My former narrative, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught as a beginning, down to the day on which,

[One day, as He was] gathered with these apostles, He urged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there until they received what the Father had promised them. (Jesus had previously discussed this with them). [See Luke 24:49].

Now those who had gathered together began to ask Jesus, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"

But ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit cometh upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and inall Judaea and Samaria and as far as the uttermost part of the land.

And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

And in these days, Peter having risen up in the midst of the disciples, said, (the multitude also of the names at the same place was, as it were, an hundred and twenty,)

“Brothers and sisters, it was necessary that the Scripture be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the lips of David [king of Israel] about Judas [Iscariot], who acted as guide to those who arrested Jesus.

For Judas was reckoned as one of our number, and a share in this ministry was allotted to him."

(Now Judas Iscariot acquired a piece of land [indirectly] with the [money paid him as a] reward for his treachery, and falling headlong, his body burst open in the middle and all his intestines poured out.

And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let there be no man to dwell in it: and his office, as bishop, let another take.

beginning from His baptism by John down to the day on which He was taken up again from us into Heaven--one should be appointed to become a witness with us as to His resurrection."

So they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.

To take that position as a servant and Apostle, from which Judas by his sin was shut out, so that he might go to his place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And Phrygia, and Pamphylia, Egypt, and parts of Lybia that near Cyrene, and Romans arriving as strangers, and Jews, and strangers,

For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

[In that day] the sun will become dark and the moon will [appear] as blood. [This will all happen] before the great and wonderful day when the Lord comes. [Note: Some view these last two verses as a reference to events occurring at the end of time. See Matt. 24:29-30].

Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

(as ye yourselves also know,) Him being given up by the determinate counsel and fore-knowlege of God ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death, inasmuch as it was not possible that he should be held by its power;

for David says as to him, I foresaw the Lord continually before me, because he is at my right hand that I may not be moved.

"As to the patriarch David, I need hardly remind you, brethren, that he died and was buried, and that we still have his tomb among us.

But being a prophet, and having in mind the oath which God had given to him, that of the fruit of his body one would take his place as a king,

This Jesus God raised, as we can all bear witness.

And now that he has been exalted to the right hand of God, and has received from the Father the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, he has begun to pour out that gift, as you yourselves now see and hear.

until I place Your enemies as a footstool to Your feet."

Peter answered them, "Every one of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

then those, indeed, who did gladly receive his word were baptized, and there were added on that day, as it were, three thousand souls,

And all the believers lived together and held all they had as common goods to be shared by one another.

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

One day, as Peter and John were going up into the Temple Courts for the three o'clock Prayers, a man, who had been lame from his birth, was being carried by.

And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

Peter fixing his eyes on him, as John did also, said, "Look at us."

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

He [then] jumped up, stood on his feet and began to walk. And [as] he entered the Temple with Peter and John he was able to walk and [even] jump, while praising God [for his complete healing].

and they recognized him as the very man who usually sat begging for coins at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement and were mystified at what had happened to him.

And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.

And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

Yes, you disowned the holy and righteous One, and asked as a favour the release of a murderer.

The Prince of Life you put to death; but God has raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses as to that.

It is His name-- faith in that name being the condition--which has strengthened this man whom you behold and know; and the faith which He has given has made this man sound and strong again, as you can all see.

And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.

But it was in this way that God fulfilled all that he had long ago foretold, as to the sufferings of his Christ, by the lips of all the Prophets.

and he may send forth Jesus, who has been preached unto you as the Christ,

For Moses, indeed, unto the fathers said -- A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me; him shall ye hear in all things, as many as he may speak unto you;

Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

Being greatly troubled because they were teaching the people and preaching Jesus as an example of the coming back from the dead.

They arrested the Apostles and, as it was already evening, had them placed in custody till the next day.

and many of those hearing the word did believe, and the number of the men became, as it were, five thousand.

And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

When they had put the men in front of them, they repeatedly asked, “By what sort of power, or in what name [that is, by what kind of authority], did you do this [healing]?”

On this, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke as follows: "Leaders of the people and Councillors,

if we this day are called upon to answer as to the good deed done to the infirm man, how he has been healed,

He is 'the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.'

There is no salvation through anyone else, for there is no one else in the world who has been named to men as their only means of being saved."

As they looked on Peter and John so fearlessly outspoken--and also discovered that they were illiterate persons, untrained in the schools--they were surprised; and now they recognized them as having been with Jesus.

but as they saw the man who had been healed standing beside them, they could say nothing.

saying, "What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can't deny it.

for as for us we cannot refrain from speaking of the things which we have seen and heard.

They, however, further charging them with threats, let them go, finding nothing as to how they might chastise them, on account of the people; because, all, were glorifying God for that which had come to pass; -

But, when they had been let go, they came unto their own friends , and told as many things as, unto them, the High-priests and Elders, had said.

For, truly, in this town, against your holy servant, Jesus, who was marked out by you as Christ, Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, came together,

to do as much as your power and your plan had decided beforehand would happen.

As to the present things, then, O Lord, - look upon their threats, and grant unto thy servants, with all freedom of utterance, to be speaking thy word,

[as] you extend your hand to heal and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

And as soon as they had prayed, the place moved where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the holy ghost, and they spake the word of God boldly.

Among all those who had embraced the faith there was but one heart and soul, so that none of them claimed any of his possessions as his own, but everything they had was common property;

while the Apostles with great force of conviction delivered their testimony as to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all.

Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Thus Joseph, who was surnamed Barnabas or (as it may be translated) 'Son of Encouragement' by the apostles, a Levite of Cypriote birth,

But Peter said to Ananias, "Why has Satan filled your heart [causing you] to deceive the Holy Spirit by keeping back part of the selling price of the land [while representing it as the full price]?

As long as it remained [unsold], did it not remain your own [to do with as you pleased]? And after it was sold, was the money not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this act [of hypocrisy and deceit] in your heart? You have not [simply] lied to people, but to God.”

And, as Ananias heard these words, he fell, and expired. And there came great fear upon all that heard;

And it fortuned as it were about the space of three hours after, that his wife came in, ignorant of that which was done.

"How could you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?" Peter asked her. "Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and these men will carry you outside as well."

And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

More and more believers in the Lord, crowds of men and women, were constantly being added to their number,

insomuch that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them.

Moreover even the throng of the cities all round Jerusalem was coming together, bearing sick folk, and such as were harassed by impure spirits, - who, indeed, were being cured, one and all.

Having received that command they went into the Temple, just before daybreak, and began to teach: So when the High Priest and his party came, and had called together the Sanhedrin as well as all the Elders of the descendants of Israel, they sent to the jail to fetch the Apostles.

But as the attendants did not find them when they got to the prison, they came back to report,

saying, "The prison found we shut as sure as was possible and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened we found no man within."

And when they heard these words, both the priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests were in perplexity as to them, what this would come to.

Him has God exalted by his right hand as leader and saviour, to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins.

And we--and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him--are witnesses as to these things."

But when they heard this, they were cut asunder as with a saw, and took counsel how to make away with them.

And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.

After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

And therefore as to the present affair I advise you to refrain from these men and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nothing;

And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ.