Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?"

He said to them, "It isn't for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.

When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.

While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,

When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.

When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.

They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Behold, aren't all these who speak Galileans?

How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?

Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!"

They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, "What does this mean?"

Others, mocking, said, "They are filled with new wine."

'It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.

because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.

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

This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.

until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

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

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.

Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

All who believed were together, and had all things in common.

praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

They recognized him, that it was he who used to sit begging for gifts for the needy at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, "You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.

and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, to which we are witnesses.

"Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

"Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,

For Moses indeed said to the fathers, 'The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.

You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'In your seed will all the families of the earth be blessed.'

God, having raised up his servant, Jesus, sent him to you first, to bless you, in turning away everyone of you from your wickedness."

It happened in the morning, that their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem.

Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest.

When they had stood them in the middle of them, they inquired, "By what power, or in what name, have you done this?"

if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.

When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, "O Lord, you are God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;

who by the mouth of your servant, David, said, 'Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?

"For truly, in this city against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together

to do whatever your hand and your council foreordained to happen.

Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,

while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus."

When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

While you kept it, didn't it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn't it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven't lied to men, but to God."

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

By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

Multitudes also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people, and those who were tormented by unclean spirits: and they were all healed.

But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,

When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.

One came and told them, "Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people."

Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.

saying, "Didn't we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood on us."

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.

We are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and determined to kill them.

He said to them, "You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.

For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing.

After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

Now I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown.

They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus' name.

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.

The word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

But some of those who were of the synagogue called "The Libertines," and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen.

The high priest said, "Are these things so?"

He said, "Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,

and said to him, 'Get out of your land, and from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.'

Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and lived in Haran. From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land, where you are now living.

Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.

But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time.

Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, himself and our fathers,

and they were brought back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem.

The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn't stay alive.

"The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, 'Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?'

Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

"When forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.

'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' Moses trembled, and dared not look.

The Lord said to him, 'Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.

This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, 'The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.'

This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living oracles to give to us,

to whom our fathers wouldn't be obedient, but rejected him, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,

You took up the tabernacle of Moloch, the star of your god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship. I will carry you away beyond Babylon.'

"Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen;

which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered into the possession of the nations, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, to the days of David,

'heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?' says the Lord; 'or what is the place of my rest?

"You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.

Which of the prophets didn't your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.

Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word.