2758 verses about Community

Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ.

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.

The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables.

Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.”

These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch;

whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

The word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines”, and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen.

They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, and brought him in to the council,

“The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’

This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living revelations to give to us,

They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.

but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

He was with them entering into Jerusalem,

When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.

So the assemblies throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

As Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did.

As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.

Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

He stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

He lodges with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the seaside.

So he called them in and provided a place to stay. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends.

As he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together.

He said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn’t call any man unholy or unclean.

Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by God.”

They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.

For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.

When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him,

saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them!”

But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying,

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.

They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only.

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.

The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem. They sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch,

who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to the Lord.

For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.

Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul.

When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Now in these days, prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

As any of the disciples had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea;

which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.

Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.

When she recognized Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate for joy, but ran in, and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James, and to the brothers.” Then he departed, and went to another place.

But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.

Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed God’s word in the Jewish synagogues. They had also John as their attendant.

But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.

After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”

Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.

The next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.

But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out of their borders.

In Iconium, they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed.

But the disbelieving Jews stirred up and embittered the souls of the Gentiles against the brothers.

But the multitude of the city was divided. Part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

When the multitude saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the language of Lycaonia, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”

But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes, and sprang into the multitude, crying out,

But some Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.

When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.

From there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled.

When they had arrived, and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations.

They stayed there with the disciples for a long time.

Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved.”

Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.

They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers.

When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them.

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter.

When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News, and believe.

All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.

After they were silent, James answered, “Brothers, listen to me.

Simeon has reported how God first visited the nations, to take out of them a people for his name.

“Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,

For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers.

They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings.

Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment;

it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter.

When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement.

Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words, and strengthened them.

After they had spent some time there, they were sent back with greetings from the brothers to the apostles.

But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.