[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].

For [Jesus had said, Matt. 3:11], "John immersed you [men] in water but [this time] you will be immersed in the Holy Spirit, and [it will happen] in just a few more days."

But, you apostles will receive power when the Holy Spirit descends on you and [then] you will become My witnesses [i.e., to tell what you know] in Jerusalem, in [the countries of] Judea and Samaria, and [even] to the distant regions of the earth."

(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.

But others made fun of them, saying, "Oh, they are just drunk [i.e., full of new wine]."

But Peter [responded by] standing up with the eleven [other] apostles and, lifting up his voice, began to speak. He said, "People of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, listen to what I am saying so you will understand this situation.

But what you see happening is simply [the fulfillment of] what was predicted by the prophet Joel [2:28ff],

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.

But God raised Him up, having released Him from the sharp pains [He experienced when dying], because it was not possible that He could be held in death's grip.

until I put your enemies [in subjection] beneath your feet.'

But instead, Peter said, "I do not have any money [i.e., silver or gold], but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus from Nazareth [i.e., by His authority], get up and walk."

But you denied the Holy and Righteous One [His rightful freedom] and asked for a murderer to be released to you [instead].

[Then, at the hands of the Roman authorities] you killed the Prince of [never ending] life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we [apostles] were [reliable] witnesses of it.

But this is the way God fulfilled the things which He had predicted through the prophets about the suffering of Christ.

So, these [Jewish] leaders arrested Peter and John and put them in jail until the next day because it was [already] evening.

But many of the people who heard the message [of God] believed [in Jesus] and the number of men [alone] came to be about five thousand.

we want you men and all the people of Israel to know that this man was made completely well through the name of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. [He is the One] whom you people put to death on the cross, but God raised from the dead.

He is that [Psa. 118:22], 'stone that was rejected by you builders but was made the principal stone by which the entire building is aligned.'

But when the Council [of Jewish leaders] made Peter and John leave [the meeting], they discussed the matter among themselves,

But we do not want this [teaching] to spread any further so let us threaten them [and demand] that they do not speak to anyone about Jesus anymore."

But Peter and John replied, "You decide whether it is right before God to listen to you men or to Him;

we cannot help but speak about the things we have seen and heard."

So, the large number of believers were united in heart and soul [i.e., mind and spirit] and not one of them said that anything he owned [really] belonged to him, but they shared all things in common.

He owned a field, but [due to the great need] sold it and brought the money and gave it to the apostles [for distribution].

and brought [only] a part of the selling price and gave it to the apostles; but the man and his wife had kept this a secret.

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]?

While you owned it, was it not yours? Then after you sold it, did you not [still] have control over [what you did with] the money? Why did you decide in your heart to do such a thing? You [really] have not lied to men, but to God [about this matter]."

Then Peter said to her, "Why did you agree together [with your husband] to put the Holy Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the ones who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out [to bury you, too]."

But none [of the outsiders] dared to associate with the disciples, yet the [majority of the] people commended them.

But the head priest and the Jewish sect of the Sadducees became very jealous,

and arrested the apostles and put them in jail.

But an angel from the Lord one night [miraculously] opened the jail doors and released them, saying,

But when the officers arrived at the jail the apostles were gone, so they returned to the Council and reported,

"We found the jail securely locked, with guards on duty at the doors, but when we went inside there was no one there!"

[Just then] someone came in and said, "Look, the men you put in jail are [now] standing in the Temple teaching people."

[Immediately] the captain, with his officers, went [to the Temple] and brought the apostles back again, but did not use any violence because they feared that the people might stone them.

But Peter and the apostles answered them, "We must obey God instead of [you] men [in this situation].

The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus [from the dead], whom you put to death by hanging Him on a tree [i.e., the cross].

But God exalted Him at His right side to be a Prince and Savior and to give the people of Israel [an opportunity] to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives] and [receive] forgiveness of [their] sins [through Him].

But when the Jewish officials heard this, they were deeply convicted in their hearts and determined to kill the apostles.

But [then] Gamaliel, a Council member, who was a Pharisee [i.e., a strict sect of the Jewish religion], and an expert in the law of Moses and highly regarded by all the people, stood up and ordered the apostles to step outside [of the Council meeting] briefly.

For [remember that] some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone [important], and that about four hundred people rallied [to his cause], but he was killed and all his men left him and nothing ever came of it.

Later on another man, named Judas of Galilee, appeared during the census [Note: The time and circumstances of this census were probably known to the original readers], and led [a group of] people away after him, but he also was killed and all of his followers were scattered.

but if [it happens to be] of God, you will not be able to defeat them. And [if you try to], you may [actually] be fighting against [the work of] God."

But we will continue earnestly in prayer and the preaching of God's word."

But several men from the synagogue, made up of freed slaves from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia, began arguing with Stephen.

But they could not stand up to the wisdom and [power of] the Holy Spirit by which Stephen spoke.

But God gave him no inheritance [here at that time], no, not even a place [of his own] to stand on. Yet God promised that He would [someday] give it to him and to his descendants after him [i.e., the Israelites], as a [permanent] possession, even though [at that time] he had no child yet.

"[And when] these patriarchs, [still living in Canaan as young men], became jealous of [their brother] Joseph, they sold him [as a slave to traveling merchants who took him] to Egypt. But God was with him [during all that time],

But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent his sons [down there] on their first trip.

"But as the time when [the fulfillment of] the promise [God had made] to Abraham approached, the number of people [i.e., Hebrews] in Egypt grew

But when he was about forty years old he felt led to visit his relatives, the Israelites [i.e., called Hebrews at that time].

assuming his relatives would understand that God was using him to rescue them [from such abuse], but they did not [seem to] understand.

But the one who was trying to harm his neighbor pushed Moses away saying, 'Who gave you the right to act as a ruler and judge over us?

But the Hebrews refused [to acknowledge Moses as their leader], saying, 'Who made you a ruler and judge [over us]?' [Nevertheless], God sent him [to Egypt] to be both a ruler and liberator [of the people] through the direction of [His] angel who appeared [to Moses] from the bush.

[And yet] our forefathers refused to obey him, but rejected [his leadership] and turned back to Egypt in their hearts.

But God turned [away from them] and allowed them to worship heavenly bodies [i.e., stars], just as it was written in the prophet [Amos 5:25ff], 'Did you offer me slain animals as sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, you Israelites?

But [eventually] it was Solomon who [actually] built this house [for God].

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw God's splendor and Jesus standing at His right side.

But they shouted loudly and refused to listen, and then all of them rushed at him.

And Saul was in full agreement with Stephen being put to death. And a great persecution broke out against the Jerusalem church, and all the disciples, except the apostles, were scattered throughout the districts of Judea and Samaria.

But Saul brought devastation to the church by entering everyone's house and dragging men and women off to jail.

But a certain man named Simon, from there in Samaria, who had been amazing the people with his magical powers, was claiming to be someone great.

But Peter said to him, "You and your money will both be destroyed for thinking you could buy the gift from God with money.

But [later on] Philip appeared at Azotus and after leaving there he preached the good news [of Jesus] to all the towns along the way until he reached Caesarea. [Note: Caesarea was a town on the west coast of Palestine, named after the emperor Caesar].

but get up, and enter the city [of Damascus] and [there] you will be told what you must do."

And the men who were traveling with Saul were speechless, having heard the sound, but not seeing anyone.

Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes but could not see anything, so had to be led by the hand into Damascus.

But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many people about how much harm this man has done to your holy people at Jerusalem.

But the Lord replied to him, "Go on your way, for Saul is someone I have especially chosen to carry my name to the [unconverted] Gentiles, kings and the Israelites.

But Saul was strengthened [spiritually] and proceeded to confound the Jews living [there] in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

but he found out about their plan. And so they watched the gates [of the city] day and night [looking for their chance] to kill him.

And when he came [back] to Jerusalem, Saul attempted to associate himself with the disciples but they were afraid of him [because of his past], and could not believe that he was a [true] disciple.

preaching boldly in the name of the Lord [and] speaking and arguing with the Greek-[speaking] Jews, but they were out to kill him.

And there he found a certain man named Aeneas who had been [confined to his] bed, paralyzed for eight years.

Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ is healing you, so get up and make your bed." And immediately he got up [out of his bed, completely healed].

But as time went on, she became [very] sick and [eventually] died. Her body was washed [by the women attendants] and placed in an upstairs room [during the mourning process].

He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while lunch was being prepared he was overcome by a "trance" [i.e., a semi-conscious, vision-like state]

But Peter answered, "No, Lord, I cannot. I have never eaten any such ordinary or [ceremonially] unfit creatures."

But Peter lifted him up, saying, "I am just a man, myself."

but that whoever respects Him and does what is right, whatever country he may be from, is acceptable to Him.

And we [apostles] are witnesses of all that He did, both in the region where Jews lived and in Jerusalem [as well]. But they killed Him by hanging Him on a tree [i.e., the cross].

not to everyone, but to us [apostles] who were specially chosen by God to be witnesses [of His resurrected body], and to eat and drink with Him after He arose from the dead.

But I said, 'O no, Lord, for I have never even tasted anything ordinary or [ceremonially] unfit [for Jews to eat].'

Then I remembered what the Lord had said [See 1:4-5]: 'John immersed you [people] in water but you [apostles] will be immersed in the Holy Spirit.'

But when some men from Cyprus and Cyrene came to Antioch, they preached [about] the Lord Jesus to the Greeks [i.e., Gentiles] also.

So, Peter was arrested and put in jail with four groups of four soldiers each guarding him. Herod planned to have him brought before the people after the Passover Festival was over.

So, Peter was kept in jail, but the church continued to pray earnestly to God for him. [See verse 12].

The angel [then] said to him, "Put on your belt and sandals," so he did. Then the angel said, "Throw your [outer] robe around you and follow me."

And they said to her, "You are crazy." But she insisted that [what she reported] was true. They replied, "It is [only] his angel."

But Peter continued to knock and when they [finally] opened [the door] they saw that it [really] was Peter and were amazed.

But the [influence of the] message of God grew and [the number of disciples] multiplied.

But [another] magician, named Elymas (which means "the magician") opposed them, trying to discourage the magistrate from hearing about the faith.

But Saul, [now] also called Paul, being filled with [the power of] the Holy Spirit, looked at him intently

As John was completing his ministry he said [to the great crowds], 'Who do you people think I am? [No], I am not the Messiah. But look, Someone is coming [to Israel] after [I complete] my mission whose sandal straps I am not even worthy to unfasten.'

They asked Pilate to have Him put to death, even though they could not find any [legitimate] reason to execute Him.

But God raised Him up from the dead

But Jesus, whom God raised up [from the dead], never did decay.

But when the Jews saw the large crowds [gathered to hear the Gospel] they became very jealous and took sharp issue with the things Paul said, and [even] spoke against them.

But Paul and Barnabas [continued to] speak out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the message of God be delivered to you [Jews] first. But since you have rejected it and [thereby] consider yourselves to be unworthy of [receiving] never ending life, we [i.e., Paul and Barnabas] will now begin proclaiming it to the [unconverted] Gentiles.