So, when the Apostles had met together, they asked Jesus this question--"Master, is this the time when you intend to re-establish the Kingdom for Israel?"

No sooner had Jesus said this than he was caught up before their eyes, and a cloud received him from their sight.

And said: "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the heavens? This very Jesus, who has been taken from you into the heavens, will come in the very way in which you have seen him go into the heavens."

About this time, at a meeting of the Brethren, when there were about a hundred and twenty present, Peter rose to speak.

For he was one of our number and had his part allotted him in this work of ours."

(This man had bought a piece of land with the price of his treachery; and, falling heavily, his body had burst open, and all his bowels protruded.

This became known to every one living in Jerusalem, so that the field came to be called, in their language, 'Akeldama,' which means the 'Field of Blood.')

And they offered this prayer--"O Lord, who reads all hearts, show which of these two men you have chosen

To take the place in this apostolic work, which Judas has abandoned, to go to his proper place."

And, when this sound was heard, numbers of people collected, in the greatest excitement, because each of them heard the disciples speaking in his own language.

Then Peter, surrounded by the eleven other Apostles, stood up, and, raising his voice, addressed the crowd. "Men of Judea," he began, "and all you who are staying in Jerusalem, let me tell you what this means. Mark well my words.

This is what is spoken of in the prophet Joel--

Brothers, I can speak to you the more confidently about the Patriarch David, because he is dead and buried, and his tomb is here among us to this very day.

It was this Jesus, whom God raised to life; and of that we are ourselves all witnesses.

So let the whole nation of Israel know beyond all doubt, that God has made him both Lord and Christ--this very Jesus whom you crucified."

When the people heard this, they were conscience-smitten, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles: "Brothers, what can we do?"

With many other words Peter enforced his teaching, while the burden of his exhortations was--"Save yourselves from the perverse spirit of this age."

This man used to be set down every day at the gate of the Temple called 'the Beautiful Gate,' to beg of those who went in.

On seeing this, Peter said to the people: "Men of Israel, why are you surprised at this? and why do you stare at us, as though we, by any power or piety of our own, had enabled this man to walk?

And it is by faith in the Name of Jesus, that this man, whom you all see and know, has--by his Name--been made strong. Yes, it is the faith inspired by Jesus that has made this complete cure of the man, before the eyes of you all.

But it was in this way that God fulfilled all that he had long ago foretold, as to the sufferings of his Christ, by the lips of all the Prophets.

They had Peter and John brought before them, and questioned them. "By what power," they asked, "Or in whose name have men like you done this thing?"

On this, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke as follows: "Leaders of the people and Councillors,

Let me tell you all and all the people of Israel, that it is by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead--it is, I say, by his Name that this man stands here before you lame no longer.

But, to prevent this thing from spreading further among the people, let us warn them not to speak in this Name any more to any one whatever."

For the man who was the subject of this miraculous cure was more than forty years old.

There have indeed gathered together in this city against your holy Servant Jesus, whom you has consecrated the Christ, not Herod and Pontius Pilate only, but the nations and the people of Israel besides--

Besides this, the inhabitants of the towns round Jerusalem flocked into the city, bringing with them their sick and those who were troubled by foul spirits; and they were cured every one.

At this the High Priest was roused to action, and he and all his supporters (who formed the party of the Sadducees), moved by jealousy,

"Go," he said, "and stand in the Temple Courts, and tell the people the whole Message of this new Life."

When they heard this, they went at daybreak into the Temple Courts, and began to teach. The High Priest and his party, on their arrival, summoned the High Council, including all the leading men among the Israelites, and sent to the jail to fetch the Apostles.

When the Officer in charge at the Temple and the Chief Priests heard their story, they were perplexed about the Apostles and as to what all this would lead to.

On this, the Officer went with his men and fetched the Apostles--without using violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people--

"We gave you strict orders," he said, "not to teach in this Name. Yet you have actually flooded Jerusalem with your teaching, and you want to make us responsible for the death of this man."

To this Peter and the Apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men.

It is this Jesus whom God has exalted to his right hand, to be a Guide and a Savior, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.

And we are witness to the truth of this, and so is the Holy Spirit--the gift of God to those who obey him."

The members of the Council became frantic with rage on hearing this, and were for putting the Apostles to death.

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;

About this time, when the number of the disciples was constantly increasing, complaints were made by the Jews of foreign birth against the native Jews, that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.

Therefore, Brothers, look for seven men of reputation among yourselves, wise and spiritually-minded men, and we will appoint them to attend to this matter;

This proposal was unanimously agreed to; and the disciples chose Stephen--a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit--and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a former convert to Judaism;

There they produced witnesses who gave false evidence. "This man," they said, "is incessantly saying things against this Holy Place and the Law;

Indeed, we have heard him declare that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this Place, and change the customs handed down to us by Moses."

Then the High Priest asked: "Is this true?"

On this, Abraham left the country of the Chaldaeans and settled in Haran; and from there, after his father's death, God caused him to migrate into this very country, in which you are now living.

But I myself will judge the nation, to which they will be enslaved,' God said, 'and after that they shall leave the country and worship me in this place.'

This king acted deceitfully towards our race and ill-treated our ancestors, making them abandon their own infants, so that they should not be reared.

It was just at this time that Moses was born. He was an exceedingly beautiful child, and for three months was brought up in his own father's house;

This same Moses, whom they had disowned with the words--'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' was the very man whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer, under the guidance of the angel that had appeared to him in the bush.

This was the Moses who said to the people of Israel--'God will raise up for you, from among your brothers, a Prophet, as he raised up me.'

While they said to Aaron--'Make us Gods who will lead the way for us, since, as for this Moses who has brought us out of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

This Tabernacle, which was handed down to them, was brought into this country by our ancestors who accompanied Joshua (at the conquest of the nations that God drove out before their advance), and remained here until the time of David.

As they listened to this, the Council grew frantic with rage, and gnashed their teeth at Stephen.

At this, with a loud shout, they stopped their ears and all rushed upon him, forced him outside the city,

Falling on his knees, he called out loudly: "Lord! do not charge them with this sin;" and with these words he fell asleep.

Every one, high and low, paid attention to him. 'This man,' they used to say, 'must be that Power of God which men call "The Great Power."'

"Give me also this power of yours, so that, if I place my hands upon any one, he may receive the Holy Spirit."

Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that, if possible, you may be forgiven for such a thought;

The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this--'Like a sheep, he was led away to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in the hands of its shearer, so he refrains from opening his lips.

Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the Good News about Jesus.

"Go at once," said the Lord, "to the 'Straight Street', and ask at Judas's house for a man named Saul, from Tarsus. He is at this moment praying,

"Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I have heard from many people about this man--how much harm he has done at Jerusalem to your People there.

But the Lord said to him: "Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to uphold my Name before the Gentiles and their kings, and the people of Israel.

All who heard him were amazed. "Is not this," they asked, "the man who worked havoc in Jerusalem among those that invoke this Name, and who had also come here for the express purpose of having such persons put in chains and taken before the Chief Priests?"

But, when the Brethren found this out, they took him down to Caesarea, and sent him on his way to Tarsus.

This became known all through Jaffa, and numbers of People came to believe in the Lord.

This happened three times, and then suddenly it was all taken up into the heavens.

Peter was still pondering over the vision, when the Spirit said to him: "There are two men looking for you at this moment.

Upon this Peter invited them in and entertained them. The next day he lost no time in setting out with them, accompanied by some of the Brethren from Jaffa;

"Just three days ago this very hour," Cornelius said, "I was in my house, saying the Afternoon Prayers, when a man in dazzling clothing suddenly stood before me.

This Jesus God raised on the third day, and enabled him to appear,

For they heard them speaking with 'tongues' and extolling God. At this Peter asked:

This happened three times, and then all was drawn up again into the heavens.

On hearing this statement, they said no more, but broke out into praise of God. "So even to the Gentiles," they exclaimed, "God has granted the repentance which leads to Life!"

During this time, some Prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem.

And this they did, sending it to the Officers of the Church by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

And, when he saw that the Jews were pleased with this, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the Festival of the Unleavened Bread.)

Peter signed to them with his hand to be silent, and then told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, adding: "Tell James and the Brethren all this." Then he left the house, and went away to another place.

Barnabas and Saul, sent on this mission, as they were, by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia, and from there sailed to Cyprus.

After this, Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and went to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them and returned to Jerusalem.

After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the President of the Synagogue sent them this message--"Brothers, if you have any helpful words to address to the people, now is the time to speak."

The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, and during their stay in Egypt increased the prosperity of the people, and then 'with uplifted arm brought them out from that land.'

Then, after destroying seven heathen nations in Canaan, he allotted their land to this people--

After removing him, he raised David to the throne, and bore this testimony to him--'In David, the son of Jesse, I have found a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my purposes.'

It was from this man's descendants that God, in accordance with his promise, gave Israel a Savior--Jesus;

Brothers, descendants of Abraham, and all those among you who reverence God, it was to us that the Message of this Salvation was sent.

That our children have had this promise completely fulfilled to them by God, by his raising Jesus. That is just what is said in the second Psalm--'Thou art my Son; this day I have become thy Father.'

As to his raising Jesus from the dead, never again to return to corruption, this is what is said--'I will give to you the sacred promises made to David;'

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the Synagogue, the people begged for a repetition of this teaching on the next Sabbath.

For this is the Lord's command to us--'I have destined thee for a Light to the Gentiles, a means of Salvation to the ends of the earth'."

On hearing this, the Gentiles were glad and extolled God's Message; and all those who had been enrolled for Immortal Life became believers in Christ;

This man was listening to Paul speaking, when Paul, fixing his eyes on him, and seeing that he had the faith to be healed,

But, when the Apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd. "Friends, why are you doing this?" they shouted.

Even with this appeal they could hardly restrain the people from offering sacrifice to them.

This gave rise to a serious dispute, and much discussion, between Paul and Barnabas and these men, and it was therefore settled that Paul and Barnabas and others of their number should go up to Jerusalem, to consult the Apostles and Officers of the Church about the matter under discussion.

The Apostles and the Officers of the Church held a meeting to consider this question.

'"After this I will return; and I will rebuild the House of David which has fallen--its very ruins I will rebuild, and will set it up once more;

So the bearers of this letter were sent on their way, and went down to Antioch. There they called a meeting of all the brethren,

Some time after this, Paul said to Barnabas: "Let us go back and visit the Brethren in every town in which we have told the Lord's Message, and see how they are prospering."