And once when he was eating with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. "Of this," he said, "you have heard from me.

For John baptised with water but ye shall be baptised with the holy ghost, and that within this few days."

Now those who had gathered together began to ask Jesus, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"

Jesus replied, "You are not permitted to know the [specific] time or date [when this will happen]. For the Father has appointed it [to happen] when He determines [the right time].

After saying this, Jesus was taken up while those who had gathered together were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

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."

At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said,

'Men, brethren, it behoved this Writing that it be fulfilled that beforehand the Holy Spirit spake through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who became guide to those who took Jesus,

because he was one of our number and was appointed to share in this ministry."

(Now this man bought a field with the money he got for his crime. Falling on his face, he burst open in the middle, and all his intestines gushed out.

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".)

For this reason, of the men who have been with us all the time, while the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

beginning when he was baptized by John until the day he was taken up from us. Therefore, someone like this must become a witness with us to his resurrection."

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

to serve in this office of apostle, from which Judas left to go to his own place."

And when the day of Pentecost came [Note: This was a Jewish festival held fifty days following the Passover Festival. Lev. 23:15-21], they [i.e., the twelve apostles] were all gathered together in one place [i.e., their second story living quarters, 1:13 ?].

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 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,

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

and Peter having stood up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and declared to them, 'Men, Jews! and all those dwelling in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and harken to my sayings,

For this is not intoxication, as you suppose, it being only the third hour of the day.

Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

[In that day] the sun will become dark and the moon will [appear] as blood. [This will all happen] before the great and wonderful day when the Lord comes. [Note: Some view these last two verses as a reference to events occurring at the end of time. See Matt. 24:29-30].

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through Him, just as you yourselves know.

After he was arrested according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified this very man and killed him using the hands of lawless men.

King David said this about Jesus [Psa. 16:8ff], 'I always see the Lord in front of me, He is at my right side for protection;

because of this was my heart cheered, and my tongue was glad, and yet -- my flesh also shall rest on hope,

because you [i.e., God] will not allow my soul [i.e., this is a reference to Jesus] to remain in Hades [i.e., the unseen place of the departed spirits], neither will you allow [the body of] your Holy One to decay.

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

that, as he was a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him, to place the fruit of his loins upon his throne: foreseeing this,

foreseeing this he spake of the resurrection of Christ, when he said, that his soul was not left in the invisible state, nor did his flesh see corruption.

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

at the right hand then of God having been exalted -- also the promise of the Holy Spirit having received from the Father -- he was shedding forth this, which now ye see and hear;

"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?"

For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself."

Using many different expressions, Peter continued to testify and to plead: "Be saved," he urged them, "from this corrupt generation!"

Everyone [who saw this happen] was filled with awe at the many miracles and [supernatural] signs performed by the apostles.

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.

This man, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked charity.

But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, this I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazoraen, walk.

they were knowing him also that this it was who for a kindness was sitting at the Beautiful gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what hath happened to him.

And as this [former] crippled man stayed close beside Peter and John, all the people rushed toward them at "Solomon's Portico" [Note: This was a large covered area, with rows of columns, on the side of the Temple enclosure], completely astonished [at what had happened].

And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant and Son Jesus [doing Him this honor], the One whom you handed over and disowned and rejected before Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.

You killed the Originator of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses!

And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

And now, brethren, I know that through ignorance ye did this deed, as did also your rulers.

But in this way God fulfilled what He by the lips of all the prophets foretold, that the Christ should suffer.

And [also] that God may send Christ [to you], the One whom He has appointed for your [benefit]. This [is] Jesus,

"whom the heavens must receive until the time of restoration of all things. "God spoke of this ages ago, through the mouth of his holy prophets.

Any soul that will not listen to this prophet shall be exterminated from the People;

Yes, and all the Prophets, from Samuel onwards--all who have spoken--have also announced the coming of this present time.

You [Jews] were the first ones to receive this blessing when God raised up [i.e., selected] His Servant [i.e., Jesus] and sent Him to turn all of you [away] from your sins."

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

And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

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

If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

And because they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against this.

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

For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

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 laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed for each person’s basic needs.

In this way Joseph, whom the apostles called Barnabas ("Son of Encouragement" is what it means), who was a native Cyprus,

and brought [only] a part of the selling price and gave it to the apostles; but the man and his wife had kept this a secret.

"Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan taken possession of your heart, that you should try to deceive the Holy Spirit and dishonestly keep back part of the price paid you for this land?

Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and expired. (Great awe came over all who heard of it.)

And Peter said to her, Give me an answer: was this amount of money the price of the land? And she said, Yes, it was.

And great fear seized the whole church and everyone else who heard about this.

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.

This aroused bitter indignation among the high priest and his followers who were of the sect of the Sadducees,

Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

After the apostles heard this, they went into the Temple at daybreak and began to teach. The high priest and those who were with him arrived, called the Council and all the elders of Israel together, and sent word to the prison to have the men brought in.

but the officers who went there not finding them in the prison, returned, and made this report,

Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

On this the officer went off with his men and fetched them, not, however, by force, for they were afraid that the people would stone them.

Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

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

God has exalted to His right hand this very One as our Leader and Saviour, in order to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

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

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

For before this there was Theudas, who said he was someone important, to whom about four hundred men gave their support: he was put to death, and his band was broken up and came to nothing.

After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

Then they went rejoicing from the presence of the sanhedrim, that for his name's sake, they had been counted worthy to suffer this injurious treatment.

Now about this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, a complaint was made by the Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) against the [native] Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.

So, brothers, you must select from your number seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit, and of good practical sense, and we will assign them to this business,

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.

Then they instigated some to say, "We have heard him speaking blasphemy against Moses and against God;" and in this way they excited the people.

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.

And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

Then the high priest asked, "Is this true?"

Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

But he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not a single square yard of ground. And yet He promised to bestow the land as a permanent possession on him and his posterity after him--and promised this at a time when Abraham was childless.

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.