after he had given the apostles he had chosen, the orders they were to execute by the holy spirit.

to whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, of which they had many proofs, during the forty days he appear'd to them, and inform'd them about the reign of the Messias:

And when they were all together, with him, he gave them orders not to go away from Jerusalem, but to keep there, waiting till the word of the Father was put into effect, of which, he said, I have given you knowledge:

They, therefore, indeed, having come together, were questioning him, saying, 'Lord, dost thou at this time restore the reign to Israel?'

And these things having said -- they beholding -- he was taken up, and a cloud did receive him up from their sight;

While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, two men in white robes stood right beside them.

They asked, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go up into heaven."

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.

When they came into the city, these men went to the upstairs room where they had been staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

And they all with one mind gave themselves up to prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language they called that field Hakeldama, that is, "Field of Blood.")

So they nominated two men Joseph called Barsabbas, who also was called Justus, and Matthias.

Then they prayed, "Lord, you know the hearts of all people. Show us which one of these two men you have chosen

So they drew lots for them, and when the lot fell on Matthias, he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.

And in the day of the Pentecost being fulfilled, they were all with one accord at the same place,

Suddenly, a sound like the roar of a mighty windstorm came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

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

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

and the rumour of this having come, the multitude came together, and was confounded, because they were each one hearing them speaking in his proper dialect,

Stunned and amazed, they asked, "All of these people who are speaking are Galileans, aren't they?

Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and they who inhabit Mesopotamia, and Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia,

Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God.

All of them continued to be stunned and puzzled, and they kept asking one another, "What can this mean?"

But others kept saying in derision, "They're drunk on sweet wine!"

In those days I will even pour out my Spirit on my slaves, men and women alike, and they will prophesy.

Till I put your enemies as a footstool under they feet."'

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?"

They therefore that received his word with readiness were baptized: and in that same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

and they were continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles, and the fellowship, and the breaking of the bread, and the prayers.

And all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole].

They made it their practice to sell their possessions and goods and to distribute the proceeds to anyone who was in need.

United in purpose, they went to the Temple every day, ate at each other's homes, and shared their food with glad and humble hearts.

They were praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved.

and a certain man, being lame from the womb of his mother, was being carried, whom they were laying every day at the gate of the temple, called Beautiful, to ask a kindness from those entering into the temple,

Which same, when he saw Peter and John, that they would into the temple, desired to receive an alms;

He looked at them, supposing that they were going to give him something.

and recognized him as the very man who used to sit at The Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg, they were completely astounded and bewildered at what occurred to him.

While he was holding on to Peter and John, all the people came running to them in what was called "Solomon's Colonnade". They were dumbfounded.

Yea and all the prophets from Samuel and them that followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days.

While they were talking to the people, the high priests, the military commander of the temple, and the Sadducees came down upon them,

Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

So they arrested them and put them into prison until next morning, for it was already evening.

But a number of those who gave hearing to the word had faith; and they were now about five thousand.

[They were]: Annas, the head priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the head priest's family [members].

They had the men stand before them and repeatedly inquired of them, "By what sort of power and authority have you done this?"

They were surprised to see the courage shown by Peter and John and to find that they were uneducated men, and especially untrained in the schools, but they recognized the fact that they had been companions of Jesus,

and since they saw the man who had been cured standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.

But they ordered the prisoners to step outside the council, and they conferred together

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.

But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

So they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all about the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John having replied to them, they said, Whether it is right in the sight of God to hearken to you rather than God, judge ye.

So, after further threatening them, they turned them loose, because they could not find any way to punish them, on account of the people, because they all continued to praise God for what had taken place,

When they were turned loose, the apostles went back to their companions and told them what the high priests and elders had said to them.

When they heard this, with one united prayer to God they said: "O Lord, you are the Maker of heaven, earth, and sea, and everything that is in them, and the One

"For in this city they actually met against your holy Servant Jesus, whom you had consecrated -- Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the heathen and the peoples of Israel,

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

When they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and continued courageously to speak God's message.

Now there was but one heart and soul in the vast number of those who had become believers, and not one of them claimed that anything that he had was his own, but they shared everything that they had as common property.

Great was the power by which the apostles attested the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and they were all greatly favoured by the people.

There was not a needy person among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them, and bringing the proceeds of the sales

And laying them at the feet of the Apostles, while on the other hand they were distributing unto each one, in so far as any one had, need.

and having risen, the younger men wound him up, and having carried forth, they buried him.

Peter said to her, "How could both of you agree in such a way to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door; they will carry you out, too."

She instantly fell dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

Many signs and wonders were continuously performed by the apostles among the people. And by common consent they all used to meet in Solomon's portico.

And, the more, were being added, when they believed in the Lord, throngs both of men and women; -

so that they kept bringing out into the streets their sick ones and putting them on little couches or pallets, that at least the shadow of Peter, as he went by, might fall on some of them.

Even from the towns around Jerusalem crowds continued coming in to bring their sick ones and those troubled with foul spirits, and they were all cured.

Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,

they had the apostles arrested and put into the common jail.

"Go, stand in the Temple, and keep on telling the people the whole message about this life they can have."

So they obeyed, and about the break of day they went into the temple square and began to teach. The high priest and his party arrived and called a meeting of the council and the whole senate of the sons of Israel, and sent to the prison to have the men brought in.

But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,

Saying, The doors of the prison were safely shut, and the keepers were at the doors, but when they were open, there was nobody inside.

When the military commander of the temple square and the high priest heard this, they were utterly at a loss to know how this might turn out.

And some one came and told them that the very men whom they had put in prison were standing in the Temple, and teaching to the people.

Then the military commander went with his attendants and brought them back, but without any violence, for they were afraid of being pelted with stones by the people.

So they brought them and had them stand before the council. And the high priest asked them,

And Peter and the apostles having answered, they said, We must obey God rather than men.

When they heard this, they were furious, and wanted to kill them.

But a Pharisee of the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, held in honour by all the people, rose from his seat and requested that they should be sent outside the court for a few minutes.

Before these days rose up one Theudas boasting himself, to whom resorted a number of men, about a four hundred, which was slain, and they all which believed him were scattered abroad, and brought to nought.

And, in this present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these men, but to let them alone, for, if their designs and their work are merely of human origin, they will come to an end;

But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them, lest you even be found fighting against God." So they were persuaded by him.

They were convinced by him, and after calling the apostles in and having them flogged, they charged them to stop speaking on the authority of Jesus, and then turned them loose.

And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

and not for a single day did they stop teaching in the temple square and in private houses the good news of Jesus the Christ.

And the twelve, having summoned the multitude of the disciples, they said, It is not right for us, having left the word of God behind, to serve tables.

This suggestion was approved by the whole body, and so they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Procorus, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, who was a convert to Judaism.

They presented these men to the apostles, and after they had prayed, they laid their hands upon them.

Then there arose some who be longed to the synagogue called the synagogue of the Freedmen, and some of the Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and of those who were from Cilicia and Asia, and they disputed with Stephen.

And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

So they instigated men to say, "We have heard him speaking abusive words against Moses and God."

By this means they excited the people, the elders, and the scribes, and so they rushed upon him, seized him, and brought him before the council.

Then they put up false witnesses who said, "This man never stops saying things against this holy place and against the law,

And, looking steadfastly at him, all they who were sitting in the high-council, saw his face, as if the face of a messenger;

And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

But God further promised: 'I will pass sentence on the nation that enslaves them, and after that they will leave that country and worship me on this very spot.'

The patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt. But God was with him,