Many of them believed his message and were baptized, and about three thousand people were added to the group that day.

praising God, and enjoying the good will of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.

But many who heard the message believed; and the number grew to about five thousand.

And so the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew larger and larger, and a great number of priests accepted the faith.

And so it was that the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had a time of peace. Through the help of the Holy Spirit it was strengthened and grew in numbers, as it lived in reverence for the Lord.

All the people living in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

The news about this spread all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

"I will give water to the thirsty land and make streams flow on the dry ground. I will pour out my spirit on your children and my blessing on your descendants.

"One by one, people will say, 'I am the LORD's.' They will come to join the people of Israel. They each will mark the name of the LORD on their arms and call themselves one of God's people."

"They will say that only through me are victory and strength to be found; but all who hate me will suffer disgrace.

So also will be the word that I speak--- it will not fail to do what I plan for it; it will do everything I send it to do.

Cypress trees will grow where now there are briers; myrtle trees will come up in place of thorns. This will be a sign that will last forever, a reminder of what I, the LORD, have done."

But Saul tried to destroy the church; going from house to house, he dragged out the believers, both men and women, and threw them into jail.

But when they believed Philip's message about the good news of the Kingdom of God and about Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.

I persecuted to the death the people who followed this Way. I arrested men and women and threw them into prison.

All who wanted to, both men and women, brought decorative pins, earrings, rings, necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry and dedicated them to the LORD.

women, and children, and the foreigners who live among you and cut wood and carry water for you.

You are here today to enter into this covenant that the LORD your God is making with you and to accept its obligations,

Read it to the people of Israel when they come to worship the LORD your God at the one place of worship.

Call together all the men, women, and children, and the foreigners who live in your towns, so that everyone may hear it and learn to honor the LORD your God and to obey his teachings faithfully.

and distributed food to them all. He gave each man and woman in Israel a loaf of bread, a piece of roasted meat, and some raisins. Then everyone went home.

While Ezra was bowing in prayer in front of the Temple, weeping and confessing these sins, a large group of Israelites---men, women, and children---gathered around him, weeping bitterly.

So Ezra brought it to the place where the people had gathered---men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand.

In our life in the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

For as woman was made from man, in the same way man is born of woman; and it is God who brings everything into existence.

So there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus.