But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

[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].

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through Him, 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;

King David said this about Jesus [Psa. 16:8ff], 'I always see the Lord in front of me, He is at my right side for protection;

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

because you [i.e., God] will not allow my soul [i.e., this is a reference to Jesus] to remain in Hades [i.e., the unseen place of the departed spirits], neither will you allow [the body of] your Holy One to decay.

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

that, as he was a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him, to place the fruit of his loins upon his throne: foreseeing this,

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified.

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?

For this promise belongs to you and your children, as well as to all those who are distant, whom the Lord our God may call to himself."

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

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

This man used to be set down every day at the gate of the Temple called 'the Beautiful Gate,' to beg of those who went in.

This man, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked charity.

But Peter said, Silver and gold I have not; but what I have, this give I to thee: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazaraean rise up and walk.

they were knowing him also that this it was who for a kindness was sitting at the Beautiful gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what hath happened to him.

And as this [former] crippled man stayed close beside Peter and John, all the people rushed toward them at "Solomon's Portico" [Note: This was a large covered area, with rows of columns, on the side of the Temple enclosure], completely astonished [at what had happened].

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?

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant and Son Jesus [doing Him this honor], the One whom you handed over and disowned and rejected before Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.

But you killed the Prince (Author, Originator, Source) of life, whom God raised [bodily] from the dead. To this [fact] we are witnesses [for we have seen the risen Christ].

And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

"Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

But [the things] which God foretold through the mouth of all the prophets, [that] his Christ would suffer, he has fulfilled in this way.

And [also] that God may send Christ [to you], the One whom He has appointed for your [benefit]. This [is] Jesus,

This one heaven must receive until the time all things are restored, which God declared from times long ago through his holy prophets.

Any soul that will not listen to this prophet shall be exterminated from the People;

Yes, and all the Prophets, from Samuel onwards--all who have spoken--have also announced the coming of this present time.

You [Jews] were the first ones to receive this blessing when God raised up [i.e., selected] His Servant [i.e., Jesus] and sent Him to turn all of you [away] from your sins."

While they were saying this to the people, the Priests, the Commander of the Temple Guard, and the Sadducees came upon them,

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

On this, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke as follows: "Leaders of the people and Councillors,

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

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

And because they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against this.

But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

When they heard this, they all raised their voices to God and said, “Master, You are the One who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.

for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together,

and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed for each person’s basic needs.

In this way Joseph, whom the Apostles gave the name of Bar-nabas--signifying 'Son of Encouragement' --a Levite, a native of Cyprus,

and brought [only] a part of the selling price and gave it to the apostles; but the man and his wife had kept this a secret.

"Ananias," said Peter, "why has Satan taken possession of your heart, that you should try to deceive the Holy Spirit and dishonestly keep back part of the price paid you for this land?

Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and expired. (Great awe came over all who heard of it.)

And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you [both] were paid this much [for] the piece of land." And she said, "Yes, this much."

This incident struck terror into the whole Church, and into the hearts of all who heard of it.

Besides this, the inhabitants of the towns round Jerusalem flocked into the city, bringing with them their sick and those who were troubled by foul spirits; and they were cured every one.

This roused the High Priest. He and all his party--the sect of the Sadducees--were filled with angry jealousy

Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

And when they heard this , they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison-house to have them brought.

but the officers who went there not finding them in the prison, returned, and made this report,

Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

Upon this the Commander went with the officers, and brought the Apostles; but without using violence; for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

But Peter and the apostles answered them, "We must obey God instead of [you] men [in this situation].

this one God, a Prince and a Saviour, hath exalted with His right hand, to give reformation to Israel, and forgiveness of sins;

And we are witness to the truth of this, and so is the Holy Spirit--the gift of God to those who obey him."

But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and minded to slay them.

For before this there was Theudas, who said he was someone important, to whom about four hundred men gave their support: he was put to death, and his band was broken up and came to nothing.

After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:

Then they went rejoicing from the presence of the sanhedrim, that for his name's sake, they had been counted worthy to suffer this injurious treatment.

Now about this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, a complaint was made by the Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) against the [native] Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

And this saying was pleasing to all of them: and they made selection of Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicolas of Antioch, who had become a Jew:

Then [to attack him another way] they secretly instructed men to say, “We have heard this man [Stephen] speak blasphemous (slanderous, sacrilegious, abusive) words against Moses and against God.”

In this way they excited the people, the Elders, and the Scribes. At length they came upon him, seized him with violence, and took him before the Sanhedrin.

And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

“Is this true?” the high priest asked.

Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

But he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not a single square yard of ground. And yet He promised to bestow the land as a permanent possession on him and his posterity after him--and promised this at a time when Abraham was childless.

And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision. After this, he fathered Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; Isaac did the same with Jacob, and Jacob with the 12 patriarchs.

after this, Joseph sent to invite his father Jacob to come with all his kindred, being threescore and fifteen persons.

Till another king arose, who knew not Joseph. This king formed crafty schemes against our nation,

this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live;

It was at this [critical] time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and for three months he was nourished in his father’s house.

He supposed his brethren to be aware that by him God was sending them deliverance; this, however, they did not understand.

Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

When Moses saw this he wondered at the sight; but on his going up to look further, the voice of the Lord was heard, saying,

This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

This man led them forth, having wrought wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

And so the people fashioned a calf [out of gold] and offered [an animal] sacrifice to this idol and [then] celebrated joyously over what they had done [See Exodus 32:4-6; 17-19].

Our fathers also brought it in [with them into the land] with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations whom God drove out before our fathers, [and so it remained here] until the time of David,

But [eventually] it was Solomon who [actually] built this house [for God].

Did not My hand form this universe.'

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.

Upon this, with a loud outcry they stopped their ears, rushed upon Stephen in a body,

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.