'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;

He, I say, in accordance with God's definite plan and with his previous knowledge, was betrayed, and you, by the hands of lawless men, nailed him to a cross and put him to death.

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

You, I say, disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for the release of a murderer!

Let me tell you all and all the people of Israel, that it is by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead--it is, I say, by his Name that this man stands here before you lame no longer.

But, when they looked at the man who had been healed, standing there with them, they had nothing to say.

And, upon that, Stephen spoke as follows: "Brothers and Fathers, hear what I have to say. God, who manifests himself in the Glory, appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, and before he settled in Haran, and said to him--

When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the vision; but on his going nearer to look at it more closely, the voice of the Lord was heard to say--

Yet it is not in buildings made by hands that the Most High dwells. As the Prophet says--

'The heavens are a throne for me, and the earth a stool for my feet. What manner of House will you build me, says the Lord, or what place is there where I may rest?

Every one, high and low, paid attention to him. 'This man,' they used to say, 'must be that Power of God which men call "The Great Power."'

The men replied: "Our captain, Cornelius, a pious man who reverences God and is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, has been instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house, and to listen to what you have to say."

Accordingly I sent to you at once, and you have been so good as to come. And now we are all here in the presence of God, to listen to all that you have been instructed by the Lord to say."

To him it is that all the Prophets bear witness, when they say that every one who believes in him receives through his Name forgiveness of sins."

So Paul rose and, motioning with his hand, spoke as follows: "Men of Israel and all here who reverence God, hear what I have to say.

After they had finished speaking, James addressed the Council. "Brothers," he began, "hear what I have to say.

And that is in harmony with the words of the Prophets, where they say--

Says the Lord, as he does these things, foreknown from of old.'

And have been harbored by Jason! They say that some one else is king--a man called Jesus!"

Among others, some Epicurean and Stoic Philosophers joined issue with him. Some would ask "What is this prater wanting to make out?", while others would say "He seems to be a Preacher of foreign Deities." (This was because he was telling the Good News about Jesus and the Resurrection).

On hearing of a resurrection of the dead, some began jeering, but others said that they would hear what he had to say about that another time.

An attempt was made by some itinerant Jews, who were exorcists, to use the Name of the Lord Jesus over those who had wicked spirits in them. "I adjure you," they would say, "by the Jesus, whom Paul preaches."

He came to see us, and, taking Paul's girdle, and binding his own feet and hands with it, said: "This is what the Holy Spirit says--'The man to whom this girdle belongs will be bound like this at Jerusalem by the Jews, and they will give him up to the Gentiles'."

"I did not know, Brothers, that it was the High Priest," said Paul, "for Scripture says--'Of the Ruler of thy People thou shalt speak no ill'."

(For Sadducees say there is no such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in both.)

"I will hear all you have to say as soon as your accusers have arrived." And he ordered Paul to be kept under guard in Herod's Government House.

Or else let my opponents here say what they found wrong in me when I was before the Council,

Some days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was herself a Jewess, and, sending for Paul, listened to what he had to say about faith in Christ Jesus.

'Go to this nation and say--"You will hear with your ears without ever understanding, and, though you have eyes, you will see without ever perceiving."