So those who were present asked him, "Master, is this the time when you are going to re-establish the kingdom for Israel?"

They were perfectly amazed and said in their astonishment, "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?

These men are not drunk as you suppose, for it is only nine in the morning.

He is Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and to whose resurrection we are all witnesses.

When Peter saw this, he said to the people. "Men of Israel, why are you so surprised at this? Why do you stare so at us, as though it were some power or some piety of ours that had made him able to walk?

You are the descendants of the prophets and the heirs of the agreement that God made with your forefathers when he said to Abraham, 'Through your posterity all the families of the earth will be blessed.'

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,

They said, "What are we to do with these men? For it is plain to everyone in Jerusalem that an extraordinary wonder has been done by them. We cannot deny that.

when you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done by the power of your holy servant Jesus."

Peter said to her, "How could you two agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? There at the door are the footsteps of the men who buried your husband, and they will carry you out also."

Someone came over and reported to them, "The men that you put in jail are standing right here in the Temple, teaching the people!"

We and the holy Spirit which God has given to those who obey him are witnesses to these things."

You, brothers, must pick out from your number seven men of good standing, who are wise and full of the Spirit, and we will put them in charge of this matter,

The next day, he came across two of them fighting and tried to pacify them. He said to them, 'You are brothers. Why should you injure each other?'

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

You stubborn people, with heathen hearts and ears, you are always opposing the holy Spirit, just as your forefathers did!

For I see that you are a bitter poison and a bundle of iniquity!"

Philip ran up and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and he said to him, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

"Who are you, sir?" he asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," said the voice.

As Peter was pondering over his vision, the Spirit said to him, "There are two men looking for you.

Then Peter went down to see the men, and said to them, "I am the man you are asking for. What is the reason for your coming?"

So I sent for you immediately, and you have very kindly come. Now we are all here in God's presence, to hear everything that the Lord has instructed you to say."

We are witnesses of everything that he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. Yet they put him upon a cross and killed him.

But they said to her, "You are crazy!" But she insisted that it was so. Then they said, "Then it is his guardian angel!"

For the people of Jerusalem and their leaders refused to recognize him, and condemned him, thus fulfilling the very utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath,

and for many days he appeared to those who had come up to Jerusalem with him from Galilee, and they are now witnesses for him to the people.

that God has fulfilled to us, their children, the promise that he made to our forefathers, by raising Jesus to life, just as the Scripture says in the second psalm, You are my Son! Today I have become your Father!'

For these are the orders the Lord has given us: " 'I have made you a light for the heathen, To be the means of salvation to the very ends of the earth!' "

and shouting, "Friends, why are you doing this? We are only human beings like you, and we bring you the good news that you should turn from these follies to a living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that they contain.

Why, we believe that it is by the mercy of the Lord Jesus that we are saved just as they are."

So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the heathen who are called by my name, Says the Lord,

In my opinion, therefore, we ought not to put obstacles in the way of those of the heathen who are turning to God,

They were the bearers of this letter: "The apostles and the brothers who are elders send greeting to the brothers of heathen birth in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia.

Some time after, Paul said to Barnabas, "Come, let us go back and revisit the brothers in each of the towns where we made the Lord's message known, to see how they are doing."

When she and her household were baptized, she appealed to us, and said, "If you are really convinced that I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she insisted upon our coming.

This girl would follow Paul and the rest of us, crying out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, and they are making known to you a way of salvation."

and brought them before the chief magistrates. "These men," they said, "are Jews, and they are making a great disturbance in our town.

They are advocating practices which it is against the law for us as Romans to adopt or observe."

But Paul shouted out, "Do not do yourself any harm! We are all here!"

The jailer reported this message to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent orders that you are to be released. So you can take your leave and go unmolested."

But Paul said to them, "They had us beaten in public without giving us a trial, and put us in jail, although we are Roman citizens! And now are they going to dismiss us secretly? By no means! Have them come here themselves and take us out!"

Then Paul stood up in the middle of the council and said, "Men of Athens, from every point of view I see that you are extremely religious.

For it is through union with him that we live and move and exist, as some of your poets have said, " 'For we are also his offspring.'

So if we are God's children we ought not to imagine that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, wrought by human art and thought.

"This fellow," they said, "is trying to induce people to worship God in ways that are against the law."

But the evil spirit answered, "I know Jesus, and I know of Paul, but who are you?"

and you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but almost all over Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and drawn away numbers of people, telling them that gods made by human hands are not gods at all.

So as these facts are undeniable, you must be calm, and not do anything reckless.

If Demetrius and his fellow-craftsmen have a charge to bring against anyone, there are the courts and the governors; let them take legal action.

For we are in danger of being charged with rioting in connection with today's events, though there is really nothing about this commotion that we will not be able to explain."

except that in every town I visit, the holy Spirit warns me that imprisonment and persecution are awaiting me.

I showed you in every way that by hard work like that we must help those who are weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, for he said, 'It makes one happier to give than to be given to.' "

They praised God when they heard it, and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousand believers there are among the Jews, all of them zealous upholders of the Law.

So do what we tell you. We have four men here who are under a vow.

"Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago raised the four thousand cut-throats and led them out into the desert?"

"I am a Jew, and I was born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but was brought up here in this city, and thoroughly educated under the teaching of Gamaliel in the Law of our forefathers. I was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.

I answered, 'Who are you, sir?' 'I am Jesus of Nazareth,' he said, 'whom you are persecuting.'

Then I said, 'What am I to do, sir?' The Lord said to me, 'Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told of all you are destined to do.'

Then the colonel came to Paul and said, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.

For the Sadducees hold that there is no resurrection and that there are no angels or spirits, while the Pharisees believe in all three.

But do not let them persuade you, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, and they have taken an oath not to eat or drink till they have killed him. They are all ready now, and are only waiting to get your promise."

Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present, you see here the man about whom the whole Jewish people have applied to me both at Jerusalem and here, clamoring that he ought not to live any longer.

Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are at liberty to speak in your own defense." So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense.

especially because you are so familiar with all the Jewish customs and questions. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me with patience.

for they have known from the first, if they are willing to give evidence, that I was a Pharisee and my life was that of the strictest sect of our religion.

'Who are you, sir?' said I. The Lord said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan's control to God, so that they may have their sins forgiven and have a place among those who are consecrated through faith in me.'

As he said this in his defense, Festus called out, "You are raving, Paul! Your great learning is driving you mad!"

"You are in a hurry to persuade me and make a Christian of me!" Agrippa said to Paul.

and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul! You must stand before the emperor, and see! God has given you the lives of all the people who are on the ship with you.'

But we are to be stranded on some island."