And once when he was eating with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. "Of this," he said, "you have heard from me.

When he had said this, and while they were looking at him, he was lifted up, and a cloud received him up out of their sight.

and they said: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into the sky will come back in just the same way as you have seen him going into the sky."

It was during these days that Peter stood up among the brothers??he whole number of persons present was about one hundred and twenty??nd said:

But others were saying with jeer, "These men are full of sweet wine."

"Because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that of the fruit of his loins he would set one on his throne,

For David did not ascend into heaven; but he himself said, "The Lord said to my Lord Sit thou on my right hand

When they heard these words they were stung to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles. "Men and brothers, what shall we do?"

Peter fixed his eyes upon him, as did John, and said, "Look at us."

So he waited, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said:

and recognized that this was the man who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, they were filled with awe and amazement at what had happened to him.

When he saw this, Peter said to the people. "Men of Israel, why are you wondering at this? Why do you stare at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made this man to walk?

"Moses, for example, said: "The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet for you from among your brothers, as he raised up me; you must listen to whatever he may tell you;

"You are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, "And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

"What," said they, "shall we do with these men? For it is well known throughout Jerusalem that a notable miracle has been performed by them, and we cannot deny it.

But Peter and John said in reply. "Do you decide whether in the sight of God it is right to obey you rather than God;

As soon as the apostles were released, they went to their friends, and told what the high priests and elders had said.

"The kings of the earth set themselves in array, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against his Christ.

"Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan so filled your heart that you are lying to the Holy Spirit, and keeping back part of the price of the land?

and Peter said to her, "Tell me if you got so much for the land." "Yes," she said, "so much."

"Why was it," said Peter, "that you both agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Lo, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they shall carry you out."

He said to them, "Go take your stand in the Temple, and continue to tell the people all the words of this Life."

But Peter and the apostles said in reply.

but Gamaliel, a Pharisee, a teacher of the law, and held in honor by all the people, rose from his seat, and ordered the apostles to be put outside for a little while.

He said: "Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men.

Then the Twelve called the general body of the disciples together, and said to them. "It is not fitting for us to leave off preaching the Word of God, and minister at tables.

They also set up false witnesses who testified. "This fellow is continually talking against the Holy Place and against the law.

And the high priest said, "Are these things so?"

and said to him, "Leave your country and your kindred, and come to whatever land I will show you.

"What God said was this. "'His offspring will sojourn in a foreign land where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.

"'And the nation, whichever it is, that enslaves them I will judge, said God, 'and after ward they shall come out, and they shall worship me in this place.

"Next day he came upon two of them fighting, and tried to make peace between them. "'Sirs,' he said, 'you are brothers. Why are you wronging each other?'

"When Moses saw it he was astonished at the sight. But when he drew near to look, the voice of the Lord said,

"And the Lord said: "Take off your sandals, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.

"This Moses whom they refused when they said, Who made you to be a ruler and a judge? that same Moses we find God sending as a ruler and a redeemer by the hand in the bush.

"It was this Moses who said to the Children of Israel, "God will raise up a Prophet for you from among your brothers, as he did me.

"Said they to Aaron. "Make Gods for us who shall march in front of us! As for this Moses who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has happened to him.

"Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands; as said the prophet.

"Look, I see heaven open," he said, "And the Son of man standing at the right hand of God."

The crowd with one accord were giving heed to what he said, when they heard and saw the signs that he did.

But Peter said to him. "Your money perish with you, because you have supposed that with money you can obtain God's free gift!"

"You have no part or lot in this matter." Your heart is not right in the sight of God.

And Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, both of you, that nothing which you have said may happen to me."

Was now on his way home, and was reading the Prophet Isaiah as he sat in his chariot.

And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join that chariot."

So Philip ran up, and heard him reading Isaiah the Prophet, and said to him. "Do you understand what you are reading?"

The eunuch answered, "Why, how can I unless someone shall show me the way?" And he begged Philip to get up and sit with him.

And as they were going on their way they came to a certain water, and the eunuch said: "See, here is water! What hinders my being baptized?"

And Philip said, "If you believe with your whole heart, you may." The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

He fell to the ground, and heard a voice which said to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"

And he said, "Who are you Lord?"

"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he said: "Stand up and go into the city, and there you shall be told what you must do."

And the Lord said to him. "Arise, go into the street named 'Straight,' and make inquiries in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus, one Saul.

He is now praying, and has seen a man named Ananias enter and lay his hands on him to restore his sight."

"But, Lord," said Ananias, "I have heard from many about that man, and how much evil he did to the saints at Jerusalem!

And so Ananias went and entered into the house, and laying his hands on him, said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared to you on your journey, has sent me that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Instantly something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.

Peter said to him. "Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you! Rise and make your own bed!"

But Peter put them all out, and kneeled down, and prayed; and then turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, rise!" She opened her eyes, and on seeing Peter she sat up.

He stared at him in terror, and said, "What is it, Lord?" "Your prayers and your alms have risen for a memorial before God," answered the angel;

So the Spirit said to Peter, who was still pondering over the vision.

So Peter went down to the men and said: "I am the man you are looking for. What is the reason of your coming?"

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

To them he said: "You know, yourselves, that it is illegal for a Jew to associate with or to visit one of another nation; but God has taught me that I should not call any man common or unclean. For this reason, when sent for, I came without demur.

and said: "'Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

"So I sent for you without delay, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to listen to what the Lord has commanded you to speak."

Then Peter said, "Can any one refuse water for the baptism of these men who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?"

"'Not so, my Lord' said I, 'for nothing common or unclean has ever gone into my mouth.'

"This was said three times, and then everything was drawn up again into the sky.

"And," said Peter, "as soon as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as he fell upon us at the beginning.

suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him saying, "Rise up quickly." At once the chains dropped from his hands.

"Gird yourself," said the angel, "and put on your sandals." He did so. Then he said unto him, "Throw your cloak about you, and follow me."

Peter, coming to himself, said, "Now I know for a certainty that the Lord has sent his angel and released me from the hand of Herod, and from all that the Jewish people were anticipating."

"You are mad," they said. But she confidently insisted that it was so. "It is his angel," they said.

He motioned to them to keep quiet, and told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell all this to James," he said, "and to the brothers," and away he went to another place.

So on the appointed day, Herod put on his royal robes, and after taking his seat upon the throne, began to harangue them.

And as they were worshiping the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

So Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily at him, and said:

From Paphos Paul and his party set sail for Perga in Pamphylia; but John Mark left them and went back to Jerusalem.

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

And, after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the wardens of the synagogue sent word to them. "Brothers," they said, "if you have any word of encouragement to the people, say it."

So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, said: "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.

After deposing him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also bore witness, when he said, "I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, and who will obey all my will.

"And as to his having raised him from among the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has said this, "I will give thee the holy and sure blessings of David.

So Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly. "It was necessary," they said, "first to proclaim the word of God to you. But since you push it away from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

"For such is God's command to us, saying, "I have set thee for a light to the Gentiles, That thou shouldest be for salvation to the uttermost part of the earth."

Now at Lystra there used to sit a certain man, lame in his feet, a cripple from birth, who had never walked.

said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet!"

Everywhere they strengthened the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to hold to the faith. "It is through many tribulations," they said, "that we must enter into the kingdom of God."

So the church saw them off on their journey, and they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria. Here they set forth the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.

But certain men who had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees, but were now believers, stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise Gentile, and to order them to keep the Law of Moses."

and after there had been a long discussion, Peter rose and said: "Brothers, you know how a good while ago God made choice among you, that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the message of the gospel and believe.

When they had finished speaking, James said:

"After these things I will return, And I will rebuild David's fallen tent; And I will build again its ruins, And I will set it up;

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let is go back and visit the brothers in every city in which we have proclaimed the word of the Lord. Let us see how they fare."

while Paul chose Silas, and set forth commended by the brothers to the grace of God.

So we set sail from Troas and ran a straight course to Samothrace. The next day we arrived in Neapolis,

On the Sabbath Day we went outside the city gate, to a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and talked to the women who had gathered there.

Among them was a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, who belonged to the town of Thyatira. She, since she was a worshiper of God, listened to us, and the Lord opened her heart to attend to what Paul said.

When she was baptized, and her household, she urged us, saying, "If in your judgment I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she compelled us to come.