So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him, "Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"

As they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly two men in white clothing stood near them

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives (which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away).

for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry."

This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language they called that field Hakeldama, that is, "Field of Blood.")

"For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his house become deserted, and let there be no one to live in it,' and 'Let another take his position of responsibility.'

Thus one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with us,

beginning from his baptism by John until the day he was taken up from us -- one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us."

Then they prayed, "Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.

And how is it that each one of us hears them in our own native language?

Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia,

In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning.

But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel:

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know --

For David says about him, 'I saw the Lord always in front of me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.

"Brothers, I can speak confidently to you about our forefather David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself."

and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need.

Peter looked directly at him (as did John) and said, "Look at us!"

and they recognized him as the man who used to sit and ask for donations at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with astonishment and amazement at what had happened to him.

When Peter saw this, he declared to the people, "Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us as if we had made this man walk by our own power or piety?

And on the basis of faith in Jesus' name, his very name has made this man -- whom you see and know -- strong. The faith that is through Jesus has given him this complete health in the presence of you all.

And now, brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, as your rulers did too.

so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and so that he may send the Messiah appointed for you -- that is, Jesus.

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has become the cornerstone.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved."

saying, "What should we do with these men? For it is plain to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable miraculous sign has come about through them, and we cannot deny it.

But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name."

But Peter and John replied, "Whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God, you decide,

for it is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard."

When they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind and said, "Master of all, you who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them,

to do as much as your power and your plan had decided beforehand would happen.

and placing them at the apostles' feet. The proceeds were distributed to each, as anyone had need.

So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated "son of encouragement"),

Now the high priest rose up, and all those with him (that is, the religious party of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy.

When they heard this, they entered the temple courts at daybreak and began teaching. Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin -- that is, the whole high council of the Israelites -- and sent to the jail to have the apostles brought before them.

Then the commander of the temple guard went with the officers and brought the apostles without the use of force (for they were afraid of being stoned by the people).

saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name. Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood on us!"

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

And we are witnesses of these events, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."

But a Pharisee whose name was Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the council and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time.

but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, or you may even be found fighting against God." He convinced them,

So the twelve called the whole group of the disciples together and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables.

But some men from the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen.

For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us."

He did not give any of it to him for an inheritance, not even a foot of ground, yet God promised to give it to him as his possession, and to his descendants after him, even though Abraham as yet had no child.

But God spoke as follows: 'Your descendants will be foreigners in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years.

But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,' said God, 'and after these things they will come out of there and worship me in this place.'

"But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, the people increased greatly in number in Egypt,

and when he had been abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.

But the man who was unfairly hurting his neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?

But the Lord said to him, 'Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

This same Moses they had rejected, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and judge?' God sent as both ruler and deliverer through the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.'

This is the man who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, and he received living oracles to give to you.

saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods who will go in front of us, for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt -- we do not know what has happened to him!'

But God turned away from them and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'It was not to me that you offered slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, was it, house of Israel?

Our ancestors had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as God who spoke to Moses ordered him to make it according to the design he had seen.

Yet the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands, as the prophet says,

Heaven is my throne, and earth is the footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is my resting place?

Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become!

The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the miraculous signs he was performing.

All the people, from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called 'Great.'"

But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.

You have no share or part in this matter because your heart is not right before God!

So after Peter and John had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many Samaritan villages as they went.

Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.)

and was returning home, sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah.

So Philip ran up to it and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. He asked him, "Do you understand what you're reading?"

Now the passage of scripture the man was reading was this: "He was led like a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Then the eunuch said to Philip, "Please tell me, who is the prophet saying this about -- himself or someone else?"

Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, there is water! What is to stop me from being baptized?"

Philip, however, found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through the area, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

As he was going along, approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

Then the Lord told him, "Get up and go to the street called 'Straight,' and at Judas' house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying,

But the Lord said to him, "Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.

So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "This man is the Son of God."

All who heard him were amazed and were saying, "Is this not the man who in Jerusalem was ravaging those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisoners to the chief priests?"

But Saul became more and more capable, and was causing consternation among the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

Now as Peter was traveling around from place to place, he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda.

Because Lydda was near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Come to us without delay."

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

He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people and prayed to God regularly.

Staring at him and becoming greatly afraid, Cornelius replied, "What is it, Lord?" The angel said to him, "Your prayers and your acts of charity have gone up as a memorial before God.

Now send men to Joppa and summon a man named Simon, who is called Peter.

This man is staying as a guest with a man named Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea."

They called out to ask if Simon, known as Peter, was staying there as a guest.

So Peter invited them in and entertained them as guests. On the next day he got up and set out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.

Peter continued talking with him as he went in, and he found many people gathered together.

He said to them, "You know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile, yet God has shown me that I should call no person defiled or ritually unclean.

Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.'

Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come. So now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to say to us."

but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him.

You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all) --

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

He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.

"No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?"