Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from usone of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection."

And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And how is it that we hear them, each of us in his own native language?

Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day;

but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know

For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always before me; for he is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.

"Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call to himself."

and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as anyone had need.

And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to beg alms of those who entered the temple.

And Peter, along with John, directed his gaze at him, and said, "Look at us."

and they recognized him as the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

And when Peter saw this he addressed the people, "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?

And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,

if we are being examined today for a good deed done to a cripple, as to how this man has been healed,

He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which has become the chief cornerstone.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

saying, "What shall we do with these men? For that a noteworthy miracle has been performed through them is apparent to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any one in this name."

But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge;

And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God together and said, "Sovereign Lord, it is you who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them,

and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."

Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together 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."

so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, so that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.

But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and they were filled with jealousy.

saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us."

God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will fail;

but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God."

And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not right for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen.

for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses handed down to us."

But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even though he had no child, he promised that he would give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him.

"But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt

and when he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

On the following day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong each other?'

But the man who was wronging his neighbor pushed him aside, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'

When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord:

And the Lord said to him, 'Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

This Moses whom they rejected, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' is the one God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren.'

This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to us.

saying to Aaron, 'Make for us gods who will go before us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egyptwe do not know what has happened to him.'

But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'Did you offer to me slain beasts and sacrifices, forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

"Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern which he had seen.

However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:

'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?

"You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. You are doing just as your fathers did.

you who received the law as delivered by angels, and yet did not keep it."

And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

and they all, from the least to the greatest, gave attention to him, saying, "This man is what is called the Great Power of God."

But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert road.

and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

So Philip ran up to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth.

In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken up from the earth."

And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?"

But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,

But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

And immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God."

All those who heard him were amazed, and said, "Is this not he who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?"

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Now as Peter went through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was full of good works and acts of charity.

Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, "Please come to us without delay."

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort,

And he stared at him in terror, and said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

Now send men to Joppa, and bring a man named Simon who is called Peter;

he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea."

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

But Peter said, "No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."

Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, appeared at the gate.

They called out, asking whether Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

Peter went down to the men and said, "Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason you have come?"

They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house, and to hear what you have to say."

As he talked with him, he went in and found many people assembled.

And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; but God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.'

And opening his mouth, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,

but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is welcome to him.

You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all).

not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

"Can anyone refuse the water for these people to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"

And he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is also called Peter;

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning.

So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could oppose God?"