for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Being therefore in his presence, they asked him, saying, Lord, is this the time when you will restore again 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].

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.”

Starting from the baptism of John till he went up from us, one will have to be a witness with us of his coming back from death.

But Peter [responded by] standing up with the eleven [other] apostles and, lifting up his voice, began to speak. He said, "People of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, listen to what I am saying so you will understand this situation.

No, this is what was predicted by the prophet Joel ??17 In the last days, saith God, then will I pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams:

And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.

I will even pour out My Spirit
on My male and female slaves in those days,
and they will prophesy.

I will display wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.

The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and remarkable Day of the Lord comes.

Then everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.

For David says of Him:

I saw the Lord ever before me;
because He is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart was glad,
and my tongue rejoiced.
Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,

because You will not leave me in Hades
or allow Your Holy One to see decay.

You have revealed the paths of life to me;
You will fill me with gladness
in Your presence.

Now having heard this, they were pierced in the heart, and said to Peter and the other apostles, Men, brothers, what will we do?

“Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the Temple Courts, and to the Breaking of Bread at their homes, while they partook of their food in simple-hearted gladness, praising God, and winning the good-will of all the people.

They were praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved.

But Peter said, "No silver or gold have I, but what I do have I will give you. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth start walking."

So repent and turn to God, to have your sins wiped out, and happier times will come from the presence of the Lord,

And he will send Jesus Christ, who before was preached to you:

who must be received into heaven until [God's appointed] times when everything will be restored [to its intended purpose]. God had spoken about this through the proclamations of His holy prophets of long ago.

Moses said:

The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He will say to you.

And everyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from the people.

You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham, And all the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring.

saying, What will we do to these men? For that indeed a notable sign has happened by them, is apparent to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.”

who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David, Your servant, said,

‘Why did the nations (Gentiles) become arrogant and rage,
And the peoples devise futile things [against the Lord]?

"In this very city they did gather together against thy holy Servant, Jesus whom thou hast anointed??erod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and also the tribes of Israel??28 "to do all that thy power and thy will had predetermined should be done.

to do all that your hand and will had predetermined to take place.

Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!”

And now, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of men, it will be overthrown;

but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” So they were persuaded by him.

So, brothers, select from among you seven men {of good reputation}, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will put in charge of this need.

But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry.”

They had arranged for the false witnesses to say, "This man will not stop speaking against the Temple and the law of Moses,

For we heard him say that Jesus, this Nazarene, will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

and said to him:

Get out of your country
and away from your relatives,
and come to the land
that I will show you.

But God spoke like this: 'His descendants will be foreigners in a foreign land, and they will enslave them and mistreat [them] four hundred years,

I will judge the nation
that they will serve as slaves, God said.
After this, they will come out
and worship Me in this place.

Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

I have observed the oppression of My people in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to rescue them. And now, come, I will send you to Egypt.

“This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your brothers.

They told Aaron:

Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what’s happened to him.

No, you took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship.
So I will deport you beyond Babylon!

Heaven is My throne,
and earth My footstool.
What sort of house will you build for Me?
says the Lord,
or what is My resting place?

"You people, stubborn in will, heathenish in hearts and ears, you are always resisting the Holy Spirit, as your forefathers did, too.

saying, "Give me also the ability to place my hands on people [and pray] so that they will receive [the miraculous power of] the Holy Spirit."

But Peter said to him, "You and your money will both be destroyed for thinking you could buy the gift from God with money.

Repent therefore from this thine evil, and beg God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart will be forgiven thee.

But Simon answered [and] said, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me."

And he said, "So how could I, unless someone will guide me?" And he invited Philip to come up [and] sit with him.

In His humiliation justice was denied Him.
Who will describe His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.

and he said, who art thou, Lord? and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is hard for thee to kick against the goad. Then trembling with the fright Saul said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and the Lord said to him,]

And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to Straight Street and ask for a person named Saul, from Tarsus, at the home of Judas; you will find him [there] praying."

For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea-side: he will tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and fearing God, and witnessed of by the whole nation of the Jews, received intimation of the divine will by a holy messenger to send for thee to his house, and hear words of thee.

send therefore to Joppa, for one Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner, by the sea-side, who, when he is arriv'd, will give you information."

All the prophets testify about Him that through His name everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins.”

Will any man say that these may not have baptism who have been given the Holy Spirit as we have?

Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

He will speak a message to you that you and all your household will be saved by.’

Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

if therefore God has bestow'd the same favour upon them, as on us, after we had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I make any opposition to the divine will?

Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

And having passed by the first and second watch, they came to the iron gate leading to the city; which of its free will was opened to them: and having come out, they advanced one street; and quickly the messenger departed from him.

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.

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets [who spoke a new message of God to the people] and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod [Antipas] the tetrarch, and Saul.

And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

Now, look! The Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Suddenly a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

And after the reading of the law of Moses and [the writings of] the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent [word] to Paul and Barnabas, saying, "Brothers, if you [men] have any message that will exhort [or encourage] the people, you may speak."

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

Therefore He also says in another passage, You will not allow Your Holy One to see decay.

For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

Look, you scoffers,
marvel and vanish away,
because I am doing a work in your days,
a work that you will never believe,
even if someone were to explain it to you.”

Then Paul and Barnabas without fear said, It was necessary for the word of God to be given to you first; but because you will have nothing to do with it, and have no desire for eternal life, it will now be offered to the Gentiles.

And certain men, who came down from Judea, taught the brothers, Unless ye will be circumcised in the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

But we believe [we] will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in {the same} way those also [are]."

And to this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written, After this I will return and build again the fallen tabernacle of David;

After these things I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
I will rebuild its ruins
and set it up again,

I will repair its ruins, and raise it up: that the rest of mankind, even all the nations, that profess my name, may seek the Lord.

Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth.

that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things.

Farewell.

Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets (divinely inspired spokesmen), encouraged and strengthened the believers with many words.

And when she was baptized, along with her household, she pleaded with us, saying, “If you have judged me and decided that I am faithful to the Lord [a true believer], come to my house and stay.” And she persuaded us.

So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

But Paul said to them, They have given us who are Romans a public whipping without judging us, and have put us in prison. Will they now send us out secretly? no, truly, let them come themselves and take us out.

Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

And they took him to Mars' Hill, saying, Will you make clear to us what is this new teaching of yours?

Now God made allowance for the times when people were still uninformed [about His complete will], but now [in the Gospel age] He requires all people everywhere to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives].

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him. But others said, “We’d like to hear from you again about this.”