up to the day when through the Holy Spirit He gave the apostles whom He had chosen their orders, and then was taken up to heaven.

And once while He was eating with them, He charged them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised. "You have heard me speak of it," He said,

After saying this, He was taken up while they were looking at Him, and a cloud swept under Him and carried Him out of their sight.

for he was one of our number, and he received a share in this ministry of ours.

It became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that this piece of land was called in their language Akeldamach, that is, The Field of Blood.)

from the time of His baptism by John down to the day when He was taken up from us, must be added to our number as a witness to His resurrection."

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

They then drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was added to the eleven apostles.

And when this sound was heard, the crowd rushed together in great excitement, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

this very Jesus, I say, after He was betrayed, in accordance with the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you had wicked men kill by nailing Him to a cross;

but God raised Him up by loosing Him from the pangs of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held by the power of death.

"Brothers, I may confidently say to you about the patriarch David, that he died and was buried, and that his grave is here among us to this very day.

So, as he was a prophet and knew that God with an oath had promised to put one of his descendants on his throne,

he foresaw the resurrection of the Christ and told of it, for He was not forsaken to Hades, and His body did not undergo decay.

when a man crippled from his birth was being carried by, who used to be laid every day at what was called The Beautiful Gate of the temple, to beg from people on their way into the temple.

The beggar looked at them, supposing that he was going to get something from them.

While he was still clinging to Peter and John, all the people in utter amazement crowded around them in what was called Solomon's portico.

and He may send back Jesus, the Christ who long ago was appointed for you.

It was to you first that He sent His Servant, after raising Him from the dead, to bless you by causing every one of you to turn from his wicked ways."

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

Then Peter, because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Leaders and elders of the people,

if it is for a good deed to a helpless man, or to learn how he was cured, that we are today being tried,

He is the stone that was thrown away by you builders, which has become the cornerstone.

for the man on whom the wonderful cure had been performed was more than forty years old.

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.

For none of them was in want, for as many of them as were owners of farms or houses proceeded to sell them, one by one, and continued to bring the money received for the things sold

and to put it at the disposal of the apostles; then distribution was continuously made to everyone in proportion to his need.

Now Joseph, a Levite, a native of Cyprus, who by the apostles was named Barnabas, which means Son of Encouragement,

As long as it was unsold, was it not yours, and when it was sold, was not the money at your disposal? How could you have the heart to do such a thing! You did not lie to men but to God!"

For in the days gone by Theudas appeared, claiming that he was a man of importance, and a considerable number of men, about four hundred, espoused his cause, but he was slain and all his followers were dispersed and as a party annihilated.

In those days, as the number of the disciples was increasing, complaint was made by the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Jews that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.

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 all who were seated in the council fixed their eyes upon him and saw that his face was like that of an angel.

He answered: "Listen, brothers and fathers. The glorious God appeared to our forefather Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia before he ever made his home in Haran,

And the patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him

But Jacob heard that there was food in Egypt and sent our forefathers on their first visit down there.

On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and thus Joseph's race was revealed to Pharaoh.

At this time Moses was born. He was a divinely beautiful child. For three months he was cared for in his father's house.

When he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. Thus

Moses was educated in all the culture of the Egyptians, and was a mighty man in speech and action.

As he was rounding out his fortieth year, it occurred to him to visit his brothers, the descendants of Israel.

Because he saw one of them being mistreated, he defended and avenged the man who was suffering ill-treatment by striking down the Egyptian.

He supposed that his brothers would understand that God through his instrumentality was going to deliver them, but they did not.

But the man who was harming his brother pushed him aside, saying, 'Who made you our ruler and referee?

'I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses was so terrified that he did not dare to look at the bush.

That very Moses whom they refused, saying, 'Who made you our ruler and referee?' was the man whom God sent to be both their ruler and deliverer, by the help of the angel who had appeared to him in the bush.

It was he who brought them out of Egypt by performing wonders and signs there and at the Red Sea -- as he did also in the desert for forty years.

It was this Moses who said to the descendants of Israel, 'God will raise up a prophet for you from among you, just as He did me.'

but it was Solomon who came to build a house for Him.

Was it not my hand that made them all?"'

But since he was full of the Holy Spirit, he looked right into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand.

As the crowds continued to listen to his message and continued to see his wonder-works which he was performing, with one mind they became interested in what was said by Philip.

So there was great rejoicing in that city.

There was a man named Simon in the city, who had kept the Samaritan people thrilled by practicing magic there and by claiming to be a great man.

So Simon himself came to believe too, and after he was baptized he continued to be devoted to Philip, and he was always thrilled at seeing such great signs and wonder-works continuously performed.

So when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was conferred by the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian official, a member of the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, her chief treasurer, who had come to Jerusalem to worship,

and now was on his way home. He was seated in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah.

Now this was the passage of Scripture that he was reading: "Like a sheep He was led away to be slaughtered, and just as a lamb is dumb before its shearer, so He does not open His mouth.

Justice was denied Him in His humiliation, who can tell of His times? For His life is removed from the earth."

but Philip was found at Ashdod, and he went on telling the good news in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Now Saul, as he was still breathing threats of murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

Now there was in Damascus a disciple named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" And he answered, "Yes, Lord, I am here."

And all at once something like scales fell from his eyes, he regained his sight, got up and was baptized,

but their plot was found out by Saul. Day and night they kept guarding the city gates, to murder him,

Now when Saul arrived at Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples there, but they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was really a disciple.

So he was one of them, going in and out constantly at Jerusalem,

Now, as Peter was going here and there among them all, he finally went down to God's people who lived at Lydda.

At Joppa there was a woman, a disciple, whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek means Dorcas, that is, Gazelle. She had filled her life with good deeds and works of charity, which she was always doing.

As Joppa was near Lydda, the disciples heard that Peter was there, and sent two men to him, begging him to come to them without delay.

So Peter at once got up and went with them. When he reached there, they took him to the room upstairs, and all the widows took their stand around him, crying and showing him the shirts and coats that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

Now at Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a colonel in what was known as the Italian regiment,

a religious man, too, who revered God with all his household, who was always liberal in his many deeds of charity to the people, and who had the habit of praying to God.

After the angel who had spoken to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants, and a religious soldier who was one of his devoted attendants,

This took place three times; then all at once the thing was taken up into the sky.

Now while Peter was still at a loss to know what the vision he had seen could mean, the men who had been sent by Cornelius had asked for the way to Simon's house and had stopped at the gate;

and they called and inquired if Simon who was called Peter was staying there.

While Peter was meditating on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "There are two men looking for you.

They answered, "Cornelius, a colonel in the army, an upright man and one who reveres God, and a man of high reputation with the whole Jewish nation, was instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to listen to a message you would bring."

The next day he started off with them, and some of the brothers in Joppa went along with him. The day after that they reached Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for him, as he had invited in his kinsmen and close friends.

so I have come, since I was sent for, without any hesitation."

Then Cornelius said, "Four days ago, about this hour, three o'clock in the afternoon, I was praying in my house, and all at once a man in dazzling clothing stood before me,

how God consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and then He went about doing good and curing all who were overpowered by the devil, because God was with Him.

While Peter was still speaking these truths, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message.

"I was praying in the town of Joppa, and while I was praying I fell in a trance and had a vision. I saw something like a great sheet coming down out of the sky, lowered by the four comers; and it came right down to me.

This took place three times; then all at once the whole thing was drawn back into the sky.

So if God had given them the same gift that He gave us when we believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to try -- and how could I if I tried -- to thwart God?"

And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

When he reached there and saw the spiritual blessing God had given them, he was delighted, and continuously encouraged them all with hearty purpose to continue to be devoted to the Lord;

for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. So a large number of people were united to the Lord.

and after he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. Now for a whole year their meeting with the church lasted, and they taught large numbers of people. It was at Antioch too that the disciples first came to be known as "Christians."

and one of them named Agabus got up and, through the Holy Spirit, foretold that there was going to be a great famine all over the world, which occurred in the reign of Claudius.

and when he saw that this was agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too -- it was at the time of the feast of Unleavened Bread.

So Peter was being kept in prison, but earnest prayer to God for him was persistently made by the church.

Now just as Herod was going to bring him out, that is, the very night before, Peter was fastened with two chains and was sleeping between two soldiers, and the guards were at the door guarding the prison.

So he kept following him out, but he was not conscious that what was being done by the angel was real; he thought he was dreaming it.

When he became conscious of his situation, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, were a large number of people had met and were praying.

and on recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the door but ran and told them that Peter was standing at the door.