[Dear] Theophilus, in my former letter [i.e., the Gospel of Luke] I wrote to you concerning what all Jesus did and taught since the beginning [of His ministry],

till the day in which, having given command, through the Holy Spirit, to the apostles whom he did choose out, he was taken up,

He had also, after He suffered, shown Himself alive to them with many sure proofs, appearing to them at intervals during forty days, and speaking of the Kingdom of God.

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

For [Jesus had said, Matt. 3:11], "John immersed you [men] in water but [this time] you will be immersed in the Holy Spirit, and [it will happen] in just a few more days."

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

but ye shall receive power at the coming of the Holy Spirit upon you, and ye shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the end of the earth.'

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

who also said, 'Men, Galileans, why do ye stand gazing into the heaven? this Jesus who was received up from you into the heaven, shall so come in what manner ye saw him going on to the heaven.'

Then they made their way back to Jerusalem from the hill called 'The Olive-Orchard'; it is close to Jerusalem, only a sabbath day's journey from it.

Upon arriving at the house where they were staying, they went upstairs. [Those present were]: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James, the son of Alpheus, Simon the Zealous [one] and Judas, the son of James. [Note: Judas Iscariot, the twelfth apostle, had already committed suicide].

And in these days, Peter having risen up in the midst of the disciples, said, (the multitude also of the names at the same place was, as it were, an hundred and twenty,)

Brethren, it was needful that the Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spake before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus.

Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

beginning with the baptism by John [at the outset of Jesus’ ministry] until the day when He was taken up from us—one of these men must become a witness with us [to testify] of His resurrection.”

And they made prayers and said, Lord, having knowledge of the hearts of all men, make clear which of these two has been marked out by you,

To take that position as a servant and Apostle, from which Judas by his sin was shut out, so that he might go to his place.

And they put it to the decision of chance, and the decision was given for Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.

And in the day of the Pentecost being fulfilled, they were all with one accord at the same place,

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them [ability] to speak out.

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

And at this sound the crowd came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

Being so amazed and astounded [at something so unusual happening], they exclaimed, "Look! are not all these men who are speaking from [the country of] Galilee?

Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect?

Yet we all alike hear these Galilaeans speaking in our own language about the wonderful things which God has done."

And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

But others were laughing and joking and ridiculing them, saying, “They are full of sweet wine and are drunk!”

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

but this is [the beginning of] what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

[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].

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man accredited and pointed out and attested to you by God with [the power to perform] miracles and wonders and signs which God worked through Him in your [very] midst, just as you yourselves know—

this one, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, being given out, having taken by lawless hands, having crucified -- ye did slay;

Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

for David says as to him, I foresaw the Lord continually before me, because he is at my right hand that I may not be moved.

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

‘For You will not forsake me and abandon my soul to Hades (the realm of the dead),
Nor let Your Holy One undergo decay [after death].

You have made known to me what life is all about. You will make me completely happy by your very presence.'

Brethren, let it be allowed to speak with freedom to you concerning the patriarch David, that he has both died and been buried, and his monument is amongst us unto this day.

a prophet, therefore, being, and knowing that with an oath God did swear to him, out of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, to raise up the Christ, to sit upon his throne,

he, seeing it before, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that neither has he been left in hades nor his flesh seen corruption.

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

Having therefore been exalted by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which ye behold and hear.

For David has not ascended into the heavens, but he says himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit at my right hand

Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool."

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the word of God is for you and for your children and for all those who are far off, even all those who may be marked out by the Lord our God.

And with more such words he gave his witness, offering them salvation and saying, Come out from this evil generation.

then those, indeed, who did gladly receive his word were baptized, and there were added on that day, as it were, three thousand souls,

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.

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

and all those believing were at the same place, and had all things common,

And exchanging their goods and property for money, they made division of it among them all, as they had need.

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

constantly praising God and always having the favor of all the people. And every day the Lord continued to add to them the people who were being saved.

Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

But Peter, along with John, stared at him intently and said, “Look at us!”

He looked at them, supposing that they were going to give him something.

But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.

Then he seized the man’s right hand with a firm grip and raised him up. And at once his feet and ankles became strong and steady,

And leaping out, he stood, and continued to walk around, and came into the temple with them, walking around and leaping, and praising God.

And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.

And at the lame man who was healed holding Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch called Solomon's -- greatly amazed,

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?

and the Prince of the life ye did kill, whom God did raise out of the dead, of which we are witnesses;

It is His name-- faith in that name being the condition--which has strengthened this man whom you behold and know; and the faith which He has given has made this man sound and strong again, as you can all see.

And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.

but God has thus fulfilled what he had announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer.

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

And that he may send the Christ who was marked out for you from the first, even Jesus:

whom it behoveth heaven, indeed, to receive till times of a restitution of all things, of which God spake through the mouth of all His holy prophets from the age.

Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you out of your brethren like me: him shall ye hear in everything whatsoever he shall say to you.

And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’

It was for you first of all that God raised up His Servant and Son [Jesus], and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”

While Peter and John were still speaking to the people, the Chief Priest, with the Officer in charge at the Temple and the Sadducees, came up to them,

being grieved because of their teaching the people, and preaching in Jesus the rising again out of the dead --

And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

and many of those hearing the word did believe, and the number of the men became, as it were, five thousand.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,

And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

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

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