Logic and commonsense re:the design debate. V

A reproduction of the Watchtower Society's article

Question 4

 

 

Has All Life Descended From a Common Ancestor?

Darwin thought that all life might be traced to a common ancestor. He imagined that the history of life on earth resembled a grand tree. Later, others believed that this “tree of life” started as a single trunk with the first simple cells. New species branched from the trunk and continued to divide into limbs, or families of plants and animals, and then into twigs, all the species within the families of plants and animals alive today. Is that really what happened?

What do many scientists claim? Many give the impression that the fossil record supports the theory of a common origin for life. They also claim that because all living things use similar “computer language,” or DNA, that all life must have evolved from a common ancestor.

What does the Bible say? The Genesis account states that plants, sea creatures, land animals, and birds were created “according to their kinds.” (Genesis 1:12, 20-25) This description allows for variation within a “kind,” but it implies that there are fixed barriers separating the different kinds. The Bible account of creation also leads us to expect that new types of creatures would appear in the fossil record suddenly and fully formed.

What does the evidence reveal? Does the evidence support the Bible’s description of events, or was Darwin correct? What have discoveries over the past 150 years revealed?

DARWIN’S TREE CHOPPED DOWN

In recent years, scientists have been able to compare the genetic codes of dozens of different single-celled organisms as well as those of plants and animals. They assumed that such comparisons would confirm the branching “tree of life” proposed by Darwin. However, this has not been the case.

What has the research uncovered? In 1999 biologist Malcolm S. Gordon wrote: “Life appears to have had many origins. The base of the universal tree of life appears not to have been a single root.” Is there evidence that all the major branches of life are connected to a single trunk, as Darwin believed? Gordon continues: “The traditional version of the theory of common descent apparently does not apply to kingdoms as presently recognized. It probably does not apply to many, if not all, phyla, and possibly also not to many classes within the phyla.”²⁹*

Recent research continues to contradict Darwin’s theory of common descent. For example, in 2009 an article in New Scientist magazine quoted evolutionary scientist Eric Bapteste as saying: “We have no evidence at all that the tree of life is a reality.”³⁰ The same article quotes evolutionary biologist Michael Rose as saying: “The tree of life is being politely buried, we all know that. What’s less accepted is that our whole fundamental view of biology needs to change.”³¹*

WHAT ABOUT THE FOSSIL RECORD?

Many scientists point to the fossil record as support for the idea that life emerged from a common origin. They argue, for example, that the fossil record documents the notion that fish became amphibians and reptiles became mammals. What, though, does the fossil evidence really show?

“Instead of finding the gradual unfolding of life,” says evolutionary paleontologist David M. Raup, “what geologists of Darwin’s time, and geologists of the present day actually find is a highly uneven or jerky record; that is, species appear in the sequence very suddenly, show little or no change during their existence in the record, then abruptly go out of the record.”³²

In reality, the vast majority of fossils show stability among types of creatures over extensive amounts of time. The evidence does not show them evolving from one type into another. Unique body plans appear suddenly. New features appear suddenly. For example, bats with sonar and echolocation systems appear with no obvious link to a more primitive ancestor.

In fact, more than half of all the major divisions of animal life seem to have appeared in a relatively short period of time. Because many new and distinct life forms appear so suddenly in the fossil record, paleontologists refer to this period as “the Cambrian explosion.” When was the Cambrian period?

Let us assume that the estimates of researchers are accurate. In that case, the history of the earth could be represented by a time line that stretches the length of a soccer field (1). At that scale, you would have to walk about seven eighths of the way down the field before you would come to what paleontologists call the Cambrian period (2). During a small segment of that period, the major divisions of animal life show up in the fossil record. How suddenly do they appear? As you walk down the soccer field, all those different creatures pop up in the space of less than one step!

The relatively sudden appearance of these diverse life forms is causing some evolutionary researchers to question the traditional version of Darwin’s theory. For example, in an interview in 2008, evolutionary biologist Stuart Newman discussed the need for a new theory of evolution that could explain the sudden appearance of novel forms of life. He said: “The Darwinian mechanism that’s used to explain all evolutionary change will be relegated, I believe, to being just one of several mechanisms—maybe not even the most important when it comes to understanding macroevolution, the evolution of major transitions in body type.”³³

PROBLEMS WITH THE “PROOF”

What, though, of the fossils that are used to show fish changing into amphibians, and reptiles into mammals? Do they provide solid proof of evolution in action? Upon closer inspection, several problems become obvious.

First, the comparative size of the creatures placed in the reptile-to-mammal sequence is sometimes misrepresented in textbooks. Rather than being similar in size, some creatures in the series are huge, while others are small.

A second, more serious challenge is the lack of proof that those creatures are somehow related. Specimens placed in the series are often separated by what researchers estimate to be millions of years. Regarding the time spans that separate many of these fossils, zoologist Henry Gee says: “The intervals of time that separate the fossils are so huge that we cannot say anything definite about their possible connection through ancestry and descent.”³⁴*

Commenting on the fossils of fish and amphibians, biologist Malcolm S. Gordon states that the fossils found represent only a small, “possibly quite unrepresentative, sample of the biodiversity that existed in these groups at those times.” He further says: “There is no way of knowing to what extent, if at all, those specific organisms were relevant to later developments, or what their relationships might have been to each other.”³⁵*

WHAT DOES THE “FILM” REALLY SHOW?

An article published in National Geographic in 2004 likened the fossil record to “a film of evolution from which 999 of every 1,000 frames have been lost on the cutting-room floor.”³⁶ Consider the implications of that illustration.

Imagine that you found 100 frames of a feature film that originally had 100,000 frames. How would you determine the plot of the movie? You might have a preconceived idea, but what if only 5 of the 100 frames you found could be organized to support your preferred plot, while the other 95 frames tell a very different story? Would it be reasonable to assert that your preconceived idea of the movie was right because of the five frames? Could it be that you placed the five frames in the order you did because it suited your theory? Would it not be more reasonable to allow the other 95 frames to influence your opinion?

How does that illustration relate to the way evolutionists view the fossil record? For years, researchers did not acknowledge that the vast majority of fossils—the 95 frames of the movie—showed that species change very little over time. Why the silence about such important evidence? Author Richard Morris says: “Apparently paleontologists had adopted the orthodox idea of gradual evolutionary change and had held onto it, even when they discovered evidence to the contrary. They had been trying to interpret fossil evidence in terms of accepted evolutionary ideas.”³⁷

What about evolutionists today? Could it be that they continue to place fossils in a certain order, not because such a sequence is well-supported by the majority of fossil and genetic evidence, but because doing so is in harmony with currently accepted evolutionary ideas?*

What do you think? Which conclusion fits the evidence best? Consider the facts we have discussed so far.

▪ The first life on earth was not “simple.”

▪ The odds against even the components of a cell arising by chance are astronomical.

▪ DNA, the “computer program,” or code, that runs the cell, is incredibly complex and gives evidence of a genius that far surpasses any program or information storage system produced by humans.

▪ Genetic research shows that life did not originate from a single common ancestor. In addition, major groups of animals appear suddenly in the fossil record.

In light of these facts, do you think it is reasonable to conclude that the evidence is in harmony with the Bible’s explanation of the origin of life? Many people, however, assert that science contradicts much of what the Bible says about creation. Is that true? What does the Bible really say?

[Footnotes]

The biological term phyla (singular, phylum) refers to a large group of animals that have the same distinctive body plan. One way that scientists classify all living things is by a seven-step system in which each step is more specific than the one before it. Step one is kingdom, the broadest category. Then come the categories phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. For example, the horse is categorized in the following way: kingdom, Animalia; phylum, Chordata; class, Mammalia; order, Perissodactyla; family, Equidae; genus, Equus; species, Caballus.

It should be noted that neither the New Scientist article nor Bapteste nor Rose mean to suggest that the theory of evolution is wrong. Their point, rather, is that Darwin’s proposed tree of life, a mainstay of his theory, is not supported by the evidence. Such scientists still seek other explanations involving evolution.

Henry Gee does not suggest that the theory of evolution is wrong. His comments are made to show the limits of what can be learned from the fossil record.

Malcolm S. Gordon supports the teaching of evolution.

See, for example, the box “What About Human Evolution?”

[Blurb on page 25]

“To take a line of fossils and claim that they represent a lineage is not a scientific hypothesis that can be tested, but an assertion that carries the same validity as a bedtime story—amusing, perhaps even instructive, but not scientific.”—In Search of Deep Time—Beyond the Fossil Record to a New History of Life, by Henry Gee, pp. 116-117

[Box on page 26]

FACTS AND QUESTIONS

▪ Fact: Two of evolution’s fundamental ideas—that life has a common origin and that major new body types appear as a result of the slow accumulation of small changes—are being challenged by researchers who do not support the Bible account of creation.

Question: Given the controversy over these pillars of Darwin’s theory, can his version of evolution honestly be referred to as scientific fact?

▪ Fact: All living organisms share similarly designed DNA, the “computer language,” or code, that governs much of the shape and function of their cell or cells.

Question: Could this similarity exist, not because they had the same ancestor, but because they had the same Designer?

[Box/Pictures on page 27-29]

What About Human Evolution?

  Look up the topic of human evolution in many textbooks and encyclopedias and you will see a series of pictures—on one side a stooped, apelike creature followed by creatures that have progressively more upright posture and larger heads. At the end stands modern man. Such renderings along with sensational media reports of the discovery of so-called missing links give the impression that there is ample evidence that man evolved from apelike creatures. Are such assertions based on solid evidence? Consider what evolutionary researchers say about the following topics.*

WHAT THE FOSSIL EVIDENCE ACTUALLY SHOWS

▪ Fact: At the beginning of the 20th century, all the fossils that were used to support the theory that humans and apes evolved from a common ancestor could fit on a billiard table. Since then, the number of fossils used to support that theory has increased. Now it is claimed that they would fill a railroad boxcar.³⁸ However, the vast majority of those fossils consist only of single bones and isolated teeth. Complete skulls—let alone complete skeletons—are rare.³⁹

Question: Has the increased number of fossils attributed to the human “family tree” settled the question among evolutionary experts as to when and how humans evolved from apelike creatures?

Answer: No. In fact, the opposite is true. When it comes to how these fossils should be classified, Robin Derricourt of the University of New South Wales, Australia, wrote in 2009: “Perhaps the only consensus now is that there is no consensus.”⁴⁰ In 2007 the science journal Nature published an article by the discoverers of another claimed link in the evolutionary tree, saying that nothing is known about when or how the human line actually emerged from that of apes.⁴¹ Gyula Gyenis, a researcher at the Department of Biological Anthropology, Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary, wrote in 2002: “The classification and the evolutionary place of hominid fossils has been under constant debate.”* This author also states that the fossil evidence gathered so far brings us no closer to knowing exactly when, where, or how humans evolved from apelike creatures.⁴²

ANNOUNCEMENTS OF “MISSING LINKS”

▪ Fact: The media often widely broadcasts the announcement that a new “missing link” has been discovered. For example, in 2009 a fossil dubbed Ida was unveiled with what one journal called “rock-star hype.”⁴³ Publicity included this headline in The Guardian newspaper of the United Kingdom (UK): “Fossil Ida: Extraordinary Find Is ‘Missing Link’ in Human Evolution.”⁴⁴ However, just days later, the UK science journal New Scientist said: “Ida is not a ‘missing link’ in human evolution.”⁴⁵

Question: Why is each unveiling of a new “missing link” given wide media attention, whereas the removal of that fossil from the “family tree” is hardly mentioned?

Answer: Regarding those who make these discoveries, Robin Derricourt, quoted earlier, says: “The leader of a research team may need to over-emphasize the uniqueness and drama of a ‘discovery’ in order to attract research funding from outside the conventional academic sources, and they will certainly be encouraged in this by the print and electronic media, looking for a dramatic story.”⁴⁶

TEXTBOOK DRAWINGS AND MODELS OF APE-MEN

▪ Fact: Depictions in textbooks and museums of the so-called ancestors of humans are often shown with specific facial features, skin color, and amount of hair. These depictions usually show the older “ancestors” with monkeylike features and the ones supposedly closer to humans with more humanlike facial features, skin tone, and hair.

Question: Can scientists reliably reconstruct such features based on the fossilized remains that they find?

Answer: No. In 2003, forensics expert Carl N. Stephan, who works at the Department of Anatomical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Australia, wrote: “The faces of earlier human ancestors cannot be objectively constructed or tested.” He says that attempts to do so based on modern apes “are likely to be heavily biased, grossly inaccurate, and invalid.” His conclusion? “Any facial ‘reconstructions’ of earlier hominids are likely to be misleading.”⁴⁷

DETERMINING INTELLIGENCE BY BRAIN SIZE

▪ Fact: The brain size of a presumed ancestor of humans is one of the main ways by which evolutionists determine how closely or distantly the creature is supposed to be related to humans.

Question: Is brain size a reliable indicator of intelligence?

Answer: No. One group of researchers who used brain size to speculate which extinct creatures were more closely related to man admitted that in doing so they “often feel on shaky ground.”⁴⁸ Why? Consider the statement made in 2008 in Scientific American Mind: “Scientists have failed to find a correlation between absolute or relative brain size and acumen among humans and other animal species. Neither have they been able to discern a parallel between wits and the size or existence of specific regions of the brain, excepting perhaps Broca’s area, which governs speech in people.”⁴⁹

What do you think? Why do scientists line up the fossils used in the “ape-to-man” chain according to brain size when it is known that brain size is not a reliable measure of intelligence? Are they forcing the evidence to fit their theory? And why are researchers constantly debating which fossils should be included in the human “family tree”? Could it be that the fossils they study are just what they appear to be, extinct forms of apes?

  What, though, about the humanlike fossils of the so-called Neanderthals, often portrayed as proof that a type of ape-man existed? Researchers are beginning to alter their view of what these actually were. In 2009, Milford H. Wolpoff wrote in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology that “Neandertals may have been a true human race.”⁵⁰

  Honest observers readily recognize that egos, money, and the need for media attention influence the way that “evidence” for human evolution is presented. Are you willing to put your trust in such evidence?

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

▪ Such pictures as this are based on the biases and assumptions of researchers and artists, not on facts.51

▪ The majority of such drawings are based on partial skulls and isolated teeth. Complete skulls, let alone complete skeletons, are rare.

▪ There is no consensus among researchers as to how the fossils of the various creatures should be classified.

▪ Artists cannot reliably reconstruct the facial features, skin tone, and hair of these extinct creatures.

▪ Each creature is placed in its position leading to modern man largely because of the size of its brain case. This is done despite evidence that brain size is not a reliable indicator of intelligence.

[Footnotes]

Note: None of the researchers quoted in this box believe in the Bible’s teaching of creation. All accept the teaching of evolution.

The term “hominid” is used to describe what evolutionary researchers feel make up the human family and prehistoric humanlike species.

[Diagram on page 22, 23]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

BEGINNING OF THE     TIME →→→→          “CAMBRIAN        TODAY

EARTH’S HISTORY                         EXPLOSION”

             1                             2

[Diagram on page 24]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

Why do some textbooks change the scale of the fossils that they depict as following a proposed sequence?

AS SHOWN IN SOME TEXTBOOKS

REAL RELATIVE SIZE

[Diagram on page 25]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

The dotted lines show the supposed relationships

Jawless fish

Extinct armored fish with jaws

Cartilaginous fish

Bony fish

Amphibians

Reptiles

Birds

Mammals

GEOLOGICAL TIME PERIODS →→→→

Actual fossil evidence shows no relationships

Jawless fish

Extinct armored fish with jaws

Cartilaginous fish

Bony fish

Amphibians

Reptiles

Birds

Mammals

[Picture on page 26]

If “95 frames” of the fossil record show that animals do not evolve from one type into another, why do paleontologists arrange the remaining “5 frames” to imply that they do

Bloodsport II

Acts6-10NWT(2013 Edition)

6 Now in those days when the disciples were increasing, the Greek-speaking Jews began complaining against the Hebrew-speaking Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.+ 2 So the Twelve called the multitude of the disciples together and said: “It is not right* for us to leave the word of God to distribute food to tables.+ 3 So, brothers, select for yourselves seven reputable men*+ from among you, full of spirit and wisdom,+ that we may appoint them over this necessary matter;+ 4 but we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 What they said was pleasing to the whole multitude, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and holy spirit, as well as Philip,+ Proch′o·rus, Ni·ca′nor, Ti′mon, Par′me·nas, and Nic·o·la′us, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 They brought them to the apostles, and after praying, they laid their hands on them.+

7 Consequently, the word of God continued to spread,+ and the number of the disciples kept multiplying very much+ in Jerusalem; and a large crowd of priests began to be obedient to the faith.+

8 Now Stephen, full of divine favor and power, was performing great wonders* and signs among the people. 9 But some men of the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen came forward, along with some Cy·re′ni·ans and Alexandrians, and some from Ci·li′cia and Asia, to dispute with Stephen. 10 But they could not hold their own against the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking.+ 11 Then they secretly persuaded men to say: “We have heard him speaking blasphemous things against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and coming upon him suddenly, they forcibly seized him and led him to the San′he·drin. 13 And they brought forward false witnesses, who said: “This man does not stop speaking things against this holy place and against the Law. 14 For instance, we have heard him say that this Jesus the Naz·a·rene′ will throw down this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

15 And as all those sitting in the San′he·drin stared at him, they saw that his face was like an angel’s face.

 

 

7 But the high priest said: “Are these things so?” 2 Stephen replied: “Men, brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our forefather Abraham while he was in Mes·o·po·ta′mi·a, before he took up residence in Ha′ran,+ 3 and he said to him: ‘Go out from your land and from your relatives and come into the land that I will show you.’+ 4 Then he went out of the land of the Chal·de′ans and took up residence in Ha′ran. And from there, after his father died,+ God caused him to resettle in this land where you now dwell.+ 5 And yet, he did not give him any inheritance in it, no, not even enough to put his foot on; but he promised to give it to him as a possession and after him to his offspring,*+ though as yet he had no child. 6 Moreover, God told him that his offspring* would be foreigners in a land not theirs and that the people would enslave them and afflict* them for 400 years.+ 7 ‘And that nation for which they will slave I will judge,’+ God said, ‘and after these things they will come out and will offer sacred service to me in this place.’+

8 “He also gave him a covenant of circumcision,+ and he became the father of Isaac+ and circumcised him on the eighth day,+ and Isaac became the father of* Jacob, and Jacob of the 12 family heads.* 9 And the family heads became jealous of Joseph+ and sold him into Egypt.+ But God was with him,+ 10 and he rescued him out of all his tribulations and gave him favor and wisdom before Phar′aoh king of Egypt. And he appointed him to govern Egypt and his whole house.+ 11 But a famine came on all of Egypt and Ca′naan, yes, a great tribulation, and our forefathers could not find anything to eat.+ 12 But Jacob heard that there were food supplies* in Egypt, and he sent our forefathers out the first time.+ 13 During the second time, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and the family of Joseph became known to Phar′aoh.+ 14 So Joseph sent a message and called his father Jacob and all his relatives from that place,+ 75 persons* in all.+ 15 So Jacob went down into Egypt,+ and he died there,+ and so did our forefathers.+ 16 They were carried to She′chem and were laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver money from the sons of Ha′mor in She′chem.+

17 “Just as the time was approaching to fulfill the promise that God had announced to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 until there rose a different king over Egypt, one who did not know of Joseph.+ 19 This one dealt cunningly with our race and wrongfully forced the fathers to abandon their infants so that they would not be kept alive.+ 20 At that time Moses was born, and he was divinely beautiful.* And he was nursed* for three months in his father’s home.+ 21 But when he was abandoned,*+ the daughter of Phar′aoh took him and brought him up as her own son.+ 22 So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. In fact, he was powerful in his words and deeds.+

23 “Now when he reached the age of 40, it came into his heart* to make a visit on* his brothers, the sons of Israel.+ 24 When he caught sight of one of them being unjustly treated, he defended him and avenged the one being abused by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He thought that his brothers would grasp that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not grasp it. 26 The next day he appeared to them as they were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying: ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you mistreat each other?’ 27 But the one who was mistreating his neighbor pushed him away, saying: ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? 28 You do not want to do away with me the way you did away with the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 29 On hearing this, Moses fled and lived as a foreigner in the land of Mid′i·an, where he became the father of two sons.+

30 “After 40 years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Si′nai in the flame of a burning thornbush.+ 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. But as he was approaching to investigate, Jehovah’s* voice was heard: 32 ‘I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’+ Moses started trembling and did not dare to investigate further. 33 Jehovah* said to him: ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have certainly seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning,+ and I have come down to rescue them. Now come, I will send you off to Egypt.’ 35 This same Moses whom they had disowned, saying: ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge?’+ is the very one God sent+ as both ruler and deliverer by means of the angel who appeared to him in the thornbush. 36 This man led them out,+ performing wonders* and signs in Egypt+ and at the Red Sea+ and in the wilderness for 40 years.+

37 “This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel: ‘God will raise up for you from among your brothers a prophet like me.’+ 38 This is the one who came to be among the congregation in the wilderness with the angel+ who spoke to him+ on Mount Si′nai and with our forefathers, and he received living sacred pronouncements to give us.+ 39 Our forefathers refused to obey him, but they pushed him aside+ and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,+ 40 saying to Aaron: ‘Make gods for us to go ahead of us. For we do not know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt.’+ 41 So they made a calf in those days and brought a sacrifice to the idol and began to enjoy themselves in the works of their hands.+ 42 So God turned away from them and handed them over to offer sacred service to the army of heaven,+ just as it is written in the book of the Prophets: ‘It was not to me that you made offerings and sacrifices for 40 years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? 43 But it was the tent of Mo′loch+ and the star of the god Re′phan that you took up, the images that you made to worship them. So I will deport you beyond Babylon.’+

44 “Our forefathers had the tent of the witness in the wilderness, just as He gave orders when speaking to Moses to make it according to the pattern he had seen.+ 45 And our forefathers received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua into the land possessed by the nations,+ whom God drove out from before our forefathers.+ Here it remained until the days of David. 46 He found favor in the sight of God and asked for the privilege of providing a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.+ 47 But it was Sol′o·mon who built a house for him.+ 48 However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands,+ just as the prophet says: 49 ‘The heaven is my throne,+ and the earth is my footstool.+ What sort of house will you build for me? Jehovah* says. Or where is my resting-place? 50 My hand made all these things, did it not?’+

51 “Obstinate men and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, you are always resisting the holy spirit; as your forefathers did, so you do.+ 52 Which one of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute?+ Yes, they killed those who announced in advance the coming of the righteous one,+ whose betrayers and murderers you have now become,+ 53 you who received the Law as transmitted by angels+ but have not kept it.”

54 Well, at hearing these things, they were infuriated* in their hearts and began to grind their teeth at him. 55 But he, being full of holy spirit, gazed into heaven and caught sight of God’s glory and of Jesus standing at God’s right hand,+ 56 and he said: “Look! I see the heavens opened up and the Son of man+ standing at God’s right hand.”+ 57 At this they cried out at the top of their voices and put their hands over their ears and rushed at him all together. 58 After throwing him outside the city, they began stoning him.+ The witnesses+ laid down their outer garments at the feet of a young man called Saul.+ 59 As they were stoning Stephen, he made this appeal: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then, kneeling down, he cried out with a strong voice: “Jehovah,* do not charge this sin against them.”+ And after saying this, he fell asleep in death.

 

 

8 Saul, for his part, approved of his murder.+

On that day great persecution arose against the congregation that was in Jerusalem; all except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Ju·de′a and Sa·mar′i·a.+ 2 But devout men carried Stephen away to bury him, and they made a great mourning over him. 3 Saul, though, began to ravage the congregation. He would invade one house after another, dragging out both men and women and turning them over to prison.+

4 However, those who had been scattered went through the land declaring the good news of the word.+ 5 Now Philip went down to the city* of Sa·mar′i·a+ and began to preach the Christ to them. 6 The crowds with one accord were paying attention to what Philip said while they listened and observed the signs he was performing. 7 For many had unclean spirits, and these would cry out with a loud voice and come out.+ Moreover, many who were paralyzed and lame were cured. 8 So there came to be a great deal of joy in that city.

9 Now in the city was a man named Simon, who prior to this had been practicing magical arts and amazing the nation of Sa·mar′i·a, claiming that he was somebody great. 10 All of them, from the least to the greatest, would pay attention to him and say: “This man is the Power of God, which is called Great.” 11 So they would pay attention to him because he had amazed them for quite a while by his magical arts. 12 But when they believed Philip, who was declaring the good news of the Kingdom of God+ and of the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were getting baptized.+ 13 Simon himself also became a believer, and after being baptized, he continued with Philip;+ and he was amazed at seeing the signs and great powerful works taking place.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Sa·mar′i·a had accepted the word of God,+ they sent Peter and John to them; 15 and these went down and prayed for them to get holy spirit.+ 16 For it had not yet come upon any one of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.+ 17 Then they laid their hands on them,+ and they began to receive holy spirit.

18 Now when Simon saw that the spirit was given through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money, 19 saying: “Give me this authority also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive holy spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him: “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire the free gift of God with money.+ 21 You have neither part nor share in this matter, for your heart is not straight in the sight of God. 22 So repent of this badness of yours, and supplicate Jehovah* that, if possible, the wicked intention of your heart may be forgiven you; 23 for I see you are a bitter poison* and a slave of unrighteousness.” 24 In answer Simon said to them: “Make supplication for me to Jehovah* that none of the things you have said may come upon me.”

25 Therefore, when they had given the witness thoroughly and had spoken the word of Jehovah,* they started back toward Jerusalem, and they went declaring the good news to many villages of the Sa·mar′i·tans.+

26 However, Jehovah’s* angel+ spoke to Philip, saying: “Get up and go to the south to the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaz′a.” (This is a desert road.) 27 With that he got up and went, and look! an E·thi·o′pi·an eunuch,* a man who had authority under Can·da′ce, queen of the E·thi·o′pi·ans, and who was in charge of all her treasure. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship,+ 28 and he was returning and was sitting in his chariot, reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. 29 So the spirit said to Philip: “Go over and approach this chariot.” 30 Philip ran alongside and heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet, and he said: “Do you actually know* what you are reading?” 31 He said: “Really, how could I ever do so unless someone guided me?” So he urged Philip to get on and sit down with him. 32 Now this was the passage of Scripture that he was reading: “Like a sheep he was brought to the slaughter, and like a lamb that is silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.+ 33 During his humiliation, justice was taken away from him.+ Who will tell the details of his generation? Because his life is taken away from the earth.”+

34 The eunuch then said to Philip: “I beg you, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about some other man?” 35 Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he declared to him the good news about Jesus. 36 Now as they were going along the road, they came to a body of water, and the eunuch said: “Look! Here is water; what prevents me from getting baptized?” 37* —— 38 With that he commanded the chariot to halt, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, Jehovah’s* spirit quickly led Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him anymore, but he went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, found himself in Ash′dod, and he went through the territory and kept on declaring the good news to all the cities until he got to Caes·a·re′a.+

 

 

9 But Saul, still breathing threat and murder against the disciples of the Lord,+ went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that he might bring bound to Jerusalem any whom he found who belonged to The Way,+ both men and women.

3 Now as he was traveling and getting near Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him,+ 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 He asked: “Who are you, Lord?” He said: “I am Jesus,+ whom you are persecuting.+ 6 But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 Now the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing, indeed, the sound of a voice but seeing no one.+ 8 Saul then got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he did not see anything,+ and he neither ate nor drank.

10 There was a disciple named An·a·ni′as+ in Damascus, and the Lord said to him in a vision: “An·a·ni′as!” He said: “Here I am, Lord.” 11 The Lord said to him: “Get up, go to the street called Straight, and look for a man named Saul, from Tarsus,+ at the house of Judas. For look! he is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named An·a·ni′as come in and lay his hands on him so that he may recover sight.”+ 13 But An·a·ni′as answered: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, about all the harm he did to your holy ones in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest* all those calling on your name.”+ 15 But the Lord said to him: “Go! because this man is a chosen vessel to me+ to bear my name to the nations+ as well as to kings+ and the sons of Israel. 16 For I will show him plainly how many things he must suffer for my name.”+

17 So An·a·ni′as went and entered the house, and he laid his hands on him and said: “Saul, brother, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road along which you were coming, has sent me so that you may recover sight and be filled with holy spirit.”+ 18 And immediately, what looked like scales fell from his eyes, and he recovered his sight. He then got up and was baptized, 19 and he ate some food and gained strength.

He stayed for some days with the disciples in Damascus,+ 20 and immediately in the synagogues he began to preach about Jesus, that this one is the Son of God. 21 But all those hearing him were astonished and were saying: “Is this not the man who ravaged those in Jerusalem who call on this name?+ Did he not come here for the purpose of arresting them and taking them* to the chief priests?”+ 22 But Saul kept on acquiring more and more power and was confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus, as he proved logically that this is the Christ.+

23 Now when many days had passed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him.+ 24 However, their plot against Saul became known to him. They were also watching the gates closely both day and night in order to do away with him. 25 So his disciples took him and let him down by night through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.+

26 On arriving in Jerusalem,+ he made efforts to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe he was a disciple. 27 So Bar′na·bas+ came to his aid and led him to the apostles, and he told them in detail how on the road he had seen the Lord,+ and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.+ 28 So he remained with them, moving about freely in* Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He was talking and disputing with the Greek-speaking Jews, but these made attempts to do away with him.+ 30 When the brothers found out about this, they brought him down to Caes·a·re′a and sent him off to Tarsus.+

31 Then, indeed, the congregation throughout the whole of Ju·de′a and Gal′i·lee and Sa·mar′i·a+ entered into a period of peace, being built up; and as it walked in the fear of Jehovah* and in the comfort of the holy spirit,+ it kept on multiplying.

32 Now as Peter was traveling through all the region, he came down also to the holy ones who lived in Lyd′da.+ 33 There he found a man named Ae·ne′as, who had been lying flat on his bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him: “Ae·ne′as, Jesus Christ heals you.+ Rise and make up your bed.”+ And he got up immediately. 35 When all those living in Lyd′da and the Plain of Shar′on saw him, they turned to the Lord.

36 Now there was in Jop′pa a disciple named Tab′i·tha, which means, when translated, “Dor′cas.”* She abounded in good deeds and gifts of mercy that she was making. 37 But in those days she fell sick and died. So they bathed her and laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lyd′da was near Jop′pa, when the disciples heard that Peter was in that city, they sent two men to him to urge him: “Please come to us without delay.” 39 At that Peter got up and went with them. And when he arrived, they led him up into the upper room; and all the widows presented themselves to him, weeping and showing many garments and robes* that Dor′cas had made while she was with them. 40 Peter then put everyone outside,+ and kneeling down, he prayed. Then turning toward the body, he said: “Tab′i·tha, rise!” She opened her eyes, and as she caught sight of Peter, she sat up.+ 41 Giving her his hand, he raised her up, and he called the holy ones and the widows and presented her alive.+ 42 This became known throughout all Jop′pa, and many became believers in the Lord.+ 43 He remained for quite a few days in Jop′pa with a tanner named Simon.+

 

 

10 Now there was a man in Caes·a·re′a named Cornelius, an army officer* in what was called the Italian unit.* 2 He was a devout man who feared God together with all his household, and he made many gifts of mercy to the people and made supplication to God continually. 3 About the ninth hour+ of the day,* he saw plainly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say: “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him, terrified, and asked: “What is it, Lord?” He said to him: “Your prayers and gifts of mercy have ascended as a remembrance before God.+ 5 So now send men to Jop′pa and summon a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 This man is staying as a guest with* Simon, a tanner who has a house by the sea.” 7 As soon as the angel who spoke to him left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who were his attendants, 8 and he related everything to them and sent them to Jop′pa.

9 The next day as they were continuing on their journey and were approaching the city, Peter went up to the housetop about the sixth hour* to pray. 10 But he became very hungry and wanted to eat. While they were preparing the meal, he fell into a trance+ 11 and saw heaven opened and something* descending like a great linen sheet being let down by its four corners on the earth; 12 and in it were all sorts of four-footed animals and reptiles* of the earth and birds of heaven. 13 Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, slaughter and eat!” 14 But Peter said: “Not at all, Lord, because I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.”+ 15 And the voice spoke again to him, the second time: “Stop calling defiled the things God has cleansed.” 16 This happened a third time, and immediately it* was taken up into heaven.

17 While Peter was still perplexed about what the vision he had seen could mean, just then the men sent by Cornelius asked where Simon’s house was and stood there at the gate.+ 18 They called out and inquired whether Simon who was called Peter was a guest there. 19 As Peter was still pondering over the vision, the spirit+ said: “Look! Three men are asking for you. 20 So get up, go downstairs and go with them, not doubting at all, because I have sent them.” 21 Then Peter went downstairs to the men and said: “Here I am, the one you are looking for. Why are you here?” 22 They said: “Cornelius,+ an army officer, a righteous and God-fearing man who is well-reported-on by the whole nation of the Jews, was given divine instructions by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” 23 So he invited them in and had them stay as his guests.

The next day he got up and went off with them, and some of the brothers from Jop′pa went with him. 24 The following day he entered into Caes·a·re′a. Cornelius, of course, was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and did obeisance* to him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying: “Rise; I too am just a man.”+ 27 As he conversed with him, he went in and found many people assembled. 28 He said to them: “You well know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or approach a man of another race,+ and yet God has shown me that I should call no man defiled or unclean.+ 29 So I came, really without objection, when I was sent for. Therefore, I ask you why you sent for me.”

30 Then Cornelius said: “Four days ago counting from this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour;* just then a man in bright clothing stood in front of me 31 and said: ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been favorably heard, and your gifts of mercy have been remembered before God. 32 Therefore, send to Jop′pa and call for Simon who is called Peter. This man is a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’+ 33 I then sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come here. So now we are all present before God to hear all the things you have been commanded by Jehovah* to say.”

34 At this Peter began to speak, and he said: “Now I truly understand that God is not partial,+ 35 but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.+ 36 He sent out the word to the sons of Israel to declare to them the good news of peace+ through Jesus Christ—this one is Lord of all.+ 37 You know the subject that was talked about throughout all Ju·de′a, starting from Gal′i·lee+ after the baptism that John preached: 38 about Jesus who was from Naz′a·reth, how God anointed him with holy spirit+ and power, and he went through the land doing good and healing all those oppressed by the Devil,+ because God was with him.+ 39 And we are witnesses of all the things he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; but they did away with him by hanging him on a stake.* 40 God raised this one up on the third day+ and allowed him to become manifest,* 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses appointed beforehand by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after his rising from the dead.+ 42 Also, he ordered us to preach to the people and to give a thorough witness+ that this is the one decreed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.+ 43 To him all the prophets bear witness,+ that everyone putting faith in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”+

44 While Peter was still speaking about these matters, the holy spirit came upon all those hearing the word.+ 45 And the circumcised believers* who had come with Peter were amazed, because the free gift of the holy spirit was being poured out also on people of the nations. 46 For they heard them speaking in foreign languages* and magnifying God.+ Then Peter responded: 47 “Can anyone deny water to prevent these from being baptized+ who have received the holy spirit just as we have?” 48 With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.+ Then they requested him to stay for some days.