And after he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

And as they were gazing intently into the sky while he was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.

They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched him go into heaven."

And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

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

For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day;

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know

and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as anyone had need.

and they recognized him as the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

And when Peter saw this he addressed the people, "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?

And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,

if we are being examined today for a good deed done to a cripple, as to how this man has been healed,

and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, so that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen.

But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even though he had no child, he promised that he would give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him.

"But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt

and when he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

On the following day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong each other?'

Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'

When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord:

saying to Aaron, 'Make for us gods who will go before us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egyptwe do not know what has happened to him.'

But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'Did you offer to me slain beasts and sacrifices, forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

"Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.

However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

"You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. You are doing just as your fathers did.

you who received the law as delivered by angels, and yet did not keep it."

And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth.

And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?"

But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

Now as Peter went through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort,

And he stared at him in terror, and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, appeared at the gate.

They called out, asking whether Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

As he talked with him, he went in and found many people assembled.

So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. I ask then why you sent for me."

Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.'

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

"Can anyone refuse the water for these people to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.

So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could oppose God?"

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.

Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.

When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John as their helper.

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus,

When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years.

From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.

And as John was completing his course, he said, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'

he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you.'

As for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to decay, he spoke in this way: 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.'

As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people begged that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath.

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord; and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he also did to us;

But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are."

All the assembly kept silent; and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,

As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions which had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.

It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination. She brought her owners much profit by fortune-telling.

And Paul went in, as was his custom, and for three weeks he reasoned with them from the scriptures,

And some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas; as did a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

Then the brethren immediately sent Paul out to go as far as the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there.

Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left.

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.

For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.'What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything.

'For in him we live and move and have our being,' as even some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence."

As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it."

There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting in the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep. And as Paul talked on and on, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third story and was picked up dead.

But I do not consider my life of any account nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote to them our decision that they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication."

Some in the crowd shouted one thing, and some another; and as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.

As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?

"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.

as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.

"As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.

And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,

The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome."

You therefore, along with the council, give notice now to the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near."

And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Council, as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly about him.

Then he called two of the centurions and said, "At the third hour of the night get ready two hundred soldiers with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea.

As I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia

But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you."

as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.

But Paul said, "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know.

While they were spending many days there, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, "There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix;

When the accusers stood up, they did not charge him of such crimes as I had expected,

But I found that he had done nothing deserving of death; and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to send him.

They have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.

the promise to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God night and day. And for this hope, O King, I am being accused by Jews.