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

After saying this, Jesus was taken up while those who had gathered together were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

They asked, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go up into heaven."

"Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the voice of David about Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus,

who was one of the men associated with us all the time the Lord Jesus came and went among us,

So they nominated two men Joseph called Barsabbas, who also was called Justus, and Matthias.

Stunned and amazed, they asked, "All of these people who are speaking are Galileans, aren't they?

"It was this very Jesus whom God raised and we're all witnesses of that.

"Therefore, let all the people of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!"

For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself."

So those who welcomed his message were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to their number.

They made it their practice to sell their possessions and goods and to distribute the proceeds to anyone who was in need.

They were praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved.

Now a man who had been crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day people would lay him at what was called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from those who were going into the Temple.

they knew that he was the man who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you betrayed and rejected in the presence of Pilate, even though he had decided to let him go.

and you killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses to that.

It is his name that is, by faith in his name that has healed this man whom you see and know. Yes, the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.

so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and so that he may send you Jesus, whom he appointed long ago to be the Messiah.

"The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to everything he tells you. Any person who will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.'

"Indeed, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who followed him, also announced these days.

But many of those who heard their message believed, and the men grew to number about 5,000.

If we are being questioned today for a good deed done for someone who was sick or to learn how this man was healed,

you and all the people of Israel must understand that this man stands healthy before you because of the name of Jesus from Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead.

And seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could not say anything against them.

since the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than 40 years old.

For in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate actually met together with unbelievers and the people of Israel to oppose your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,

since none of them needed anything, because everyone who had land or houses would sell them and bring the money received for the things sold

and lay it at the apostles' feet. Then it was distributed to anyone who needed it.

One man, Joseph, a descendant of Levi and a native of Cyprus, who was named Barnabas by the apostles (the name means "a son of encouragement"),

When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized everyone who heard about it.

"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 seized the whole church and everyone else who heard about this.

Now many signs and wonders were being performed by the apostles among the people, who were gathered together in Solomon's Colonnade.

Crowds continued coming in even from the towns around Jerusalem bringing their sick and those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

Then the high priest and all those from the sect of the Sadducees who were with him were filled with jealousy. So they went out,

After the apostles heard this, they went into the Temple at daybreak and began to teach. The high priest and those who were with him arrived, called the Council and all the elders of Israel together, and sent word to the prison to have the men brought in.

We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who keep on obeying him."

But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and ordered the men to be taken outside for a little while.

Therefore, brothers, appoint seven men among you who have a good reputation, who are full of the Spirit and wisdom, and we'll put them in charge of this work.

They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

But some men who belonged to the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), as well as some Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and began to debate with Stephen.

Then everyone who was seated in the Council glared at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler of Egypt and of his whole household.

Eventually, a different king who had not known Joseph became ruler of Egypt.

When he saw one of them being mistreated, he defended him and avenged the man who was being mistreated by killing the Egyptian.

"But the man who was harming his neighbor pushed Moses away and said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us?

"This same Moses whom they rejected by saying, "Who made you ruler and judge?' was the man whom God sent to be both their ruler and deliverer with the help of the angel who had appeared to him in the bush.

It was he who led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for 40 years.

It was this Moses who told the Israelis, "God will raise up a prophet for you from among your own brothers, just as he did me.'

This Moses is the one who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and to our ancestors. He received living truths to give to us,

They told Aaron, "Make gods for us who will lead us. This Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt we don't know what happened to him!'

"Our ancestors had the Tent of Testimony in the wilderness constructed, just as the one who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern he had seen.

but it was Solomon who built a house for him.

Which of the prophets did your ancestors fail to persecute? They killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers.

Now those who were scattered went from place to place preaching the word.

So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, who was a member of the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was in charge of all her treasures and had come up to Jerusalem to worship.

In his humiliation, justice was denied him. Who can describe his descendants? For his life is taken away from the earth."

The eunuch asked Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet talking about? Himself? Or someone else?"

He asked, "Who are you, Lord?"

The voice said, "I'm Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up, go into the city, and you will be told what you are to do."

Meanwhile, the men who were traveling with Saul were standing speechless, for they heard the voice but didn't see anyone.

He is here with authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on your name."

So Ananias left and went to that house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were traveling, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Everyone who heard him was astonished and said, "This is the man who harassed those who were calling on Jesus' name in Jerusalem, isn't it? Didn't he come here to bring them in chains to the high priests?"

But Saul grew more and more persuasive, and continued to confound the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this man was the Messiah.

Barnabas, however, introduced Saul to the apostles, telling them how on the road Saul had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how courageously he had spoken in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

There he found a man named Aeneas who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years.

and all the people who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

He was a devout man who feared God, as did everyone in his home. He gave many gifts to the poor among the people and always prayed to God.

The angel answered him, "Your prayers and your gifts to the poor have arisen as a reminder to God. Send men now to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter.

When the angel who had spoken to him had gone, Cornelius summoned two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of those who served him regularly.

They called out and asked if Simon who was called Peter was staying there.

The men replied, "Cornelius, a centurion and an upright and God-fearing man who is respected by the whole Jewish nation, was instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his home to hear what you have to say."

so send messengers to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, to come to you. He is a guest in the home of Simon, a leatherworker, by the sea.'

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, he went around doing good and healing everyone who was oppressed by the devil.

not to all the people, but to us who were chosen by God to be witnesses and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

All the prophets testify to this: everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

While Peter was still making this statement, the Holy Spirit fell on all the people who were listening to his message.

Then the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the gentiles, too,

"No one can stop us from using water to baptize these people who have received the Holy Spirit in the same way that we did, can they?"

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

But when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who emphasized circumcision disagreed with him.

Then he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his home and saying, "Send messengers to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter.

Now if God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, who was I to try to stop God?"

Now the people who were scattered by the persecution that started because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.

But among them were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began proclaiming the Lord Jesus even to the Hellenistic Jews.

About that time, Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church and mistreated them.

When Peter realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where a large number of people had gathered and were praying.

Now Herod had been in a violent quarrel with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him as a group. After they had won over Blastus, who oversaw security for the king's sleeping quarters, they asked for a peace agreement because their country depended on the king's country for food.

When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, bringing with them John who was also called Mark.

Now Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen, who grew up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul were prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch.

He was associated with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. He sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.

"Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen! The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made them a great people during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with a public display of power he led them out of there.

Then God removed Saul and made David their king, about whom he testified, "I have found that David, the son of Jesse, is a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my wishes.'

It was from this man's descendants that God, as he promised, brought to Israel a Savior, who is Jesus.

When John was finishing his work, he said, "Who do you think I am? I'm not the Messiah. No, but he is coming after me, and I'm not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.'

"My brothers, descendants of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, it is to us that the message of this salvation has been sent.

For the people who live in Jerusalem and their leaders, not knowing who Jesus was, condemned him and so fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.

and for many days he appeared to those who had come with him to Jerusalem from Galilee. These are now his witnesses to the people.