And while in their company He charged them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father's promised gift. "This you have heard of," He said, "from me.

For John indeed baptized with water, but before many days have passed you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

But, while they stood intently gazing into the sky as He went, suddenly there were two men in white garments standing by them,

(Now having bought a piece of ground with the money paid for his wickedness he fell there with his face downwards, and, his body bursting open, he became disembowelled.

But others, scornfully jeering, said, "They are brim-full of sweet wine."

Peter however, together with the Eleven, stood up and addressed them in a loud voice. "Men of Judaea, and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem," he said, "be in no uncertainty about this matter but pay attention to what I say.

But that which was predicted through the Prophet Joel has happened:

delivered up through God's settled purpose and foreknowledge--you by the hands of Gentiles have nailed to a cross and have put to death.

But God has raised Him to life, having terminated the throes of death, for in fact it was not possible for Him to be held fast by death.

For David did not ascend into Heaven, but he says himself, "'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand

"I have no silver or gold," Peter said, "but what I have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene-- walk!"

The Prince of Life you put to death; but God has raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses as to that.

But in this way God has fulfilled the declarations He made through all the Prophets, that His Christ would suffer.

But many of those who had listened to their preaching believed; and the number of the adult men had now grown to be about 5,000.

be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that through the name of Jesus the Anointed, the Nazarene, whom *you* crucified, but whom *God* has raised from among the dead-- through that name this man stands here before you in perfect health.

This Jesus is the Stone treated with contempt by you the builders, but it has been made the Cornerstone.

But to prevent the matter spreading any further among the people, let us stop them by threats from speaking in the future in this name to any one whatever."

But Peter and John replied, "Judge whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you instead of listening to God.

Among all those who had embraced the faith there was but one heart and soul, so that none of them claimed any of his possessions as his own, but everything they had was common property;

There was a man of the name of Ananias who, with his wife Sapphira, sold some property but,

"Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan taken possession of your heart, that you should try to deceive the Holy Spirit and dishonestly keep back part of the price paid you for this land?

While it remained unsold, was not the land your own? And when sold, was it not at your own disposal? How is it that you have cherished this design in your heart? It is not to men you have told this lie, but to God."

But none of the others dared to attach themselves to them. Yet the people held them in high honour--

and laid hands upon the Apostles, and put them into the public jail.

But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,

But the officers went and could not find them in the prison. So they came back and brought word,

saying, "The jail we found quite safely locked, and the warders were on guard at the doors, but upon going in we found no one there."

And some one came and brought them word, saying, "The men you put in prison are actually in the Temple, standing there, teaching the people."

Upon this the Commander went with the officers, and brought the Apostles; but without using violence; for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

The God of our forefathers has raised Jesus to life, whom you crucified and put to death.

But a Pharisee of the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, held in honour by all the people, rose from his seat and requested that they should be sent outside the court for a few minutes.

But if it is really from God, you will be powerless to put them down--lest perhaps you find yourselves to be actually fighting against God."

But they did not desist from teaching every day, in the Temple or in private houses, and telling the Good News about Jesus, the Christ.

But, as for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the delivery of the Message."

But some members of the so-called 'Synagogue of the Freed-men,' together with some Cyrenaeans, Alexandrians, Cilicians and men from Roman Asia, were roused to encounter Stephen in debate.

Then they privately put forward men who declared, "We have heard him speak blasphemous things against Moses and against God."

But he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not a single square yard of ground. And yet He promised to bestow the land as a permanent possession on him and his posterity after him--and promised this at a time when Abraham was childless.

"The Patriarchs were jealous of Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt. But God was with him

But there came a famine throughout the whole of Egypt and Canaan--and great distress--so that our forefathers could find no food.

and they were taken to Shechem and were laid in the tomb which Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a sum of money paid in silver.

"But as the time drew near for the fulfilment of the promise which God had made to Abraham, the people became many times more numerous in Egypt,

At length he was cast out, but Pharaoh's daughter adopted him, and brought him up as her own son.

"But the man who was doing the wrong resented his interference, and asked, "'Who appointed you magistrate and judge over us?

"But at the end of forty years there appeared to him in the Desert of Mount Sinai an angel in the middle of a flame of fire in a bush.

When Moses saw this he wondered at the sight; but on his going up to look further, the voice of the Lord was heard, saying,

"Our forefathers, however, would not submit to him, but spurned his authority and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.

Yet the Most High does not dwell in buildings erected by men's hands. But, as the Prophet declares,

But, full of the Holy Spirit and looking up to Heaven, Stephen saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand.

But Saul cruelly harassed the Church. He went into house after house, and, dragging off both men and women, threw them into prison.

To him people of all classes paid attention, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the great Power."

But when Philip began to tell the Good News about the Kingdom of God and about the Name of Jesus Christ, and they embraced the faith, they were baptized, men and women alike.

But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again. With a glad heart he resumed his journey;

but Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town he everywhere made known the Good News until he reached Caesarea.

But on the journey, as he was getting near Damascus, suddenly there flashed round him a light from Heaven;

"But rise and go to the city, and you will be told what you are to do.

Meanwhile the men who travelled with Saul were standing dumb with amazement, hearing a sound, but seeing no one.

Then he rose from the ground, but when he had opened his eyes, he could not see, and they led him by the arm and brought him to Damascus.

but information of their intention was given to him. They even watched the gates, day and night, in order to murder him;

but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a hamper.

So he came to Jerusalem and made several attempts to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, being in doubt as to whether he himself was a disciple.

But they kept trying to take his life. On learning this, the brethren brought him down to Caesarea, and then sent him by sea to Tarsus.

There he found a man of the name of Aeneas, who for eight years had kept his bed, through being paralysed.

Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you. Rise and make your own bed." He at once rose to his feet.

But, as it happened, just at that time she was taken ill and died. After washing her body they laid it out in a room upstairs.

He had become unusually hungry and wished for food; but, while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance.

But Peter lifted him up. "Stand up," he said; "I myself also am but a man."

He said to them, "You know better than most that a Jew is strictly forbidden to associate with a Gentile or visit him; but God has taught me to call no one unholy or unclean.

who said, "'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been put on record before God.

but that in every nation those who fear Him and live good lives are acceptable to Him.

The Message which He sent to the descendants of Israel, when He announced the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--that Message you cannot but know;

"And we are witnesses as to all that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. But they even put Him to death, by crucifixion.

not to all the people, but to witnesses--men previously chosen by God--namely, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.

"But a voice answered, speaking a second time from the sky, "'What God has purified, you must not regard as unholy.'

Then I remembered the Lord's words, how He used to say, "'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.'

Those, however, who had been driven in various directions by the persecution which broke out on account of Stephen made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, delivering the Message to none but Jews.

But some of them were Cyprians and Cyrenaeans, who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks also and told them the Good News concerning the Lord Jesus.

Then Barnabas paid a visit to Tarsus to try to find Saul.

So Peter was kept in prison; but long and fervent prayer was offered to God by the Church on his behalf.

So Peter went out, following him, yet could not believe that what the angel was doing was real, but supposed that he saw a vision.

and recognizing Peter's voice, for very joy she did not open the door, but ran in and told them that Peter was standing there.

"You are mad," they said. But she strenuously maintained that it was true. "It is his guardian angel," they said.

But he motioned with his hand for silence, and then described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. "Tell all this to James and the brethren," he added. Then he left them, and went to another place.

But God's Message prospered, and converts were multiplied.

But Elymas (or 'the Magician,' for such is the meaning of the name)

From Paphos, Paul and his party put out to sea and sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem.

But they themselves, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch in Pisidia. Here, on the Sabbath day, they went into the synagogue and sat down.

But John, towards the end of his career, repeatedly asked the people, "'What do you suppose me to be? I am not the Christ. But there is One coming after me whose sandal I am not worthy to unfasten.'

Without having found Him guilty of any capital offence they urged Pilate to have Him put to death;

"But God raised Him from the dead.

But He whom God raised to life underwent no decay.

Then, throwing off all reserve, Paul and Barnabas said, "We were bound to proclaim God's Message to you first. But since you spurn it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of the Life of the Ages--well, we turn to the Gentiles.

But the Jews influenced the gentlewomen of rank who worshipped with them, and also the leading men in the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of the district.

But they shook off the dust from their feet as a protest against them and came to Iconium;

But the Jews who had refused obedience stirred up the Gentiles and embittered their minds against the brethren.

But the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it; and tearing their clothes they rushed out into the middle of the crowd, exclaiming, "Sirs, why are you doing all this?

We also are but men, with natures kindred to your own; and we bring you the Good News that you are to turn from these unreal things, to worship the ever-living God, the Creator of earth and sky and sea and of everything that is in them.

But now a party of Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and, having won over the crowd, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, believing him to be dead.

But certain persons who had come down from Judaea tried to convince the brethren, saying, "Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved."

But certain men who had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees but were now believers, stood up in the assembly, and said, "Yes, Gentile believers ought to be circumcised and be ordered to keep the Law of Moses."