The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

And to whom he gave clear and certain signs that he was living, after his death; for he was seen by them for forty days, and gave them teaching about the kingdom of God:

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

For John baptised with water but ye shall be baptised with the holy ghost, and that within this few days."

They therefore, being come together, asked him saying, Lord, is it at this time that thou restorest the kingdom to Israel?

and he said unto them, 'It is not yours to know times or seasons that the Father did appoint in His own authority;

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.”

Then did they return to Jerusalem from the mount that is called of Olives, that is near Jerusalem, a sabbath's journey;

When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

It was on one of these days that Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren--the entire number of persons present being about 120--and said,

Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

For that he had come to be reckoned among us and obtained the lot of this ministry. -

(Now this man [Judas] paid for [in a sense] a [burial] field with the reward money he had received for his sinful act [of betraying Jesus, See Matt. 27:3-10]. [Then, some time after Judas hanged himself, See Matt. 27:5] he fell down headlong, [his swollen body] bursting so that his intestines gushed 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.

Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying.

And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign languages as the Spirit gave them that ability.

Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galilaeans?

Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect?

Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and those that dwell in Mesopotamia, and Judea, and Capadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,

Phrygia also, and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya, that are along Cyrene, and the strangers of Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

Cretans and Arabians. How can it be that we hear [these apostles] speaking about the mighty accomplishments of God in the language of our national origin?

And others mocking, continued to say, that these people are full of fermented wine.

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

And it shall be in the last days, saith God, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream with dreams;

and even upon My bondservants, both men and women, at that time, I will pour out My Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

'Men, Israelites! hear these words, Jesus the Nazarene, a man approved of God among you by mighty works, and wonders, and signs, that God did through him in the midst of you, according as also ye yourselves have known;

Yet, He was handed over to you so that, by lawless men [i.e., the Romans], He was put to death by crucifixion. Now this was all done in harmony with God's full pre-knowledge and [divine] purpose.

Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, yes, even my body still rests securely in hope.

that Thou wilt not leave my soul in the invisible state, nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption.

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

God raised this Jesus [bodily from the dead], and of that [fact] we are all witnesses.

Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out this that you see and hear.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"

And Peter replied, "Every one of you must repent [i.e., change your hearts and lives] and be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ [i.e., by His authority] so that your sins will be forgiven [by God] and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [to live in your hearts].

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.

He said much more besides in giving his testimony, and urged them to save themselves from that crooked age.

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

and they were constant in listening to the teaching of the Apostles and in their attendance at the Communion, that is, the Breaking of the Bread, and at prayer.

And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

And they began selling [their] possessions and property, and distributing these [things] to all, to the degree that anyone had need.

praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.

NOW at that time Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth;

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;

When he saw that Peter and John were about to go into the Temple, he asked them to give him something.

And the man began to pay attention to them, eagerly expecting to receive something from them.

But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.

so that he fell a leaping, and walking, and entred with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto 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 [the crowd assembling] he gave this explanation: "Men of Israel, why are you so shocked at [what happened to] this man? And why are you gazing at us, as though it were by our power or godly qualities that we caused him to walk?

The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he had judged that he should be let go.

But ye denied the holy and righteous one, and asked that a man that was a murderer should be granted to you;

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

and on the faith of his name, this one whom ye see and have known, his name made strong, even the faith that is through him did give to him this perfect soundness before you all.

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

But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

and that he may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus:

whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of His holy prophets that have been from of old.

Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You will listen to him in everything that he says to you.

And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

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

'Ye are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant that God made unto our fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall be blessed all the families of the earth;

It was for you first of all that God raised up His Servant and Son [Jesus], and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”

Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

But many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,

assembled at Jerusalem, and Annas the chief priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and all that were of the family of the chief priesthood,

if it is for a benefit conferred upon a helpless man, and as to how he was cured, that we are called to account here today,

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

This is the stone that was set at nought by you -- the builders, that became head of a corner;

And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

And seeing the man that was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

And they called them, and commanded them that in no wise they should speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

For we are not able to refrain from speaking about [the things] that we have seen and heard."

So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:

who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David, Your servant, said,

‘Why did the nations (Gentiles) become arrogant and rage,
And the peoples devise futile things [against the Lord]?

"In this very city they did gather together against thy holy Servant, Jesus whom thou hast anointed??erod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and also the tribes of Israel??28 "to do all that thy power and thy will had predetermined should be done.

to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined [before the creation of the world] to occur [and so without knowing it, they served Your own purpose].

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,