Down to that day on which he was taken up to Heaven, after he had, by the help of the Holy Spirit, given instructions to the Apostles whom he had chosen.

His answer was: "It is not for you to know times or hours, for the Father has reserved these for his own decision;

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

"Brothers," he said, "it was necessary that the prediction of Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit made by the lips of David about Judas, who acted as guide to the men that arrested Jesus,

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

From his baptism by John down to that day on which he was taken from us--some one must be found to join us as a witness of his resurrection."

So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabas, whose other name was Justus, and Matthias;

Then they drew lots between them; and, the lot having fallen on Matthias, he was added to the number of the eleven Apostles.

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.

Men of Israel, listen to what I am saying. Jesus of Nazareth, a man whose mission from God to you was proved by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God showed among you through him, as you know full well--

He, I say, in accordance with God's definite plan and with his previous knowledge, was betrayed, and you, by the hands of lawless men, nailed him to a cross and put him to death.

Indeed it was to him that David was referring when he said-- 'I have had the Lord ever before my eyes, For he stands at my right hand, that I should not be disquieted.

Therefore my heart was cheered, and my tongue told its delight; Yes, even my body, too, will rest in hope;

David, then, Prophet as he was, knowing that God 'had solemnly sworn to him to set one of his descendants upon his throne,' looked into the future,

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

It was not David who went up into Heaven; for he himself says- -'The Lord said to my master: "Sit on my right hand,

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

A deep impression was made upon every one, and many wonders and signs were done at the hands of the Apostles.

One day, as Peter and John were going up into the Temple Courts for the three o'clock Prayers, a man, who had been lame from his birth, was being carried by.

The man was all attention, expecting to get something from them;

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 arrested the Apostles and, as it was already evening, had them placed in custody till the next day.

The next day, a meeting of the leading men, the Councillors, and the Teachers of the Law was held in Jerusalem.

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

When their prayer was ended, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to tell God's Message fearlessly.

The whole body of those who had become believers in Christ were of one heart and mind. Not one of them claimed any of his goods as his own, but everything was held for the common use.

Nor was there any one in need among them, for all who were owners of land or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the sales

There was, however, a man named Ananias, who, with his wife Sapphira, sold some property,

While it was unsold, was not it your own? and after it was sold, was not the money at your own disposal? How did you come to think of such a thing? You have lied, not to men, but to God!"

As Ananias heard these words, he fell down and expired; and every one who heard of it was appalled.

Many signs and wonders continued to occur among the people, through the instrumentality of the Apostles, whose custom it was to meet all together in the Colonnade of Solomon;

The consequence was that people would bring out their sick even into the streets, and lay them on mattresses and mats, in the hope that, as Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some one of them.

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,

But Gamaliel, a Pharisee, who was a Doctor of the Law and who was held in universal respect, rose in the Council, and directed that the men should be taken out of court for a little while.

For not long ago Theudas appeared, professing to be somebody, and was joined by a body of some four hundred men. But he was killed; and all his followers scattered and dwindled away.

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.

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;

Meanwhile Stephen, divinely helped and strengthened, was showing great wonders and signs among the people.

And, upon that, Stephen spoke as follows: "Brothers and Fathers, hear what I have to say. God, who manifests himself in the Glory, appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, and before he settled in Haran, and said to him--

Then God made with Abraham the Covenant of Circumcision; and under it Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him when he was eight days old; and Isaac became the father of Jacob; and Jacob of the Twelve Patriarchs.

The Patriarchs, out of jealousy, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him,

Hearing, however, that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob sent our ancestors there on their first visit.

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;

And, when he was abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh found him and brought him up as her own son.

So Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and proved his ability both by his words and actions.

When he was in his fortieth year, he resolved to visit his brother Israelites;

And, seeing an Israelite ill-treated, he defended him, and avenged the man, who was being wronged, by striking down the Egyptian.

He thought his brothers would understand that God was using him to save them; but they failed to do so.

But the man who was ill-treating his fellow workman pushed Moses aside saying--'Who made you a ruler and judge over us?

When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the vision; but on his going nearer to look at it more closely, the voice of the Lord was heard to say--

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.

He it was who led them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the Desert during forty years.

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.'

He, too, it was who was present at the assembly in the Desert, with the angel who talked to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, and who received living truths to impart to you.

That was the time when they made the Calf and offered sacrifice to their idol, and held festivities in honor of their own handiwork!

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.

But it was Solomon who built a House for God.

Was it not my hand that made all these things?'

He, filled as he was with the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes intently on the heavens, and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing at God's right hand.

Saul approved of his being put to death. On that very day a great persecution broke out against the Church which was in Jerusalem; and its members, with the exception of the Apostles, were all scattered over the districts of Judea and Samaria.

The people, one and all, listened attentively to what Philip told them, when they heard of, and saw, the miracles which he was working.

And many who were paralyzed or lame were cured, so that there was great rejoicing throughout that city.

There was staying in the city a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic there and mystifying the Samaritan people, giving himself out to be some great Being.

Even Simon believed, and after his baptism attached himself to Philip, and was in his turn mystified at seeing signs and great miracles constantly occurring.

When Simon saw that it was through the placing of the Apostles' hands on them that the Spirit was given, he brought them a sum of money and said:

So Philip set out on a journey; and on his way he came upon an official of high rank, in the service of Candace, Queen of the Abyssinians. He was her treasurer, and had been to Jerusalem to worship,

And was now on his way home, sitting in his carriage and reading the Prophet Isaiah.

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.

In his lowly condition justice was denied him. Who will tell the story of his generation? For his life is cut off from earth.'

But Philip was found at Ashdod, and, as he went on his way, he told the Good News in all the towns through which he passed, till he came to Caesarea.

While on his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, suddenly a light from the heavens flashed around him.

And for three days he was unable to see, and took nothing either to eat or to drink.

Now there was at Damascus a disciple named Ananias, to whom, in a vision, the Lord said: "Ananias." "Yes, Lord," he answered.

Instantly it seemed as if a film fell from Saul's eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized,

Saul's influence, however, kept steadily increasing, and he confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by the proofs that he gave that Jesus was the Christ.

On his arrival in Jerusalem, Saul attempted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was really a disciple.

At Jaffa there lived a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which is in Greek 'Dorcas'--a Gazelle. Her life was spent in doing kind and charitable actions.

Just at that time she was taken ill, and died; and they had washed her body and laid it out in an upstairs room.

Jaffa was near Lydda, and the disciples, having heard that Peter was at Lydda, sent two men with the request that he would come on to them without delay.

Peter returned with them at once. On his arrival, he was taken upstairs, and all the widows came round him in tears, showing the coats and other clothing which Dorcas had made while she was among them.

There was then in Caesarea a man named Cornelius, a Captain in the regiment known as the 'Italian Regiment,'

A religious man and one who reverenced God, with all his household. He was liberal in his charities to the people, and prayed to God constantly.

When the angel, who had spoken to him, had gone, Cornelius called two menservants and a religious soldier, who was one of his constant attendants,

He became hungry and wanted something to eat; but while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance,

And saw that the heavens were open, and that something like a great sail was descending, let down by its four corners towards the earth.

Then he was aware of a voice which said-- "Stand up, Peter, kill something, and eat."

Again he was aware of a voice which said-- "What God has pronounced 'clean', do not regard as 'defiled'."

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

While Peter was still perplexed as to the meaning of the vision that he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius, having enquired the way to Simon's house, came up to the gate,

And called out and asked if the Simon, who was also known as Peter, was lodging there.

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

And the day following he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them, and had invited his relations and intimate friends to meet them.

That was why I came, when I was sent for, without raising any objection. And now I ask your reason for sending for me."

"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.

The story, I mean, of Jesus of Nazareth, and how God consecrated him his Christ by enduing him with the Holy Spirit and with power; and how he went about doing good and curing all who were under the power of the Devil, because God was with him.

"I was in the town of Jaffa," he said, "and was praying; and, while in a trance, I saw a vision. There was something like a great sail descending, let down by its four corners out of the heavens; and it came right down to me.

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

Since then, God had given them the very same gift as he gave us when we became believers in Jesus Christ the Master--who was I that I could thwart God?"

The power of the Lord was with them, so that a great number who had learned to believe came over to the Lord's side.

For Barnabas was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith--and a large number of people took their stand on the Lord's side.