Judas collects sin offering and makes atonement

Following the peace treaty reached by Lysias, the peace did not last long. Some of the leaders in Joppa lured the Israelites to sea and drowned them. Judas attacked Joppa in retaliation. Alliances were formed by Judas with the Arabs, and other hostilities broke out as well. Judas won many of the victories with God's help.

Although Judas won many victories, there were also casualties on the side of the Jews. As they recovered their bodies, they found idols on them, so they understood the reason of their defeat. They believed in the resurrection, so they took up a sin offering and Judas tried to make an atonement for them.


2 Maccabees 12  (NRSVCE)
Incidents at Joppa and Jamnia
12 When this agreement had been reached, Lysias returned to the king, and the Jews went about their farming.

2 But some of the governors in various places, Timothy and Apollonius son of Gennaeus, as well as Hieronymus and Demophon, and in addition to these Nicanor the governor of Cyprus, would not let them live quietly and in peace. 3 And the people of Joppa did so ungodly a deed as this: they invited the Jews who lived among them to embark, with their wives and children, on boats that they had provided, as though there were no ill will to the Jews;[a] 4 and this was done by public vote of the city. When they accepted, because they wished to live peaceably and suspected nothing, the people of Joppa[b] took them out to sea and drowned them, at least two hundred. 5 When Judas heard of the cruelty visited on his compatriots, he gave orders to his men 6 and, calling upon God, the righteous judge, attacked the murderers of his kindred. He set fire to the harbor by night, burned the boats, and massacred those who had taken refuge there. 7 Then, because the city’s gates were closed, he withdrew, intending to come again and root out the whole community of Joppa. 8 But learning that the people in Jamnia meant in the same way to wipe out the Jews who were living among them, 9 he attacked the Jamnites by night and set fire to the harbor and the fleet, so that the glow of the light was seen in Jerusalem, thirty miles[c] distant.

The Campaign in Gilead
10 When they had gone more than a mile[d] from there, on their march against Timothy, at least five thousand Arabs with five hundred cavalry attacked them. 11 After a hard fight, Judas and his companions, with God’s help, were victorious. The defeated nomads begged Judas to grant them pledges of friendship, promising to give him livestock and to help his people[e] in all other ways. 12 Judas, realizing that they might indeed be useful in many ways, agreed to make peace with them; and after receiving his pledges they went back to their tents.

13 He also attacked a certain town that was strongly fortified with earthworks[f] and walls, and inhabited by all sorts of Gentiles. Its name was Caspin. 14 Those who were within, relying on the strength of the walls and on their supply of provisions, behaved most insolently toward Judas and his men, railing at them and even blaspheming and saying unholy things. 15 But Judas and his men, calling upon the great Sovereign of the world, who without battering rams or engines of war overthrew Jericho in the days of Joshua, rushed furiously upon the walls. 16 They took the town by the will of God, and slaughtered untold numbers, so that the adjoining lake, a quarter of a mile[g] wide, appeared to be running over with blood.

Judas Defeats Timothy’s Army
17 When they had gone ninety-five miles[h] from there, they came to Charax, to the Jews who are called Toubiani. 18 They did not find Timothy in that region, for he had by then left there without accomplishing anything, though in one place he had left a very strong garrison. 19 Dositheus and Sosipater, who were captains under Maccabeus, marched out and destroyed those whom Timothy had left in the stronghold, more than ten thousand men. 20 But Maccabeus arranged his army in divisions, set men[i] in command of the divisions, and hurried after Timothy, who had with him one hundred twenty thousand infantry and two thousand five hundred cavalry. 21 When Timothy learned of the approach of Judas, he sent off the women and the children and also the baggage to a place called Carnaim; for that place was hard to besiege and difficult of access because of the narrowness of all the approaches. 22 But when Judas’s first division appeared, terror and fear came over the enemy at the manifestation to them of him who sees all things. In their flight they rushed headlong in every direction, so that often they were injured by their own men and pierced by the points of their own swords. 23 Judas pressed the pursuit with the utmost vigor, putting the sinners to the sword, and destroyed as many as thirty thousand.

24 Timothy himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater and their men. With great guile he begged them to let him go in safety, because he held the parents of most of them, and the brothers of some, to whom no consideration would be shown. 25 And when with many words he had confirmed his solemn promise to restore them unharmed, they let him go, for the sake of saving their kindred.

Judas Wins Other Victories
26 Then Judas[j] marched against Carnaim and the temple of Atargatis, and slaughtered twenty-five thousand people. 27 After the rout and destruction of these, he marched also against Ephron, a fortified town where Lysias lived with multitudes of people of all nationalities.[k] Stalwart young men took their stand before the walls and made a vigorous defense; and great stores of war engines and missiles were there. 28 But the Jews[l] called upon the Sovereign who with power shatters the might of his enemies, and they got the town into their hands, and killed as many as twenty-five thousand of those who were in it.

29 Setting out from there, they hastened to Scythopolis, which is seventy-five miles[m] from Jerusalem. 30 But when the Jews who lived there bore witness to the goodwill that the people of Scythopolis had shown them and their kind treatment of them in times of misfortune, 31 they thanked them and exhorted them to be well disposed to their race in the future also. Then they went up to Jerusalem, as the festival of weeks was close at hand.

Judas Defeats Gorgias
32 After the festival called Pentecost, they hurried against Gorgias, the governor of Idumea, 33 who came out with three thousand infantry and four hundred cavalry. 34 When they joined battle, it happened that a few of the Jews fell. 35 But a certain Dositheus, one of Bacenor’s men, who was on horseback and was a strong man, caught hold of Gorgias, and grasping his cloak was dragging him off by main strength, wishing to take the accursed man alive, when one of the Thracian cavalry bore down on him and cut off his arm; so Gorgias escaped and reached Marisa.

36 As Esdris and his men had been fighting for a long time and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord to show himself their ally and leader in the battle. 37 In the language of their ancestors he raised the battle cry, with hymns; then he charged against Gorgias’s troops when they were not expecting it, and put them to flight.

Prayers for Those Killed in Battle
38 Then Judas assembled his army and went to the city of Adullam. As the seventh day was coming on, they purified themselves according to the custom, and kept the sabbath there.

39 On the next day, as had now become necessary, Judas and his men went to take up the bodies of the fallen and to bring them back to lie with their kindred in the sepulchres of their ancestors. 40 Then under the tunic of each one of the dead they found sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. And it became clear to all that this was the reason these men had fallen. 41 So they all blessed the ways of the Lord, the righteous judge, who reveals the things that are hidden; 42 and they turned to supplication, praying that the sin that had been committed might be wholly blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened as the result of the sin of those who had fallen. 43 He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. 44 For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. 45 But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.

Antiochus VII reverses support for Israel, Rome supports Israel

The war between the different dynasties continue in the region surrounding Israel. The side that included Demetrius successor, Antiochus, supported the Jewish nation and re-affirmed the sovereignty and freedom of the Jewish nation. The letter from Antiochus firmly states that Israel will not be taxed and will be able to organize their own defence.

The Romans too send notice to the region that they had accepted a treaty with Israel. Consequently Rome instructed that other nation should not come against Israel.

Sometime later Antiochus' relationship with Simon and Israel broke down. Antiochus claimed that Israel have taken the cities of Joppa, Gazara and Jerusalem which he thought belonged to them. The king demanded that the cities be returned, and various tributes be paid, otherwise the land will be conquered. Simon declared that these cities were inherited from their ancestors and bargained to pay a lesser amount for Joppa and Gazara.



1 Maccabees 15 (RSVCE)
Letter of Antiochus VII
15 Anti′ochus, the son of Deme′trius the king, sent a letter from the islands of the sea to Simon, the priest and ethnarch of the Jews, and to all the nation; 2 its contents were as follows: “King Anti′ochus to Simon the high priest and ethnarch and to the nation of the Jews, greeting. 3 Whereas certain pestilent men have gained control of the kingdom of our fathers, and I intend to lay claim to the kingdom so that I may restore it as it formerly was, and have recruited a host of mercenary troops and have equipped warships, 4 and intend to make a landing in the country so that I may proceed against those who have destroyed our country and those who have devastated many cities in my kingdom, 5 now therefore I confirm to you all the tax remissions that the kings before me have granted you, and release from all the other payments from which they have released you. 6 I permit you to mint your own coinage as money for your country, 7 and I grant freedom to Jerusalem and the sanctuary. All the weapons which you have prepared and the strongholds which you have built and now hold shall remain yours. 8 Every debt you owe to the royal treasury and any such future debts shall be canceled for you from henceforth and for all time. 9 When we gain control of our kingdom, we will bestow great honor upon you and your nation and the temple, so that your glory will become manifest in all the earth.”

10 In the one hundred and seventy-fourth year[a] Anti′ochus set out and invaded the land of his fathers. All the troops rallied to him, so that there were few with Trypho. 11 Anti′ochus pursued him, and he came in his flight to Dor, which is by the sea; 12 for he knew that troubles had converged upon him, and his troops had deserted him. 13 So Anti′ochus encamped against Dor, and with him were a hundred and twenty thousand warriors and eight thousand cavalry. 14 He surrounded the city, and the ships joined battle from the sea; he pressed the city hard from land and sea, and permitted no one to leave or enter it.

Rome Supports the Jews
15 Then Nume′nius and his companions arrived from Rome, with letters to the kings and countries, in which the following was written: 16 “Lucius, consul of the Romans, to King Ptol′emy, greeting. 17 The envoys of the Jews have come to us as our friends and allies to renew our ancient friendship and alliance. They had been sent by Simon the high priest and by the people of the Jews, 18 and have brought a gold shield weighing a thousand minas. 19 We therefore have decided to write to the kings and countries that they should not seek their harm or make war against them and their cities and their country, or make alliance with those who war against them. 20 And it has seemed good to us to accept the shield from them. 21 Therefore if any pestilent men have fled to you from their country, hand them over to Simon the high priest, that he may punish them according to their law.”

22 The consul[b] wrote the same thing to Deme′trius the king and to At′talus and Ariar′athes and Ar′saces, 23 and to all the countries, and to Sam′psames,[c] and to the Spartans, and to Delos, and to Myndos, and to Sic′yon, and to Ca′ria, and to Samos, and to Pamphyl′ia, and to Lyc′ia, and to Halicarnas′sus, and to Rhodes, and to Phase′lis, and to Cos, and to Side, and to Ar′adus and Gorty′na and Cnidus and Cyprus and Cyre′ne. 24 They also sent a copy of these things to Simon the high priest.

Antiochus VII Threatens Simon
25 Anti′ochus the king besieged Dor anew,[d] continually throwing his forces against it and making engines of war; and he shut Trypho up and kept him from going out or in. 26 And Simon sent to Anti′ochus two thousand picked men, to fight for him, and silver and gold and much military equipment. 27 But he refused to receive them, and he broke all the agreements he formerly had made with Simon,[e] and became estranged from him. 28 He sent to him Athenob′ius, one of his friends, to confer with him, saying, “You hold control of Joppa and Gazar′a and the citadel in Jerusalem; they are cities of my kingdom. 29 You have devastated their territory, you have done great damage in the land, and you have taken possession of many places in my kingdom. 30 Now then, hand over the cities which you have seized and the tribute money of the places which you have conquered outside the borders of Judea; 31 or else give me for them five hundred talents of silver, and for the destruction that you have caused and the tribute money of the cities, five hundred talents more. Otherwise we will come and conquer you.”

32 So Athenob′ius the friend of the king came to Jerusalem, and when he saw the splendor of Simon, and the sideboard with its gold and silver plate, and his great magnificence, he was amazed. He reported to him the words of the king, 33 but Simon gave him this reply: “We have neither taken foreign land nor seized foreign property, but only the inheritance of our fathers, which at one time had been unjustly taken by our enemies. 34 Now that we have the opportunity, we are firmly holding the inheritance of our fathers. 35 As for Joppa and Gazar′a, which you demand, they were causing great damage among the people and to our land; for them we will give a hundred talents.” Athenob′ius[f] did not answer him a word, 36 but returned in wrath to the king and reported to him these words and the splendor of Simon and all that he had seen. And the king was greatly angered.

Victory over Cendebeus
37 Now Trypho embarked on a ship and escaped to Ortho′sia. 38 Then the king made Cendebe′us commander-in-chief of the coastal country, and gave him troops of infantry and cavalry. 39 He commanded him to encamp against Judea, and commanded him to build up Kedron and fortify its gates, and to make war on the people; but the king pursued Trypho. 40 So Cendebe′us came to Jam′nia and began to provoke the people and invade Judea and take the people captive and kill them. 41 He built up Kedron and stationed there horsemen and troops, so that they might go out and make raids along the highways of Judea, as the king had ordered him.

Revival and Glory of Israel under Simon the High Priest

This chapter starts with the capture of king Demetrius. For reasons not explicitly clear, it appeared the king was trying to build up his forces by invading territories, possibly to capture resources from Media, in order to wage war against Trypho. Unfortunately his campaign in Media failed and he was captured.

The majority of the chapters describes the glory and honor of Simon's rule over Israel as high priest. It appears that the position of ruler and high priest are combined, reflecting the past such as Melchizedek, and also our Lord Y'shua. This period of time when Simon ruled, appeared to be a small golden age in the history of Israel. Simon's predecessors, who were his brothers, Judas then Jonathan, had to fight the occupying powers, gained some independence, then defending against hostile neighbors. Jonathan was captured and Simon was chosen to replace him as leader over the new free nation of Israel. Eventually Simon fought off the remaining enemies and was able to establish friendship treaties with new powers such as Sparta and Rome. Through this period of Simon's rule, with the peace established, the nation of Israel began to flourish again.



1 Maccabees 14 (RSVCE)
Capture of Demetrius
1 In the one hundred and seventy-second year[a] Deme′trius the king assembled his forces and marched into Media to secure help, so that he could make war against Trypho. 2 When Ar′saces the king of Persia and Media heard that Deme′trius had invaded his territory, he sent one of his commanders to take him alive. 3 And he went and defeated the army of Deme′trius, and seized him and took him to Ar′saces, who put him under guard.

Eulogy of Simon
4 The land[b] had rest all the days of Simon.
    He sought the good of his nation;
his rule was pleasing to them,
    as was the honor shown him, all his days.
5 To crown all his honors he took Joppa for a harbor,
    and opened a way to the isles of the sea.
6 He extended the borders of his nation,
    and gained full control of the country.
7 He gathered a host of captives;
    he ruled over Gazar′a and Beth-zur and the citadel,
and he removed its uncleanness from it;
    and there was none to oppose him.
8 They tilled their land in peace;
    the ground gave its increase,
    and the trees of the plains their fruit.
9 Old men sat in the streets;
    they all talked together of good things;
    and the youths donned the glories and garments of war.
10 He supplied the cities with food,
    and furnished them with the means of defense,
    till his renown spread to the ends of the earth.
11 He established peace in the land,
    and Israel rejoiced with great joy.
12 Each man sat under his vine and his fig tree,
    and there was none to make them afraid.
13 No one was left in the land to fight them,
    and the kings were crushed in those days.
14 He strengthened all the humble of his people;
    he sought out the law,
    and did away with every lawless and wicked man.
15 He made the sanctuary glorious,
    and added to the vessels of the sanctuary.

Diplomacy with Rome and Sparta
16 It was heard in Rome, and as far away as Sparta, that Jonathan had died, and they were deeply grieved. 17 When they heard that Simon his brother had become high priest in his place, and that he was ruling over the country and the cities in it, 18 they wrote to him on bronze tablets to renew with him the friendship and alliance which they had established with Judas and Jonathan his brothers. 19 And these were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.

20 This is a copy of the letter which the Spartans sent: “The rulers and the city of the Spartans to Simon the high priest and to the elders and the priests and the rest of the Jewish people, our brethren, greeting. 21 The envoys who were sent to our people have told us about your glory and honor, and we rejoiced at their coming. 22 And what they said we have recorded in our public decrees, as follows, ‘Nume′nius the son of Anti′ochus and Antip′ater the son of Jason, envoys of the Jews, have come to us to renew their friendship with us. 23 It has pleased our people to receive these men with honor and to put a copy of their words in the public archives, so that the people of the Spartans may have a record of them. And they have sent a copy of this to Simon the high priest.’”

24 After this Simon sent Nume′nius to Rome with a large gold shield weighing a thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with the Romans.[c]

Official Honors for Simon
25 When the people heard these things they said, “How shall we thank Simon and his sons? 26 For he and his brothers and the house of his father have stood firm; they have fought and repulsed Israel’s enemies and established its freedom.” 27 So they made a record on bronze tablets and put it upon pillars on Mount Zion.

This is a copy of what they wrote: “On the eighteenth day of Elul, in the one hundred and seventy-second year,[d] which is the third year of Simon the great high priest, 28 in As′aramel,[e] in the great assembly of the priests and the people and the rulers of the nation and the elders of the country, the following was proclaimed to us:

29 “Since wars often occurred in the country, Simon the son of Mattathi′as, a priest of the sons[f] of Jo′arib, and his brothers, exposed themselves to danger and resisted the enemies of their nation, in order that their sanctuary and the law might be perserved; and they brought great glory to their nation. 30 Jonathan rallied the[g] nation, and became their high priest, and was gathered to his people. 31 And when their enemies decided to invade their country and lay hands on their sanctuary, 32 then Simon rose up and fought for his nation. He spent great sums of his own money; he armed the men of his nation’s forces and paid them wages. 33 He fortified the cities of Judea, and Beth-zur on the borders of Judea, where formerly the arms of the enemy had been stored, and he placed there a garrison of Jews. 34 He also fortified Joppa, which is by the sea, and Gazar′a, which is on the borders of Azo′tus, where the enemy formerly dwelt. He settled Jews there, and provided in those cities[h] whatever was necessary for their restoration.

35 “The people saw Simon’s faithfulness[i] and the glory which he had resolved to win for his nation, and they made him their leader and high priest, because he had done all these things and because of the justice and loyalty which he had maintained toward his nation. He sought in every way to exalt his people. 36 And in his days things prospered in his hands, so that the Gentiles were put out of the[j] country, as were also the men in the city of David in Jerusalem, who had built themselves a citadel from which they used to sally forth and defile the environs of the sanctuary and do great damage to its purity. 37 He settled Jews in it, and fortified it for the safety of the country and of the city, and built the walls of Jerusalem higher.

38 “In view of these things King Deme′trius confirmed him in the high priesthood, 39 and he made him one of the king’s[k] friends and paid him high honors. 40 For he had heard that the Jews were addressed by the Romans as friends and allies and brethren, and that the Romans[l] had received the envoys of Simon with honor.

41 “And[m] the Jews and their priests decided that Simon should be their leader and high priest for ever, until a trustworthy prophet should arise, 42 and that he should be governor over them and that he should take charge of the sanctuary and appoint men over its tasks and over the country and the weapons and the strongholds, and that he should take charge of the sanctuary, 43 and that he should be obeyed by all, and that all contracts in the country should be written in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple and wear gold.

44 “And none of the people or priests shall be permitted to nullify any of these decisions or to oppose what he says, or to convene an assembly in the country without his permission, or to be clothed in purple or put on a gold buckle. 45 Whoever acts contrary to these decisions or nullifies any of them shall be liable to punishment.”

46 And all the people agreed to grant Simon the right to act in accord with these decisions. 47 So Simon accepted and agreed to be high priest, to be commander and ethnarch of the Jews and priests, and to be protector of them all.[n] 48 And they gave orders to inscribe this decree upon bronze tablets, to put them up in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the sanctuary, 49 and to deposit copies of them in the treasury, so that Simon and his sons might have them.

And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied

Saul was fervent in his persecution of the following the Way, or Yshua's followers. He sought permission from the synagogues to extradite the believers who have fled to Damascus. On the way to Damascus, Jesus blinded Saul and gave him instructions. Jesus also instructed a believer named Ananias in Damascus to meet Saul and witness to him. Initially Ananias was surprised because of the reputation of Saul as a great persecutor of followers of Jesus. However God revealed to Ananias that Saul has been chosen to be a great witness of Jesus among gentiles, kings and other Israelites.  These events are both quite extraordinary for Saul (for meeting the Lord who was Jesus and whose followers he was attacking) and Ananias (for healing and ministering to a dangerous persecutor), however God's direct intervention ensured the process was quickly accepted.

Ananias healed Saul to recover his sight. Saul was baptized soon after. The disciples in Damascus received Saul, no doubt encouraged by the Holy Spirit. They also would have had great conversation about who Jesus really is. Very soon after this, Saul started preaching Jesus as the Son of God. Saul preached to the Israelites living in Damascus but they plotted to harm him.

Saul escaped Damascus and went to Jerusalem. Initially it was Barnabas who was willing to receive Saul since the other disciples were still too unsure about his conversion. Soon Paul also began to speak boldly in Jerusalem and argued with the Hellenists who then tried to harm him. Saul was sent to Tarsus for safety.

It is written that during this period, the churches from Judea, Galilee, and Samaria all had peace and were edified and their congregation multiplied. The two key things for this peace could be that they were walking in the Lord and were comforted by the Holy Spirit.

The last part of this chapter tells of the miraculous deeds of Peter. At Lydda, a man named Aeneas who was paralyzed, was healed by Peter calling on Jesus. Peter explained the healing was from Jesus and many people who knew about this became believers. Then at Joppa, a disciple named Dorcas or Tabitha died. But when Peter went there, he prayed, then commanded Tabitha to rise. So Tabitha was made alive again. Peter stayed a while with Simon the Tanner at Joppa.






Acts 9
The Damascus Road: Saul Converted

1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.[a] It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Ananias Baptizes Saul

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus,[b] who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Saul Preaches Christ

20 Immediately he preached the Christ[c] in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Saul Escapes Death

23 Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. 24 But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. 25 Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

Saul at Jerusalem

26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. 29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

The Church Prospers

31 Then the churches[d] throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

Aeneas Healed

32 Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. 33 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. 35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

Dorcas Restored to Life

36 At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. 37 But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord. 43 So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.

Now the Lord had prepared a Great Fish to Swallow Jonah

The book of Jonah opens with a clear disobediance by Jonah who tried to run away to Tarshish after God told him to go to Nineveh to warn the people of their wickedness and judgment. There is no clear suggestion that this was Jonah's first encounter with God. If it is, then it may be understandable that Jonah was afraid of various things which prompted him to run away. But it appears that conventional interpretation that Jonah was already an established prophet of God, and in that case, his disobedience would be quite unusual.

During the voyage to escape to Tarshish, the Lord send a big storm to disturb the ship. The other people in the ship were afraid but they found Jonah asleep on the ship. The captain asked Jonah to pray to his God to save the ship. This does not mean they know Jonah had a relationship with the Lord; it is more likely that they assume everyone believed in one god or another, as verse 5 stated "every man cried out to his god". When they drew lots to see which of them had offended their gods, Jonah was picked. It was then Jonah revealed his belief in the Lord.

The seamen appeared to be highly superstitious. They contemplated and then actually carried out their decision to throw Jonah overboard to appease Jonah's God. The Lord caused a big fish to swallow Jonah, to prevent Jonah from drowning. Perhaps one good that came from this was the seamen being afraid of the Lord, offered sacrifices and took vows. They would have experienced the miracle of the sea calming down after Jonah was thrown overboard.




Jonah 1
Jonah’s Disobedience

1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

The Storm at Sea

4 But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.

5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load.[a] But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.

6 So the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”

7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?”

9 So he said to them, “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”

Jonah Thrown into the Sea

10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. 11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous.

12 And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.”

13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they cried out to the Lord and said, “We pray, O Lord, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O Lord, have done as it pleased You.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows.

Jonah’s Prayer and Deliverance

17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.