So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;

And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.

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.”

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

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

For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.”

And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

“For it is written in the book of Psalms,
‘Let his homestead be made desolate,
And let no one dwell in it’;and,‘Let another man take his office.’

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—

beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?

Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;

but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know—

For David says of Him,
‘I saw the Lord always in my presence;
For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.

“Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.

But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!”

and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?

And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

“And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.

It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’

As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,

if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well,

He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.

And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.

saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.”

But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;

And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.

While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.

Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”

But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy.

Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this.

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

He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown;

but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”

And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.

for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.”

But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even when he had no child, He promised that He would give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him.

“But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

And after he had been set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son.

On the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?’

But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?

You do not mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’

When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord:

But the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.

“This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush.

This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren.’

This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.

saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what happened to him.’

But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘It was not to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel?

“Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.

However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

‘Heaven is My throne,
And earth is the footstool of My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,
‘Or what place is there for My repose?

“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;

you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing.

and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.”

Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

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

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)

and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
“He was led as a sheep to slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He does not open His mouth.

“In humiliation His judgment was taken away;
Who will relate His generation?
For His life is removed from the earth.”

As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

[And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”]

And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;

And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?”

But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.

Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.”

And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter;

he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”

On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.