Once when they were with Him, they asked Him, "Master, is this the time at which you are about to restore the kingdom of Israel?"

When He had said this, and while they were looking at Him, He was carried up, and a cloud closing beneath Him hid Him from their sight.

But, while they stood intently gazing into the sky as He went, suddenly there were two men in white garments standing by them,

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Oliveyard, which is near Jerusalem, about a mile off.

They entered the city, and they went up to the upper room which was now their fixed place for meeting. Their names were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James.

Then they drew lots between them. The lot fell on Matthias, and a place among the eleven Apostles was voted to him.

At length, on the day of the Harvest Festival, they had all met in one place;

when suddenly there came from the sky a sound as of a strong rushing blast of wind. This filled the whole house where they were sitting;

and they saw tongues of what looked like fire distributing themselves over the assembly, and on the head of each person a tongue alighted.

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages according as the Spirit gave them words to utter.

So when this noise was heard, they came crowding together, and were amazed because everyone heard his own language spoken.

They were beside themselves with wonder, and exclaimed, "Are not all these speakers Galilaeans?

They were all astounded and bewildered, and asked one another, "What can this mean?"

But others, scornfully jeering, said, "They are brim-full of sweet wine."

and even upon My bondservants, both men and women, at that time, I will pour out My Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

Stung to the heart by these words, they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, "Brethren, what are we to do?"

and they were constant in listening to the teaching of the Apostles and in their attendance at the Communion, that is, the Breaking of the Bread, and at prayer.

They sold their lands and other property, and distributed the proceeds among all, according to every one's necessities.

And, day by day, attending constantly in the Temple with one accord, and breaking bread in private houses, they took their meals with great happiness and single-heartedness,

some men were carrying there one who had been lame from birth, whom they were wont to place every day close to the Beautiful Gate (as it was called)

and recognizing him as the man who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple asking for alms, they were filled with awe and amazement at what had happened to him.

While they were saying this to the people, the Priests, the Commander of the Temple Guard, and the Sadducees came upon them,

They arrested the two Apostles and lodged them in custody till the next day; for it was already evening.

So they made the Apostles stand in the centre, and demanded of them, "By what power or in what name have you done this?"

As they looked on Peter and John so fearlessly outspoken--and also discovered that they were illiterate persons, untrained in the schools--they were surprised; and now they recognized them as having been with Jesus.

And seeing the man standing with them--the man who had been cured--they had no reply to make.

So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin while they conferred among themselves.

"What are we to do with these men?" they asked one another; for the fact that a remarkable miracle has been performed by them is well known to every one in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

So they recalled the Apostles, and ordered them altogether to give up speaking or teaching in the name of Jesus.

And they, upon hearing the story, all lifted up their voices to God and said, "O Sovereign Lord, it is Thou who didst make Heaven and earth and sea, and all that is in them,

"They did indeed assemble in this city in hostility to Thy holy Servant Jesus whom Thou hadst anointed--Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and also the tribes of Israel--

When they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled shook, and they were, one and all, filled with the Holy Spirit, and proceeded to tell God's Message with boldness.

Among all those who had embraced the faith there was but one heart and soul, so that none of them claimed any of his possessions as his own, but everything they had was common property;

And, in fact, there was not a needy man among them, for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the money which they realised,

"How was it," replied Peter, "that you two agreed to try an experiment upon the Spirit of the Lord? The men who have buried your husband are already at the door, and they will carry you out."

Instantly she fell down dead at his feet, and the young men came in and found her dead. So they carried her out and buried her by her husband's side.

Many signs and marvels continued to be done among the people by the Apostles; and by common consent they all met in Solomon's Portico.

so that they would even bring out their sick friends into the streets and lay them on light couches or mats, in order that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or other of them.

The inhabitants, too, of the towns in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem came in crowds, bringing sick persons and some who were harassed by foul spirits, and they were cured, one and all.

Having received that command they went into the Temple, just before daybreak, and began to teach: So when the High Priest and his party came, and had called together the Sanhedrin as well as all the Elders of the descendants of Israel, they sent to the jail to fetch the Apostles.

But the officers went and could not find them in the prison. So they came back and brought word,

When the Commander of the Temple Guards and the High Priests heard this statement, they were utterly at a loss with regard to it, wondering what would happen next.

Upon this the Commander went with the officers, and brought the Apostles; but without using violence; for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

So they brought them and made them stand in front of the Sanhedrin. And then the High Priest questioned them.

Infuriated at getting this answer, they were disposed to kill the Apostles.

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.

His advice carried conviction. So they called the Apostles in, and--after flogging them--ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then let them go.

They, therefore, left the Sanhedrin and went their way, rejoicing that they had been deemed worthy to suffer disgrace on behalf of the NAME.

But they did not desist from teaching every day, in the Temple or in private houses, and telling the Good News about Jesus, the Christ.

The suggestion met with general approval, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch.

These men they brought to the Apostles, and, after prayer, they laid their hands upon them.

They were quite unable, however, to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

Then they privately put forward men who declared, "We have heard him speak blasphemous things against Moses and against God."

In this way they excited the people, the Elders, and the Scribes. At length they came upon him, seized him with violence, and took him before the Sanhedrin.

Here they brought forward false witnesses who declared, "This fellow is incessantly speaking against the Holy Place and the Law.

At once the eyes of all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin were fastened on him, and they saw his face looking just like the face of an angel.

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

and they were taken to Shechem and were laid in the tomb which Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a sum of money paid in silver.

He adopted a crafty policy towards our race, and oppressed our forefathers, making them cast out their infants so that they might not be permitted to live.

He supposed his brethren to be aware that by him God was sending them deliverance; this, however, they did not understand.

"The Moses whom they rejected, asking him, 'Who appointed you magistrate and judge?' --that same Moses we find God sending as a magistrate and a deliverer by the help of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

They said to Aaron, "'Make gods for us, to march in front of us; for as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

"Moreover they made a calf at that time, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and kept rejoicing in the gods which their own hands had made.

So God turned from them and gave them up to the worship of the Host of Heaven, as it is written in the Book of the Prophets, "'Were they victims and sacrifices which you offered Me, forty years in the Desert, O House of Israel?

That Tent was bequeathed to the next generation of our forefathers. Under Joshua they brought it with them when they were taking possession of the land of the Gentile nations, whom God drove out before them. So it continued till David's time.

Which of the Prophets did not your forefathers persecute? Yes, they killed those who announced beforehand the advent of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become--

As they listened to these words, they became infuriated and gnashed their teeth at him.

Upon this, with a loud outcry they stopped their ears, rushed upon Stephen in a body,

So they stoned Stephen, while he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Crowds of people, with one accord, gave attention to what they heard from him, listening, and witnessing the signs which he did.

But when Philip began to tell the Good News about the Kingdom of God and about the Name of Jesus Christ, and they embraced the faith, they were baptized, men and women alike.

When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John to visit them.

They, when they came down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit:

for He had not as yet fallen upon any of them. They had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

Then the Apostles placed their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

So they proceeded on their way till they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, "See, here is water; what is there to prevent my being baptized?"

But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again. With a glad heart he resumed his journey;

Then he rose from the ground, but when he had opened his eyes, he could not see, and they led him by the arm and brought him to Damascus.

but information of their intention was given to him. They even watched the gates, day and night, in order to murder him;

So he came to Jerusalem and made several attempts to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, being in doubt as to whether he himself was a disciple.

But they kept trying to take his life. On learning this, the brethren brought him down to Caesarea, and then sent him by sea to Tarsus.

And all the people of Lud and Sharon saw him; and they turned to the Lord.

But, as it happened, just at that time she was taken ill and died. After washing her body they laid it out in a room upstairs.

So Peter rose and went with them. On his arrival they took him upstairs, and the widow women all came and stood by his side, weeping and showing him the underclothing and cloaks and garments of all kinds which Dorcas used to make while she was still with them.

The next day, while they were still on their journey and were getting near the town, about noon Peter went up on the house-top to pray.

He had become unusually hungry and wished for food; but, while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance.

and the day after that they reached Caesarea. There Cornelius was awaiting their arrival, and had invited all his relatives and intimate friends to be present.

"And we are witnesses as to all that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. But they even put Him to death, by crucifixion.

For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling the majesty of God. Then Peter said,

And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain with them for a time.

"You went into the houses of men who are not Jews," they said, "and you ate with them."

This statement of Peter's silenced his opponents. They extolled the goodness of God, and said, "So, then, to the Gentiles also God has given the repentance which leads to Life."

When tidings of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

He succeeded, and brought him to Antioch; and for a whole year they attended the meetings of the Church, and taught a large number of people. And it was in Antioch that the disciples first received the name of 'Christians.'

This they did, forwarding their contributions to the Elders by Barnabas and Saul.

And passing through the first ward and the second, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. This opened to them of itself; and, going out, they passed on through one of the streets, and then suddenly the angel left him.

"You are mad," they said. But she strenuously maintained that it was true. "It is his guardian angel," they said.

Meanwhile Peter went on knocking, until at last they opened the door and saw that it was really he, and were filled with amazement.

Now the people of Tyre and Sidon had incurred Herod's violent displeasure. So they sent a large deputation to wait on him; and having secured the good will of Blastus, his treasurer, they begged the king to be friendly with them again, because their country was dependent on his for its food supply.

And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having discharged their mission, and they brought with them John, surnamed Mark.