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;

His answer was: "It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;

While they were still gazing up into the heavens, as he went, suddenly two men, clothed in white, stood beside them,

About this time, at a meeting of the Brethren, when there were about a hundred and twenty present, Peter rose to speak.

"Brothers," he said, "it was necessary that the prediction of Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit made by the lips of David about Judas, who acted as guide to the men that arrested Jesus,

"For in the Book of Psalms," Peter continued, "it is said-- 'Let his dwelling become desolate, and let no one live in it'; and also--'His office let another take.'

Therefore, from among the men who have been with us all the time that Jesus, our Master, went in and out among us--

In the course of the Festival at the close of the Harvest the disciples had all met together,

When suddenly there came from the heavens a noise like that of a strong wind rushing by; it filled the whole house in which they were sitting.

Then there appeared tongues of what seemed to be flame, separating, so that one settled on each of them;

They were utterly amazed, and kept asking in astonishment: "What! Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?

Then how is it that we each of us hear them in our own native language?

Either Jews by birth or converts, and some are Cretans and Arabians--yet we all alike hear them speaking in our own tongues of the great things that God has done."

They were all utterly amazed and bewildered. "What does it mean?" they asked one another.

Then Peter, surrounded by the eleven other Apostles, stood up, and, raising his voice, addressed the crowd. "Men of Judea," he began, "and all you who are staying in Jerusalem, let me tell you what this means. Mark well my words.

These men are not drunk, as you suppose; for it is only now nine in the morning! No!

This is what is spoken of in the prophet Joel--

'It shall come about in the last days,' God says, 'That I will pour out my Spirit on all mankind; your sons and your daughters shall become Prophets, your young men shall see visions, and your old men dream dreams;

Yes, even on the slaves--for they are mine--both men and women, I will in those days pour out my Spirit,

Men of Israel, listen to what I am saying. Jesus of Nazareth, a man whose mission from God to you was proved by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God showed among you through him, as you know full well--

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.

Indeed it was to him that David was referring when he said-- 'I have had the Lord ever before my eyes, For he stands at my right hand, that I should not be disquieted.

It was this Jesus, whom God raised to life; and of that we are ourselves all witnesses.

And now that he has been exalted to the right hand of God, and has received from the Father the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, he has begun to pour out that gift, as you yourselves now see and hear.

It was not David who went up into Heaven; for he himself says- -'The Lord said to my master: "Sit on my right hand,

When the people heard this, they were conscience-smitten, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles: "Brothers, what can we do?"

A deep impression was made upon every one, and many wonders and signs were done at the hands of the Apostles.

Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the Temple Courts, and to the Breaking of Bread at their homes, while they partook of their food in simple-hearted gladness, praising God, and winning the good-will of all the people.

This man used to be set down every day at the gate of the Temple called 'the Beautiful Gate,' to beg of those who went in.

Peter fixed his eyes on him, and so did John, and then Peter said: "Look at us."

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."

And, when they recognized him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, they were utterly astonished and amazed at what had happened to him.

On seeing this, Peter said to the people: "Men of Israel, why are you surprised at this? and why do you stare at us, as though we, by any power or piety of our own, had enabled this man to walk?

And it is by faith in the Name of Jesus, that this man, whom you all see and know, has--by his Name--been made strong. Yes, it is the faith inspired by Jesus that has made this complete cure of the man, before the eyes of you all.

And yet, my Brothers, I know that you acted as you did from ignorance, and your rulers also.

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.

And it shall be that should any one among the people not listen to that Prophet, he will be utterly destroyed.'

While Peter and John were still speaking to the people, the Chief Priest, with the Officer in charge at the Temple and the Sadducees, came up to them,

They arrested the Apostles and, as it was already evening, had them placed in custody till the next day.

They had Peter and John brought before them, and questioned them. "By what power," they asked, "Or in whose name have men like you done this thing?"

Since we are on our trial to-day for a kind act done to a helpless man, and are asked in what way the man here before you has been cured,