At that time, Peter got up among the brothers (there were about 120 people present) and said,

This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that this field is called in their language Hakeldama, that is, "The Field of Blood".)

They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated, and one rested on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign languages as the Spirit gave them that ability.

When that sound came, a crowd quickly gathered, startled because each one heard the disciples speaking in his own language.

So how is it that each one of us hears them speaking in his own native language:

"Fellow Israelis, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a man authenticated to you by God through miracles, wonders, and signs that God performed through him among you, as you yourselves know.

since David says about him, "I always keep my eyes on the Lord, for he is at my right hand so that I cannot be shaken.

That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, yes, even my body still rests securely in hope.

"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to this day.

Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him with an oath to put one of his descendants on his throne,

"It was this very Jesus whom God raised and we're all witnesses of that.

"Therefore, let all the people of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!"

When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"

So those who welcomed his message were baptized. That day about 3,000 people were added to their number.

Now a man who had been crippled from birth was being carried in. Every day people would lay him at what was called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from those who were going into the Temple.

When he saw that Peter and John were about to go into the Temple, he asked them to give him something.

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

and you killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses to that.

It is his name that is, by faith in his name that has healed this man whom you see and know. Yes, the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.

"And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance like your leaders.

This is how God fulfilled what he had predicted through the voice of all the prophets that his Messiah would suffer.

so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and so that he may send you Jesus, whom he appointed long ago to be the Messiah.

"The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to everything he tells you. Any person who will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.'

You are the descendants of the prophets and the heirs of the covenant that God made with your ancestors when he told Abraham, "Through your descendant all the families of the earth will be blessed.'

They were greatly disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people and announcing that Jesus had been resurrected from the dead.

you and all the people of Israel must understand that this man stands healthy before you because of the name of Jesus from Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead.

He is "the stone that was rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone.'

Now when the Jewish leaders saw the boldness of Peter and John and found out that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and realized that they had been with Jesus.

They said, "What should we do with these men? For it's obvious to everybody living in Jerusalem that an unmistakable sign has been done by them, and we cannot deny it.

to carry out everything that your hand and will had predetermined to take place.

sold a field that belonged to him, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Peter asked, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you should lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back some of the money you got for the land?

So Peter asked her, "Tell me, did you sell the land for that price?" She answered, "Yes, that was the price."

As a result, people kept carrying their sick into the streets and placing them on stretchers and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he went by.

For in the recent past Theudas appeared, claiming that he was important, and about 400 men joined him. He was killed, and all his followers were dispersed and disappeared.

After that man, at the time of the census, Judas the Galilean appeared and got people to follow him. He, too, died, and all his followers were scattered.

However, if it's from God, you won't be able to stop them, and you may even discover that you are fighting against God!"

Every day in the Temple and from house to house they kept teaching and proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah.

In those days, as the number of the disciples was growing larger and larger, a complaint was made by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.

For we have heard him say that this Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us."

Then everyone who was seated in the Council glared at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors on their first trip.

They were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought at a high price from Hamor's descendants in Shechem.

"Now as the time approached for the fulfillment of the promise that God had made to Abraham, the people's population increased a great deal in Egypt.

By shrewdly scheming against our people, he oppressed our ancestors and forced them to abandon their infants to the elements, so that they wouldn't live.

He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was using him to rescue them, but they didn't understand.

"At that time they even made a calf to be their idol, offered a sacrifice to it, and delighted in what they had made with their hands.

Our ancestors brought it here with Joshua when they replaced the nations that God drove out in front of our ancestors, and it was here until the time of David.

It was my hand that made all these things, wasn't it?'"

Now Saul heartily approved of putting Stephen to death. That day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except for the apostles was scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria.

The crowds, hearing his message and seeing the signs that he was doing, paid close attention to what was said by Philip.

As a result, there was great rejoicing in that city.

Now in that city there was a man named Simon. He was practicing occult arts and thrilling the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.

Even Simon believed, and after he was baptized he became devoted to Philip. He was amazed to see the signs and great miracles that were happening.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaritans had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money

and said, "Give me this power too, so that when I lay my hands on someone, he will receive the Holy Spirit."

So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart's intent may be forgiven you.

For I see that you're being poisoned by bitterness and you're a prisoner of wickedness!"

Simon answered, "Both of you pray to the Lord for me that none of the things you have said will happen to me."

Now an angel of the Lord told Philip, "Get up and go south on the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a deserted road."

The Spirit told Philip, "Approach that chariot and stay near it."

But Philip found himself at Azotus. As he was passing through that region, he kept proclaiming the good news in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

He asked him for letters to take with him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them in chains to Jerusalem.

So Ananias left and went to that house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were traveling, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

But Saul grew more and more persuasive, and continued to confound the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this man was the Messiah.

In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was known for her good actions and acts of charity that she was always doing.

At that time, she got sick and died. After they had washed her, they laid her in an upstairs room.

Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples heard that Peter was there and sent two men to him and begged him, "Come here quickly!"

But Peter said, "Absolutely not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean!"

As Peter talked with him, he went in and found that many people had gathered.

He told them, "You understand how wrong it is for a Jew to associate or visit with unbelievers. But God has shown me that I should stop calling anyone common or unclean,

and that is why I didn't hesitate when I was sent for. Now may I ask why you sent for me?"

Then Peter began to speak: "Now I understand that God shows no partiality.

You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached.

He also ordered us to preach to the people and to testify solemnly that this is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead.

Then the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the gentiles, too,

"No one can stop us from using water to baptize these people who have received the Holy Spirit in the same way that we did, can they?"

Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the gentiles had also accepted the word of God.

"At that very moment three men arrived at the house where we were staying. They had been sent to me from Caesarea.

Now if God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, who was I to try to stop God?"

When they heard this, they calmed down, and praised God by saying, "So God has given repentance that leads to life even to gentiles."

Now the people who were scattered by the persecution that started because of Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.

When he found him, he brought him to Antioch, and for a whole year they were guests of the church and taught many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

At that time some prophets from Jerusalem came down to Antioch.

One of them named Agabus got up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine all over the world. This happened during the reign of Claudius.

About that time, Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church and mistreated them.

That very night, before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, and guards in front of the door were watching the prisoners.

So Peter went out and began to follow him, not realizing that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was seeing a vision.

They passed the first guard, then the second, and came to the iron gate that led into the city. It opened by itself for them, and they went outside and proceeded one block when the angel suddenly left him.

Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I'm sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod and from everything the Jewish people were expecting!"

On recognizing Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed that she didn't open the gate but ran back inside and announced that Peter was standing at the gate.

The other people told her, "You're out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. Then they said, "It's his angel."

But Elymas the occult practitioner (that is the meaning of his name) continued to oppose them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

and said, "You're full of every form of deception and trickery, you son of the Devil, you enemy of all that is right! You'll never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord, will you?

The Lord is against you now, and you'll be blind and unable to see the sun for a while!" At that moment a dark mist came over him, and he went around looking for someone to lead him by the hand.

"After that, he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. When they demanded a king, God gave them Kish's son Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years.

Then God removed Saul and made David their king, about whom he testified, "I have found that David, the son of Jesse, is a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my wishes.'

It was from this man's descendants that God, as he promised, brought to Israel a Savior, who is Jesus.