Creation, Fall, and the Church's Bold Beginning

1. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2. The earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep and God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4. God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness. 5. God called the light “day”, and the darkness he called “night”. There was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6. God said, “Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” 7. God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so. 8. God called the expanse “sky”. There was evening and there was morning, a second day. 9. God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10. God called the dry land “earth”, and the gathering together of the waters he called “seas”. God saw that it was good. 11. God said, “Let the earth yield grass, herbs yielding seeds, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with their seeds in it, on the earth”; and it was so. 12. The earth yielded grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with their seeds in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. 13. There was evening and there was morning, a third day. 14. God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs to mark seasons, days, and years; 15. and let them be for lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16. God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars. 17. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light to the earth, 18. and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good. 19. There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. 20. God said, “Let the waters abound with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.” 21. God created the large sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good. 22. God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23. There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. 24. God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind”; and it was so. 25. God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good. 26. God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27. God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. 28. God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29. God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. 30. To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;” and it was so. 31. God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. 1. The heavens, the earth, and all their vast array were finished. 2. On the seventh day God finished his work which he had done; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. 3. God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work of creation which he had done. 4. This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens. 5. No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused it to rain on the earth. There was not a man to till the ground, 6. but a mist went up from the earth, and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7. Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8. Yahweh God planted a garden eastward, in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9. Out of the ground Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10. A river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it was parted, and became the source of four rivers. 11. The name of the first is Pishon: it flows through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12. and the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and onyx stone are also there. 13. The name of the second river is Gihon. It is the same river that flows through the whole land of Cush. 14. The name of the third river is Hiddekel. This is the one which flows in front of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates. 15. Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it. 16. Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17. but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.” 18. Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.” 19. Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature became its name. 20. The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; but for man there was not found a helper comparable to him. 21. Yahweh God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. As the man slept, he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22. Yahweh God made a woman from the rib which he had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. 23. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.” 24. Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh. 25. The man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed. 1. Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?’” 2. The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, 3. but not the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it. You shall not touch it, lest you die.’” 4. The serpent said to the woman, “You won’t really die, 5. for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too. 7. Their eyes were opened, and they both knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made coverings for themselves. 8. They heard Yahweh God’s voice walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden. 9. Yahweh God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 10. The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11. God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12. The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13. Yahweh God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14. Yahweh God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. You shall go on your belly and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15. I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.” 16. To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bear children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” 17. To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and ate from the tree, about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ the ground is cursed for your sake. You will eat from it with much labor all the days of your life. 18. It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field. 19. By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 20. The man called his wife Eve because she would be the mother of all the living. 21. Yahweh God made coats of animal skins for Adam and for his wife, and clothed them. 22. Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever—” 23. Therefore Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24. So he drove out the man; and he placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

1. The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, 2. until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3. To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God’s Kingdom. 4. Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me. 5. For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6. Therefore when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7. He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority. 8. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.” 9. When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10. While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing, 11. who also said, “You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.” 12. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13. When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14. All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. 15. In these days, Peter stood up in the middle of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred twenty), and said, 16. “Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus. 17. For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry. 18. Now this man obtained a field with the reward for his wickedness, and falling headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines gushed out. 19. It became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem that in their language that field was called ‘Akeldama,’ that is, ‘The field of blood.’ 20. For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his habitation be made desolate. Let no one dwell therein;’ and, ‘Let another take his office.’ 21. “Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22. beginning from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” 23. They put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24. They prayed, and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen 25. to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.” 26. They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles. 1. Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2. Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3. Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. 4. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. 5. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. 6. When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. 7. They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? 8. How do we hear, everyone in our own native language? 9. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10. Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11. Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!” 12. They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13. Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words. 15. For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day. 16. But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel: 17. ‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. 18. Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy. 19. I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke. 20. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. 21. It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 22. “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know, 23. him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; 24. whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. 25. For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. 26. Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope; 27. because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay. 28. You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29. “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31. he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul wasn’t left in Hades, and his flesh didn’t see decay. 32. This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses. 33. Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear. 34. For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand, 35. until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ 36. “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38. Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 40. With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 41. Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. 42. They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer. 43. Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44. All who believed were together, and had all things in common. 45. They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. 46. Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47. praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved. 1. Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2. A certain man who was lame from his mother’s womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts for the needy of those who entered into the temple. 3. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive gifts for the needy. 4. Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, “Look at us.” 5. He listened to them, expecting to receive something from them. 6. But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” 7. He took him by the right hand, and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength. 8. Leaping up, he stood, and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God. 9. All the people saw him walking and praising God. 10. They recognized him, that it was he who used to sit begging for gifts for the needy at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11. As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. 12. When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, “You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk? 13. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to release him. 14. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15. and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, to which we are witnesses. 16. By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17. “Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18. But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19. “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, 20. and that he may send Christ Jesus, who was ordained for you before, 21. whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets. 22. For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you. 23. It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24. Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days. 25. You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘In your offspring will all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26. God, having raised up his servant Jesus, sent him to you first to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your wickedness.”

1. Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. 2. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. 3. For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me. 4. Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight; that you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge. 5. Behold, I was born in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me. 6. Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8. Let me hear joy and gladness, That the bones which you have broken may rejoice. 9. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities. 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. 11. Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your holy Spirit from me. 12. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit. 13. Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners shall be converted to you. 14. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 15. Lord, open my lips. My mouth shall declare your praise. 16. For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18. Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem. 19. Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings. Then they will offer bulls on your altar.