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."

Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen

You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.'

But Peter said, "I do not have silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also announced these days.

for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."

While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."

Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."

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

Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God."

for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses handed down to us."

I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, and I will send you to Egypt.'

Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,

You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

And Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."

But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints at Jerusalem;

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.

But Peter said, "No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."

But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them myself."

Peter went down to the men and said, "Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason you have come?"

They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to hear what you have to say."

and he said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.

So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord."

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

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it."

And after he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; concerning whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'

Though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.

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.'

For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!"

Now therefore why do you test God by putting upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

Since we have heard that some persons from us have disturbed you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,

men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.

When she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go in peace."

But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, without trial, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now cast us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out."

When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

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

for I am with you, and no man will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city."

And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

Now after these things were finished, Paul purposed in the spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."

These he gathered together, with the workmen of similar trades, and said, "Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.

For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.

If then Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another.

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

And now, behold, I know that all of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will see my face no more.

I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes.

And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed; they are all zealous for the law,

and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to walk according to the customs.

What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.

Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;

take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in observance of the law.

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."

For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

And Paul, looking intently at the council, said, "Brethren, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day."

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."

They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, "We have bound ourselves under a solemn oath to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.

The commander took him by the hand, and going aside asked him privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

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.

But do not yield to them; for more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him, having bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you."

So the commander dismissed the young man, instructing him, "Tell no one that you have informed me of this."

And when Paul was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to Felix: "Since through you we have enjoyed much peace, and since by your provision, reforms are introduced on behalf of this nation,

For we have found this man a pestilent fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

When the governor had motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: "Realizing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense.

And so I do my best always to have a clear conscience before God and men.

who ought to be here before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me.

Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody but have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to his needs.

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

Paul said in his defense, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended at all."

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.

If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of the charges brought against me is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar."

Then when Festus had conferred with his council, he answered, "You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you shall go."

But I have nothing definite about him to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him before you all and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the investigation has taken place, I may have something to write.

Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:

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.

But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness to the things which you have seen of me, and also to the things in which I will appear to you;

To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen:

And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."

When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss.

So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen exactly as I have been told.

As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and without food, having taken nothing.

For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain."

They said to him, "We have not received letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brethren who have come here has reported or spoken anything bad about you.

For this people's heart has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and their eyes they have closed; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them."'