When it was already very early morning, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

He told them, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they threw the net, and were not able to pull it in because of the large number of fish.

Meanwhile the other disciples came with the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards.

So Simon Peter went aboard and pulled the net to shore. It was full of large fish, one hundred fifty-three, but although there were so many, the net was not torn.

"Come, have breakfast," Jesus said. But none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord.

I tell you the solemn truth, when you were young, you tied your clothes around you and went wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will tie you up and bring you where you do not want to go."

So the saying circulated among the brothers and sisters that this disciple was not going to die. But Jesus did not say to him that he was not going to die, but rather, "If I want him to live until I come back, what concern is that of yours?"

While he was with them, he declared, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait there for what my Father promised, which you heard about from me.

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

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth."

But others jeered at the speakers, saying, "They are drunk on new wine!"

But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: "You men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this and listen carefully to what I say.

But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel:

But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power.

For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says, 'The Lord said to my lord, "Sit at my right hand

So the lame man paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.

But Peter said, "I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!"

But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a man who was a murderer be released to you.

But the things God foretold long ago through all the prophets -- that his Christ would suffer -- he has fulfilled in this way.

So they seized them and put them in jail until the next day (for it was already evening).

But many of those who had listened to the message believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

But when they had ordered them to go outside the council, they began to confer with one another,

But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name."

But Peter and John replied, "Whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God, you decide,

The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common.

But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land?

Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God!"

After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, but she did not know what had happened.

Peter said to her, "Tell me, were the two of you paid this amount for the land?" Sapphira said, "Yes, that much."

None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high honor.

Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets, and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them.

They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail.

But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said,

But the officers who came for them did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,

"We found the jail locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside."

But someone came and reported to them, "Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts and teaching the people!"

But Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than people.

But a Pharisee whose name was Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up in the council and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time.

but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, or you may even be found fighting against God." He convinced them,

But carefully select from among you, brothers, seven men who are well-attested, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this necessary task.

But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

But some men from the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen.

But God spoke as follows: 'Your descendants will be foreigners in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years.

But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,' said God, 'and after these things they will come out of there and worship me in this place.'

The patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt. But God was with him,

and their bones were later moved to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a certain sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

"But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, the people increased greatly in number in Egypt,

But when he was about forty years old, it entered his mind to visit his fellow countrymen the Israelites.

He thought his own people would understand that God was delivering them through him, but they did not understand.

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

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

Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him aside and turned back to Egypt in their hearts,

But God turned away from them and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'It was not to me that you offered slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, was it, house of Israel?

But you took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of the god Rephan, the images you made to worship, but I will deport you beyond Babylon.'

But Solomon built a house for him.

You received the law by decrees given by angels, but you did not obey it."

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

But they covered their ears, shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent.

But Saul was trying to destroy the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

All the people, from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called 'Great.'"

And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic.

But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.

(For the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire God's gift with money!

But Simon replied, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen to me."

Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but went on his way rejoicing.

But stand up and enter the city and you will be told what you must do."

(Now the men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, because they heard the voice but saw no one.)

So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, he could see nothing. Leading him by the hand, his companions brought him into Damascus.

But Ananias replied, "Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem,

But the Lord said to him, "Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel.

But Saul became more and more capable, and was causing consternation among the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

but Saul learned of their plot against him. They were also watching the city gates day and night so that they could kill him.

But his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall by lowering him in a basket.

But Barnabas took Saul, brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.

He was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews, but they were trying to kill him.

Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Get up and make your own bed!" And immediately he got up.

But Peter sent them all outside, knelt down, and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, get up." Then she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, a trance came over him.

But Peter said, "Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and ritually unclean!"

But get up, go down, and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them."

But Peter helped him up, saying, "Stand up. I too am a mere mortal."

but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him.

but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen,

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

But Peter began and explained it to them point by point, saying,

But I said, 'Certainly not, Lord, for nothing defiled or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth!'

But the voice replied a second time from heaven, 'What God has made clean, you must not consider ritually unclean!'

And I remembered the word of the Lord, as he used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one but Jews.

But there were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene among them who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus.

When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly praying to God for him.

The angel said to him, "Fasten your belt and put on your sandals." Peter did so. Then the angel said to him, "Put on your cloak and follow me."

Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she did not open the gate, but ran back in and told them that Peter was standing at the gate.

But they said to her, "You've lost your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was Peter, and they kept saying, "It is his angel!"

On a day determined in advance, Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the judgment seat, and made a speech to them.

But the crowd began to shout, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!"

But the word of God kept on increasing and multiplying.