had dyseases in the yle came and were healed. And they dyd vs great honoure. And when we departed they loded vs with thinges necessary.

&rhand; After thre monethes we departed in a shyppe of Alexandria, whiche had wintred in the yle whose badge was05Q1416 Castor and Pollux: And when we came to Cyracusa, we taried ther .iij. dayes. And from thence we set a compasse and came to Regium. And after one daye the south wynd blew, and we came the next daye to Putiolus: where we founde brethren, and were desired to tarye wyth them seuen daies, and so came to Rome. And from thence, when the brethren hearde of vs, they came against vs to Apiphorum, and to þe; thre tauernes. When Paule sawe them, he thanked God, and waxed bold. And when he came to Rome, the vndercaptaine deliuered the prisoners to the chiefe captaine of the host: but Paule was suffred to dwelle by him selfe with one souldier that kepte him. And it fortuned after thre dayes that Paul called þe; chiefe of the Iewes together. And when they were come, he saide vnto them: Men and brethren though I haue committed nothinge againste the people or lawes of oure fathers: yet was I deliuered prisoner from Ierusalem into the handes of þe; Romaynes. Whiche when they had examyned me, woulde haue let me go, because they found no cause of death in me. But when the Iewes cryed contrary, I was constrayned to appeale to Cesar: not because I had ought to accuse my people of. For thys cause haue I called for you, euen to se you, and to speake wyth you: because that for the hope of Israell, I am bounde wyth thys chayne.

&rhand; And they saide vnto him: We neyther receiued letters out of Iewrye partaininge vnto the, neyther came any of the brethren that shewed or spake anye harme of the. But we wyll heare of the what thou thynkest. For we haue hearde of this secte that euery where it is spoken agaynste. And when they had appoynted him a daye, there came manye vnto him into hys lodgynge, to whom he expounded and testifyed the kingedome of God, and preached vnto them of Iesu: both out of the Prophetes, euen from morninge to nyghte. And some beleued the thinges, whyche were spoken, and some beleued not.

^note&rhand; When they agreed not amonge them selues, they departed, after that Paule had spoken one word: Welspake the holy ghoste by Esay the prophet vnto youre fathers, saiyng: go vnto thys people, and saye: wyth youre eares shall ye heare, ∧ shall not vnderstande: and wyth youre eies shal ye se and shall not perceiue.

For the hert of this people is waxed grosse and their eares were thicke of hearinge, and theyr eyes haue they closed: lest they should se with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnderst&abar;de with their hertes, and should be conuerted, and I should heale them. Be it knowen therfore vnto you, that this saluation of God is sente to the gentyls, and they shall heare it. And when he had sayed that, the Iewes departed, and had greate despici&obar;s among them selues.

&rhand; And Paule dwelt two yeares full in his lodgynge, and receyued all that came to hym, preaching those thynges, whyche concerned the Lorde Iesus wyth all confydence vnforboden. ^note Here endeth the Actes of the Apostles.

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