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:

being with them when they were assembled, he order'd they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for what the father had promis'd, which, said he, I mention'd.

So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”

After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.

While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them.

They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.”

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

When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying:

Peter, John,
James, Andrew,
Philip, Thomas,
Bartholomew, Matthew,
James the son of Alphaeus,
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.

a fact so generally known to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that they called the field in their tongue, Aceldema, that is to say, the field of blood.

So they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.

Then they prayed, “You, Lord, know the hearts of all; show which of these two You have chosen

Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was numbered with the 11 apostles.

When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.

Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as they had been fire, and it sat upon each of them:

Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.

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,

And they were astounded and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?

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.

They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What could this be?”

But some sneered and said, “They’re full of new wine!”

I will even pour out My Spirit
on My male and female slaves in those days,
and they will prophesy.

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

When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?”

then they that embraced his doctrine, were baptized: and there were about three thousand converts made that very day.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.

And all the believers lived together and held all they had as common goods to be shared by one another.

They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need.

Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude,

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 they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple complex. So they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.

As the lame man who was cured, held Peter and John, the people all in surprize ran to Solomon's porch, where they were.

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

Now as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them,

because they were provoked that they were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead, using Jesus as the example.

So they seized them and put them in custody until the next day, since 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].

After they had Peter and John stand before them, they asked the question: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”

When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.

And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in response.

After they had ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves,

They said, "What are we to do with these men? For it is plain to everyone in Jerusalem that an extraordinary wonder has been done by them. We cannot deny that.

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 for them and ordered them not to preach or teach at all in 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.

After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them, because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done;

After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

When they heard this, they all raised their voices to God and said, “Master, You are the One who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.

"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 assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message with boldness.

Now the large group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.

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

For not even any needy was among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses, selling, they brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

which they laid down at the apostles feet: and they distributed it to every man as his occasions required.

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

Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!”

Instantly she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead, carried her out, and buried her beside her husband.

Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. By common consent they would all meet in Solomon’s Colonnade.

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

As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

In addition, a large group came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

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,

So they arrested the apostles and put them in the city jail.

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

In obedience to this, they entered the temple complex at daybreak and began to teach.

When the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full Senate of the sons of Israel—and sent orders to the jail to have them brought.

But when the temple police got there, they did not find them in the jail, so they returned and reported,

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.

As the commander of the temple police and the chief priests heard these things, they were baffled about them, as to what could come of this.

Presently, however, some one came and told them, that the men whom they had put in prison were actually standing in the Temple Courts, teaching the people.

Then the commander went with the temple police and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them.

After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked,

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

When they heard this, they were enraged 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 of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” So they were persuaded by him.

After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.

Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonored on behalf of the Name.

Every day in the temple complex, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

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.

The proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch.

They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on 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.

But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

Then they persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!”

They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, dragged him off, and took him to the Sanhedrin.

They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.

And [as they] looked intently at him, all those who were sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his face [was] like the face of an angel.

God spoke in this way:

His descendants would be strangers
in a foreign country,
and they would enslave
and oppress them 400 years.

I will judge the nation
that they will serve as slaves, God said.
After this, they will come out
and worship Me in this place.

And the patriarchs, [because they] were jealous of Joseph, sold [him] into Egypt. And God was with him,