And once, when he had gathered them together, he charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the fulfillment of the Father's promise-- "that promise," he said, "of which you have heard me speak;

But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit shall have descended upon you, and shall be witnesses for me not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

(This man had bought a piece of land with the price of his treachery; and, falling heavily, his body had burst open, and all his bowels protruded.

So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabas, whose other name was Justus, and Matthias;

But there were some who said with a sneer: "They have had too much new wine."

He, I say, in accordance with God's definite plan and with his previous knowledge, was betrayed, and you, by the hands of lawless men, nailed him to a cross and put him to death.

But God released him from the pangs of death and raised him to life, it being impossible for death to retain its hold upon him.

Till I put your enemies as a footstool under they feet."'

But Peter added: "I have no gold or silver, but I give you what I have. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I bid you walk."

The very Guide to Life you put to death! But God raised him from the dead--and of that we are ourselves witnesses.

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.

But Heaven must be his home, until the days of the Universal Restoration, of which God has spoken by the lips of his holy Prophets from the very first.

But, when they looked at the man who had been healed, standing there with them, they had nothing to say.

But, to prevent this thing from spreading further among the people, let us warn them not to speak in this Name any more to any one whatever."

But Peter and John replied: "Whether it is right, in the sight of God, to listen to you rather than to him--

There have indeed gathered together in this city against your holy Servant Jesus, whom you has consecrated the Christ, not Herod and Pontius Pilate only, but the nations and the people of Israel besides--

The whole body of those who had become believers in Christ were of one heart and mind. Not one of them claimed any of his goods as his own, but everything was held for the common use.

"Ananias," Peter exclaimed, "how is it that Satan has so taken possession of your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit, and kept back a part of the money paid for the land?

While it was unsold, was not it your own? and after it was sold, was not the money at your own disposal? How did you come to think of such a thing? You have lied, not to men, but to God!"

But of the rest no one ventured to join them. On the other hand, the people were full of their praise,

But, when the officers got there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported that,

Presently, however, some one came and told them, that the men whom they had put in prison were actually standing in the Temple Courts, teaching the people.

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging him on a cross.

But Gamaliel, a Pharisee, who was a Doctor of the Law and who was held in universal respect, rose in the Council, and directed that the men should be taken out of court for a little while.

For not long ago Theudas appeared, professing to be somebody, and was joined by a body of some four hundred men. But he was killed; and all his followers scattered and dwindled away.

And, in this present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these men, but to let them alone, for, if their designs and their work are merely of human origin, they will come to an end;

But, if they are of divine origin, you will be powerless to put an end to them--or else you may find yourselves fighting against God!"

But the Apostles left the Council, rejoicing that they had been thought worthy to suffer disgrace for that Name;

But some members of the Synagogue known as that of Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and Visitors from Cilicia and Roman Asia, were roused to action and began disputing with Stephen;

God did not at that time give him any part of it, not even a foot of ground. But he promised to 'give him possession of it and his descendants after him, though at that time he had no child.

But I myself will judge the nation, to which they will be enslaved,' God said, 'and after that they shall leave the country and worship me in this place.'

The Patriarchs, out of jealousy, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him,

And their bodies were removed to Shechem, and laid in the tomb which Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

He thought his brothers would understand that God was using him to save them; but they failed to do so.

But the man who was ill-treating his fellow workman pushed Moses aside saying--'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?

When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the vision; but on his going nearer to look at it more closely, the voice of the Lord was heard to say--

But it was Solomon who built a House for God.

Saul approved of his being put to death. On that very day a great persecution broke out against the Church which was in Jerusalem; and its members, with the exception of the Apostles, were all scattered over the districts of Judea and Samaria.

But Saul began to devastate the Church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.

Every one, high and low, paid attention to him. 'This man,' they used to say, 'must be that Power of God which men call "The Great Power."'

And they paid attention to him because they had for a long time been mystified by his magic arts.

"A curse upon you and upon your money," Peter exclaimed, "for thinking that God's free gift can be bought with gold!

But, when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the Treasurer saw no more of him; for he continued his journey with a joyful heart.

But Philip was found at Ashdod, and, as he went on his way, he told the Good News in all the towns through which he passed, till he came to Caesarea.

And asked him to give him letters to the Jewish congregations at Damascus, authorizing him, if he found there any supporters of the Cause, whether men or women, to have them put in chains and brought to Jerusalem.

The men traveling with Saul were meanwhile standing speechless; they heard the sound of the voice, but saw no one.

And, here, too, he holds authority from the Chief Priests to put in chains all those who invoke your Name."

But the Lord said to him: "Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to uphold my Name before the Gentiles and their kings, and the people of Israel.

All who heard him were amazed. "Is not this," they asked, "the man who worked havoc in Jerusalem among those that invoke this Name, and who had also come here for the express purpose of having such persons put in chains and taken before the Chief Priests?"

But it became known to him. They even watched the gates day and night, to kill him;

But his disciples let him down by night through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

On his arrival in Jerusalem, Saul attempted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was really a disciple.

But, when the Brethren found this out, they took him down to Caesarea, and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bed-ridden for eight years with paralysis.

"Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ cures you. Get up, and make your bed." Aeneas got up at once;

But Peter sent everybody out of the room, and knelt down and prayed. Then, turning to the body, he said: "Tabitha! stand up." She opened her eyes, and, seeing Peter, sat up.

He became hungry and wanted something to eat; but while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance,

But that in every nation he who reverences him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

We are ourselves, too, witnesses to all that he did in Judea and in Jerusalem; yet they put him to death by hanging him on a cross!

Not indeed to every one, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God--to us, who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from the dead.

But, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who were converts from Judaism began to attack him,

I had but just begun to speak," continued Peter, "when the Holy Spirit fell on them, exactly as on us at the first;

And I recalled the saying of the Master-- 'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

On hearing this statement, they said no more, but broke out into praise of God. "So even to the Gentiles," they exclaimed, "God has granted the repentance which leads to Life!"

Now those who had been scattered in different directions, in consequence of the persecution that followed upon the death of Stephen, went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, telling the Message--but only to Jews.

After seizing Peter, Herod put him in prison, and entrusted him to the keeping of four Guards of four soldiers each, intending, after the Passover, to bring him up before the people.

So Peter was kept in prison, but meanwhile the prayers of the Church were being earnestly offered to God on his behalf.

The chains dropped from his wrists, and then the angel said: "Put on your girdle and sandals." When Peter had done so, the angel added: "Throw your cloak round you and follow me."

Peter followed him out, not knowing that what was happening under the angel's guidance was real, but thinking that he was seeing a vision.

She recognized Peter's voice, but in her joy left the gate unopened, and ran in, and told them that Peter was standing outside.

"You are mad!" they exclaimed. But, when she persisted that it was so, they said: "It must be his spirit!"

It happened that Herod was deeply offended with the people of Tyre and Sidon, but they went in a body to him, and, having succeeded in winning over Blastus, the Chamberlain, they begged Herod for a reconciliation, because their country was dependent on the King's for its food-supply.

But Elymas, the astrologer (for that is the meaning of the word), opposed them, eager to divert the Governor's attention from the Faith.

As John was drawing towards the end of his career, he said what do you suppose that I am? I am not the Christ. But there is "One Coming" after me, whose very sandal I am not worthy to untie.'

But God raised him from the dead;

But Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, did not undergo corruption.

But the sight of the crowds of people filled the minds of the Jews with jealousy, and they kept contradicting Paul's statements in violent language.

Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out fearlessly, and said: "It was necessary that the Message of God should be told to you first; but, since you reject it and reckon yourselves not worthy of the Immortal Life--we turn to the Gentiles!

But the Jews incited the women of position who worshiped with them, and the leading men of the town, and started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their neighborhood.

But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles, and poisoned their minds against the Brethren.

But the townspeople were divided, some siding with the Jews, some with the Apostles;

But, when the Apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd. "Friends, why are you doing this?" they shouted.

But, when the disciples had gathered round him, he got up and went back into the town; the next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe.

But certain persons came down from Judea, and began to teach the Brethren that, unless they were circumcised, in accordance with the custom enjoined by Moses, they could not be saved.

But we should write to them to abstain from food that has been polluted by being sacrificed to idols, from impurity, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from blood.

But Paul felt that they ought not to take with them the man who had deserted them in Pamphylia, and had not gone on with them to their work.

They next went through the Phrygian district of Galatia, but were restrained by the Holy Spirit from delivering the Message in Roman Asia.

When they reached the borders of Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.

After beating them severely, the Magistrates put them in prison, with orders to the Governor of the Jail to keep them in safe custody.

On receiving so strict an order, the Governor put them into the inner cell, and secured their feet in the stocks.

But Paul called our loudly: "Do not harm yourself; we are all here."

But Paul's answer to them was: "They have flogged us in public without trial, though we are Roman citizens, and they have put us in prison, and now they are for sending us out secretly! No, indeed! Let them come and take us out themselves."

But the Jews, becoming jealous, engaged some worthless fellows from the streets, and, getting a mob together, kept the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason's house, with the intention of bringing Paul and Silas before the Popular Assembly;

But, when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that God's Message had been delivered by Paul at Beroea, they came there too, exciting and disturbing the minds of the people.

Immediately upon that, the Brethren sent Paul off on his way to the sea coast, but both Silas and Timothy stayed behind in Beroea.

(All Athenians and the foreigners staying in the city found no time for anything else but telling, or listening to, the last new thing.)

True, God looked with indulgence on the days of men's ignorance, but now he is announcing to every one everywhere the need for repentance,

On hearing of a resurrection of the dead, some began jeering, but others said that they would hear what he had to say about that another time.

There he met a Jew of the name of Aquila, a native of Pontus, who, with his wife Priscilla, had lately come from Italy, in consequence of the order which had been issued by the Emperor Claudius for all Jews to leave Rome. Paul paid them a visit,

But, when Silas and Timothy had come down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself entirely to delivering the Message, earnestly maintaining before the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.