WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.030 --> 00:00:02.860 Henry: Welcome to immerse, the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:02.978 --> 00:00:03.748 Day thirteen. 00:00:04.151 --> 00:00:08.801 Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing 00:00:08.801 --> 00:00:10.811 miracles and signs among the people. 00:00:11.501 --> 00:00:15.791 But one day some men from the synagogue of freed slaves, as it was 00:00:15.791 --> 00:00:17.951 called, started to debate with him. 00:00:18.491 --> 00:00:23.921 They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Saia, and the province of Asia. 00:00:24.491 --> 00:00:27.071 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the 00:00:27.071 --> 00:00:28.991 spirit with which Steven spoke. 00:00:29.651 --> 00:00:33.791 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen saying we heard him 00:00:33.791 --> 00:00:39.281 blaspheme Moses and even God, this roused the people, the elders and 00:00:39.281 --> 00:00:40.751 the teachers of religious law. 00:00:41.351 --> 00:00:44.801 So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high counsel. 00:00:45.151 --> 00:00:49.661 The lying witnesses said, this man is always speaking against the holy 00:00:49.661 --> 00:00:51.521 temple and against the law of Moses. 00:00:52.196 --> 00:00:56.006 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy 00:00:56.006 --> 00:00:58.076 the temple and change the customs. 00:00:58.076 --> 00:00:59.546 Moses handed down to us. 00:01:00.446 --> 00:01:04.856 At this point, everyone in the high counsel stared at Stephen because his 00:01:04.856 --> 00:01:07.046 face became as bright as an angels. 00:01:07.306 --> 00:01:11.996 Then the high priest asked, Stephen, are these accusations true? 00:01:13.016 --> 00:01:14.516 This was Steven's reply. 00:01:15.686 --> 00:01:17.906 Brothers and fathers, listen to me. 00:01:18.611 --> 00:01:22.811 Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia. 00:01:23.171 --> 00:01:28.031 Before he settled in Heron, God told him, leave your native land 00:01:28.091 --> 00:01:31.871 and your relatives and come into the land that I will show you. 00:01:32.561 --> 00:01:37.421 So Abraham left the land of the Calians and lived in Heron until his father died. 00:01:38.051 --> 00:01:42.701 Then God brought him here to the land where you now live, but God 00:01:42.701 --> 00:01:44.351 gave him no inheritance here. 00:01:44.711 --> 00:01:46.991 Not even one square foot of land. 00:01:47.891 --> 00:01:51.401 God did promise however, that eventually the whole land would 00:01:51.401 --> 00:01:55.631 belong to Abraham and his descendants, even though he had no children yet. 00:01:56.321 --> 00:02:00.191 God also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign land where 00:02:00.196 --> 00:02:05.081 they would be oppressed as slaves for 400 years, but I will punish 00:02:05.086 --> 00:02:06.551 the nation that enslaves them. 00:02:06.731 --> 00:02:11.471 God said, and in the end, they will come out and worship me here in this place. 00:02:12.641 --> 00:02:16.481 God also gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision at that time. 00:02:17.111 --> 00:02:21.311 So when Abraham became the father of Isaac, he circumcised him on the eighth 00:02:21.316 --> 00:02:26.141 day, and the practice was continued when Isaac became the father of Jacob. 00:02:26.501 --> 00:02:30.521 And when Jacob became the father of the 12 patriarchs of the Israelite 00:02:30.521 --> 00:02:35.321 nation, these patriarchs were jealous of their brother Joseph, and they 00:02:35.321 --> 00:02:37.061 sold him to be a slave in Egypt. 00:02:37.661 --> 00:02:41.291 But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. 00:02:41.681 --> 00:02:45.251 And God gave him favor before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. 00:02:45.941 --> 00:02:50.351 God also gave Joseph unusual wisdom so that Pharaoh appointed 00:02:50.351 --> 00:02:54.401 him governor over all of Egypt and put him in charge of the palace. 00:02:55.211 --> 00:02:57.731 But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. 00:02:58.331 --> 00:03:01.691 There was great misery and our ancestors ran out of food. 00:03:02.351 --> 00:03:05.801 Jacob heard that there was still grain in Egypt, so he sent his 00:03:05.801 --> 00:03:08.351 sons our ancestors to buy some. 00:03:09.011 --> 00:03:13.301 The second time they went, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers 00:03:13.721 --> 00:03:15.371 and they were introduced to Pharaoh. 00:03:15.911 --> 00:03:20.471 Then Joseph sent for his father, Jacob and all his relatives to come to Egypt. 00:03:20.621 --> 00:03:22.421 75 persons in all. 00:03:22.931 --> 00:03:24.611 So Jacob went to Egypt. 00:03:25.091 --> 00:03:27.611 He died there, as did our ancestors. 00:03:28.131 --> 00:03:31.871 Their bodies were taken to Shechem and buried in the tomb. 00:03:31.901 --> 00:03:35.621 Abraham had bought for a certain price from Hay Moore's sons in Shechem. 00:03:36.971 --> 00:03:41.651 As the time drew near when God would fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number 00:03:41.651 --> 00:03:44.231 of our people in Egypt greatly increased. 00:03:44.891 --> 00:03:49.151 But then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph. 00:03:49.811 --> 00:03:53.771 This king exploited our people and oppressed them, forcing parents 00:03:53.776 --> 00:03:58.601 to abandon their newborn babies so they would die at that time. 00:03:58.601 --> 00:04:02.171 Moses was born a beautiful child in God's eyes. 00:04:02.771 --> 00:04:05.561 His parents cared for him at home for three months. 00:04:06.056 --> 00:04:09.806 When they had to abandon him, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him 00:04:09.866 --> 00:04:11.756 and raised him as her own son. 00:04:12.416 --> 00:04:15.716 Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was 00:04:15.716 --> 00:04:18.206 powerful in both speech and action. 00:04:19.046 --> 00:04:23.336 One day when Moses was 40 years old, he decided to visit his 00:04:23.341 --> 00:04:25.136 relatives, the people of Israel. 00:04:25.676 --> 00:04:30.416 He saw an Egyptian mistreating, an Israelite, so Moses came to the man's 00:04:30.416 --> 00:04:33.386 defense and veed him killing the Egyptian. 00:04:34.106 --> 00:04:37.946 Moses assumed his fellow Israelites would realize that God had sent him 00:04:37.946 --> 00:04:40.256 to rescue them, but they didn't. 00:04:41.036 --> 00:04:44.876 The next day he visited them again and saw two men of Israel fighting. 00:04:45.386 --> 00:04:47.876 He tried to be a peacemaker men. 00:04:48.056 --> 00:04:50.216 He said, you are brothers. 00:04:50.396 --> 00:04:51.896 Why are you fighting each other? 00:04:52.796 --> 00:04:56.486 But the man in the wrong pushed Moses aside, who made 00:04:56.486 --> 00:04:58.676 you a ruler and judge over us. 00:04:59.036 --> 00:05:03.086 He asked, are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday? 00:05:04.031 --> 00:05:08.681 When Moses heard that he fled the country and lived as a foreigner in the land of 00:05:08.681 --> 00:05:11.411 Midian there, his two sons were born. 00:05:12.521 --> 00:05:17.531 40 years later in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to 00:05:17.531 --> 00:05:19.691 Moses in the flame of a burning bush. 00:05:20.351 --> 00:05:23.051 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. 00:05:23.801 --> 00:05:28.001 As he went to take a closer look, the voice of the Lord called out to him. 00:05:28.361 --> 00:05:33.191 I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 00:05:34.091 --> 00:05:37.391 Moses shook with terror and did not dare to look. 00:05:38.351 --> 00:05:42.101 Then the Lord said to him, take off your sandals, for you 00:05:42.106 --> 00:05:43.901 are standing on holy ground. 00:05:44.621 --> 00:05:48.191 I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. 00:05:48.611 --> 00:05:51.641 I have heard their groans and have come down to rescue them. 00:05:51.821 --> 00:05:55.301 Now go for, I am sending you back to Egypt. 00:05:56.621 --> 00:06:00.431 So God sent back the same man his people had previously 00:06:00.431 --> 00:06:01.901 rejected when they demanded. 00:06:02.111 --> 00:06:04.661 Who made you a ruler and judge over us. 00:06:05.441 --> 00:06:08.441 Through the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush. 00:06:08.771 --> 00:06:11.981 God sent Moses to be their ruler and savior. 00:06:12.686 --> 00:06:15.506 By means of many wonders and miraculous signs. 00:06:15.626 --> 00:06:19.586 He led them out of Egypt through the Red Sea and through the wilderness. 00:06:19.586 --> 00:06:20.846 For 40 years. 00:06:21.656 --> 00:06:26.576 Moses himself told the people of Israel, God will raise up for you a prophet 00:06:26.576 --> 00:06:28.766 like me, from among your own people. 00:06:29.456 --> 00:06:34.166 Moses was with our ancestors, the assembly of God's people in the wilderness. 00:06:34.376 --> 00:06:38.936 When the angel spoke to him at Mount Sinai and there, Moses received 00:06:38.936 --> 00:06:41.666 life-giving words to pass on to us. 00:06:42.386 --> 00:06:45.416 But our ancestors refused to listen to Moses. 00:06:45.776 --> 00:06:48.506 They rejected him and wanted to return to Egypt. 00:06:49.046 --> 00:06:53.906 They told Aaron, make us some gods who can lead us for, we don't know what has become 00:06:53.906 --> 00:06:56.186 of this Moses who brought us out of Egypt. 00:06:56.846 --> 00:07:01.346 So they made an idol shaped like a calf, and they sacrificed to it and 00:07:01.346 --> 00:07:03.926 celebrated over this thing they had made. 00:07:04.676 --> 00:07:08.096 Then God turned away from them and abandoned them to serve the 00:07:08.101 --> 00:07:10.256 stars of heaven as their gods. 00:07:11.081 --> 00:07:13.001 In the book of the Prophets, it is written. 00:07:13.481 --> 00:07:14.591 Was it to me? 00:07:14.621 --> 00:07:18.161 You were bringing sacrifices and offerings during those 40 00:07:18.161 --> 00:07:19.751 years in the wilderness, Israel? 00:07:20.321 --> 00:07:20.801 No. 00:07:21.131 --> 00:07:26.711 You carried your pagan gods, the shrine of Molech, the star of your God, rehan, 00:07:27.161 --> 00:07:29.291 and the images you made to worship them. 00:07:29.951 --> 00:07:33.701 So I will send, send you into exile as far away as Babylon. 00:07:34.721 --> 00:07:38.591 Our ancestors carried the tabernacle with them through the wilderness. 00:07:38.681 --> 00:07:42.251 It was constructed according to the plan God had shown to Moses. 00:07:42.821 --> 00:07:47.381 Years later, when Joshua led our ancestors in battle against the nations, 00:07:47.386 --> 00:07:49.121 that God drove out of this land. 00:07:49.511 --> 00:07:53.921 The tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory, and it stayed 00:07:53.921 --> 00:07:55.511 there until the time of King David. 00:07:56.471 --> 00:08:00.551 David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a 00:08:00.551 --> 00:08:02.741 permanent temple for the God of Jacob. 00:08:03.536 --> 00:08:05.696 But it was Solomon who actually built it. 00:08:06.206 --> 00:08:10.916 However, the most high doesn't live in temples made by human hands. 00:08:11.516 --> 00:08:17.006 As the prophet says, heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool. 00:08:17.456 --> 00:08:19.856 Could you build me a temple as good as that? 00:08:20.216 --> 00:08:24.206 Ask the Lord, could you build me such a resting place? 00:08:24.656 --> 00:08:27.596 Didn't my hands make both heaven and earth? 00:08:28.481 --> 00:08:30.161 You stubborn people. 00:08:30.551 --> 00:08:33.611 You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. 00:08:34.121 --> 00:08:36.791 Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? 00:08:37.241 --> 00:08:41.771 That's what your ancestors did, and so do you name one prophet. 00:08:41.771 --> 00:08:43.601 Your ancestors didn't persecute. 00:08:44.171 --> 00:08:48.011 They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the righteous one, the 00:08:48.011 --> 00:08:50.531 Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. 00:08:51.131 --> 00:08:55.301 You deliberately disobeyed God's law even though you received 00:08:55.301 --> 00:08:57.011 it from the hands of angels. 00:08:58.091 --> 00:09:02.291 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation, and they 00:09:02.291 --> 00:09:04.391 shook their fists at him in rage. 00:09:04.961 --> 00:09:10.391 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory 00:09:10.391 --> 00:09:15.881 of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand, and 00:09:15.881 --> 00:09:21.461 he told them, look, I see the heavens opened, and the son of man standing in 00:09:21.461 --> 00:09:23.501 the place of honor at God's right hand. 00:09:24.596 --> 00:09:27.296 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. 00:09:27.836 --> 00:09:31.796 They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. 00:09:32.606 --> 00:09:36.506 His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young 00:09:36.506 --> 00:09:39.566 man named Saul as they stoned him. 00:09:39.746 --> 00:09:40.676 Stephen prayed. 00:09:40.946 --> 00:09:43.226 Lord Jesus received my spirit. 00:09:43.796 --> 00:09:48.296 He fell to his knees shouting, Lord, don't charge them with this sin. 00:09:49.136 --> 00:09:51.176 And with that, he died. 00:09:52.436 --> 00:09:55.916 Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely 00:09:55.946 --> 00:09:57.236 with the killing of Stephen. 00:09:58.316 --> 00:10:02.546 A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in 00:10:02.546 --> 00:10:07.076 Jerusalem, and all the believers, except the apostles were scattered through 00:10:07.076 --> 00:10:09.296 the regions of Judea and Samaria. 00:10:09.986 --> 00:10:15.176 Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning, but Saul was 00:10:15.176 --> 00:10:17.516 going everywhere to destroy the church. 00:10:18.071 --> 00:10:22.541 He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them 00:10:22.541 --> 00:10:27.431 into prison, but the believers who were scattered preached the good 00:10:27.436 --> 00:10:29.441 news about Jesus wherever they went. 00:10:30.131 --> 00:10:34.631 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people 00:10:34.631 --> 00:10:38.981 there about the Messiah crowds listened intently to Philip because 00:10:38.981 --> 00:10:43.121 they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. 00:10:43.961 --> 00:10:49.361 Many evil spirits were cast out screaming as they left their victims and many who 00:10:49.361 --> 00:10:51.941 had been paralyzed or lame were healed. 00:10:52.481 --> 00:10:54.551 So there was great joy in that city. 00:10:55.661 --> 00:10:59.081 A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years. 00:10:59.291 --> 00:11:02.861 Amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. 00:11:03.536 --> 00:11:08.456 Everyone from the least to the greatest often spoke of him as the great one. 00:11:08.576 --> 00:11:09.866 The power of God. 00:11:10.526 --> 00:11:13.616 They listened closely to him because for a long time he had 00:11:13.616 --> 00:11:15.236 astounded them with his magic. 00:11:16.106 --> 00:11:19.706 But now the people believed Philip's message of good news 00:11:19.706 --> 00:11:22.916 concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. 00:11:23.606 --> 00:11:26.546 As a result, many men and women were baptized. 00:11:27.086 --> 00:11:29.996 Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. 00:11:30.506 --> 00:11:35.366 He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs 00:11:35.366 --> 00:11:37.406 and great miracles Philip performed. 00:11:38.396 --> 00:11:42.236 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God's 00:11:42.236 --> 00:11:44.696 message, they sent Peter and John there. 00:11:45.446 --> 00:11:48.476 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers 00:11:48.476 --> 00:11:50.126 to receive the Holy Spirit. 00:11:50.846 --> 00:11:54.896 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them for they had only been 00:11:54.896 --> 00:11:57.056 baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 00:11:57.746 --> 00:12:00.836 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers and 00:12:00.836 --> 00:12:02.486 they received the Holy Spirit. 00:12:03.566 --> 00:12:06.956 When Simon saw that the spirit was given, when the Apostles laid 00:12:06.956 --> 00:12:10.766 their hands on people, he offered the money to buy this power. 00:12:11.426 --> 00:12:13.076 Let me have this power too. 00:12:13.256 --> 00:12:16.676 He exclaimed so that when I lay my hands on people, they 00:12:16.676 --> 00:12:18.206 will receive the Holy Spirit. 00:12:19.331 --> 00:12:23.171 But Peter replied, may your money be destroyed with you for 00:12:23.171 --> 00:12:25.001 thinking God's gift can be bought. 00:12:25.721 --> 00:12:27.221 You can have no part in this. 00:12:27.341 --> 00:12:29.411 For your heart is not right with God. 00:12:29.981 --> 00:12:32.711 Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. 00:12:33.281 --> 00:12:35.651 Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts. 00:12:36.011 --> 00:12:40.511 For I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin. 00:12:41.621 --> 00:12:45.761 Pray to the Lord for me, Simon exclaimed that these terrible things 00:12:45.761 --> 00:12:47.171 you've said won't happen to me. 00:12:47.876 --> 00:12:51.956 After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and 00:12:51.956 --> 00:12:56.276 John returned to Jerusalem and they stopped in many Samaritan villages 00:12:56.281 --> 00:12:58.646 along the way to preach the good news. 00:13:00.476 --> 00:13:05.096 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, go south down the desert 00:13:05.101 --> 00:13:07.316 road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza. 00:13:07.976 --> 00:13:13.496 So he started out and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority 00:13:13.796 --> 00:13:16.406 under the Kande, the Queen of Ethiopia. 00:13:17.066 --> 00:13:20.396 The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was now 00:13:20.396 --> 00:13:22.826 returning, seated in his carriage. 00:13:23.006 --> 00:13:25.706 He was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 00:13:26.516 --> 00:13:31.136 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, go over and walk along beside the carriage. 00:13:31.826 --> 00:13:35.096 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. 00:13:35.771 --> 00:13:39.131 Philip asked, do you understand what you are reading? 00:13:39.851 --> 00:13:45.791 The man replied, how can I, unless someone instructs me, and he urged Philip to come 00:13:45.791 --> 00:13:47.501 up into the carriage and sit with him. 00:13:48.371 --> 00:13:50.891 The passage of scripture he had been reading was this. 00:13:51.491 --> 00:13:56.231 He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before the 00:13:56.231 --> 00:13:58.601 shearers, he did not open his mouth. 00:13:59.231 --> 00:14:01.961 He was humiliated and received no justice. 00:14:02.621 --> 00:14:04.421 Who can speak of his descendants? 00:14:04.796 --> 00:14:06.896 For his life was taken from the earth. 00:14:08.006 --> 00:14:11.636 The eunuch asked Philip, tell me, was the prophet talking 00:14:11.636 --> 00:14:13.586 about himself or someone else? 00:14:14.216 --> 00:14:18.986 So beginning with this same scripture, Philip told him the good news about Jesus. 00:14:19.796 --> 00:14:22.886 As they wrote along, they came to some water and the eunuch 00:14:22.946 --> 00:14:25.106 said, look, there's some water. 00:14:25.376 --> 00:14:26.906 Why can't I be baptized? 00:14:27.536 --> 00:14:30.656 He ordered the carriage to stop and they went down into the 00:14:30.656 --> 00:14:32.846 water and Philip baptized him. 00:14:33.671 --> 00:14:37.991 When they came up out of the water, the spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. 00:14:38.591 --> 00:14:42.311 The eunuch never saw him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 00:14:43.091 --> 00:14:47.651 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Ottis. 00:14:48.221 --> 00:14:51.281 He preached the good news there and in every town along the 00:14:51.281 --> 00:14:53.491 way until he came to Cesarea. 00:14:55.301 --> 00:14:59.501 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was 00:14:59.501 --> 00:15:03.611 eager to kill the Lord's followers, so he went to the high priest. 00:15:04.061 --> 00:15:08.411 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for 00:15:08.411 --> 00:15:12.641 their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the way he found there. 00:15:13.241 --> 00:15:18.281 He wanted to bring them both men and women back to Jerusalem in chains. 00:15:19.226 --> 00:15:23.426 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven 00:15:23.426 --> 00:15:25.196 suddenly shone down around him. 00:15:25.646 --> 00:15:29.306 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, 00:15:29.576 --> 00:15:32.636 Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:15:33.476 --> 00:15:34.616 Who are you Lord? 00:15:34.946 --> 00:15:41.036 Saul asked and the voice replied, I am Jesus the one You are persecuting. 00:15:41.546 --> 00:15:45.686 Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do. 00:15:46.766 --> 00:15:50.366 The men with Saul stood speechless for, they heard the sound of 00:15:50.366 --> 00:15:52.286 someone's voice, but saw no one. 00:15:53.036 --> 00:15:58.226 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he was blind. 00:15:58.976 --> 00:16:02.096 So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 00:16:02.696 --> 00:16:07.016 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink. 00:16:07.766 --> 00:16:10.976 Now, there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. 00:16:11.351 --> 00:16:15.701 The Lord spoke to him in a vision calling Ananias, yes Lord. 00:16:16.001 --> 00:16:16.721 He replied. 00:16:17.411 --> 00:16:23.321 The Lord said, go over to straight street to the house of Judas when you get there. 00:16:23.351 --> 00:16:26.441 Ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. 00:16:27.011 --> 00:16:28.871 He is praying to me right now. 00:16:29.411 --> 00:16:33.791 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying 00:16:33.791 --> 00:16:35.861 hands on him so he can see again. 00:16:36.851 --> 00:16:42.191 But Lord exclaimed Ananias, I've heard many people talk about the terrible 00:16:42.196 --> 00:16:46.691 things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem, and he is authorized 00:16:46.691 --> 00:16:50.801 by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name. 00:16:51.731 --> 00:16:57.611 But the Lord said, go for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to 00:16:57.611 --> 00:17:03.401 the Gentiles and to kings as well as to the people of Israel, and I will show him 00:17:03.401 --> 00:17:06.311 how much he must suffer for my namesake. 00:17:07.181 --> 00:17:09.221 So Ananias went and found Saul. 00:17:09.971 --> 00:17:14.771 He laid his hands on him and said, brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who 00:17:14.771 --> 00:17:19.451 appeared to you on the road has sent me so that you might regain your sight 00:17:19.631 --> 00:17:21.311 and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:17:22.301 --> 00:17:27.821 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes and he regained his sight. 00:17:28.391 --> 00:17:33.011 Then he got up and was baptized Afterward, he ate some food 00:17:33.311 --> 00:17:34.571 and regained his strength. 00:17:36.011 --> 00:17:39.281 Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 00:17:39.911 --> 00:17:43.271 Immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogue, 00:17:43.271 --> 00:17:46.331 saying he is indeed the son of God. 00:17:47.411 --> 00:17:49.631 All who heard him were amazed. 00:17:50.471 --> 00:17:53.861 Isn't this the same man who caused such devastation among 00:17:53.861 --> 00:17:55.601 Jesus followers in Jerusalem? 00:17:55.751 --> 00:18:00.011 They asked, and didn't He come here to arrest them and take them 00:18:00.011 --> 00:18:01.991 in chains to the leading priests? 00:18:02.771 --> 00:18:06.971 Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in 00:18:06.971 --> 00:18:11.231 Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 00:18:12.221 --> 00:18:15.461 After a while, some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. 00:18:16.061 --> 00:18:19.931 They were watching for him day and night at this city gate so they could murder 00:18:19.931 --> 00:18:22.421 him, but Saul was told about their plot. 00:18:23.051 --> 00:18:27.071 So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket 00:18:27.071 --> 00:18:28.871 through an opening in the city wall. 00:18:29.801 --> 00:18:33.791 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, 00:18:34.241 --> 00:18:35.621 but they were all afraid of him. 00:18:35.981 --> 00:18:39.161 They did not believe he had truly become a believer. 00:18:39.971 --> 00:18:43.811 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had 00:18:43.816 --> 00:18:48.071 seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. 00:18:48.641 --> 00:18:53.981 He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. 00:18:54.776 --> 00:18:58.676 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them 00:18:59.066 --> 00:19:01.166 preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 00:19:01.826 --> 00:19:05.996 He debated with some Greek speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. 00:19:06.686 --> 00:19:10.706 When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Cesarea and 00:19:10.706 --> 00:19:13.466 sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown. 00:19:15.146 --> 00:19:17.666 The church then had peace throughout Judea. 00:19:18.056 --> 00:19:23.156 Galilee and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in 00:19:23.156 --> 00:19:27.086 the fear of the Lord and with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit. 00:19:27.656 --> 00:19:29.396 It also grew in numbers. 00:19:31.466 --> 00:19:34.316 This concludes today's Immer reading experience. 00:19:34.466 --> 00:19:35.696 Thank you for joining us.