Rather, this is what was spoken through 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.

After he was arrested according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified this very man and killed him using the hands of lawless men.

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.

"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and that his tomb is among us to 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,

foreseeing this he spake of the resurrection of Christ, when he said, that his soul was not left in the invisible state, nor did his flesh see corruption.

"It was this very Jesus whom God raised and we're all witnesses of that.

at the right hand then of God having been exalted -- also the promise of the Holy Spirit having received from the Father -- he was shedding forth this, which now ye see and hear;

"Therefore, let all the people of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!"

When the crowd that had gathered heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should 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."

Using many different expressions, Peter continued to testify and to plead: "Be saved," he urged them, "from this corrupt 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 have I none; but what I have, this I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazoraen, 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.

You killed the Originator of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses!

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.

And now, brethren, I know that through ignorance ye did this deed, as did also your rulers.

But in this way God fulfilled what He by the lips of all the prophets foretold, that the Christ should suffer.

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

"whom the heavens must receive until the time of restoration of all things. "God spoke of this ages ago, through the mouth of 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, with one united prayer to God they said: "O Lord, you are the Maker of heaven, earth, and sea, and everything that is in them, and the One

"For in this city they actually met against your holy Servant Jesus, whom you had consecrated -- Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the heathen and the peoples of Israel,

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

In this way Joseph, whom the apostles called Barnabas ("Son of Encouragement" is what it means), who was a native 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, Give me an answer: was this amount of money the price of the land? And she said, Yes, it was.

And great fear seized the whole church and everyone else who heard about this.

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 aroused bitter indignation among the high priest and his followers who were of the sect of the Sadducees,

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

After the apostles heard this, they went into the Temple at daybreak and began to teach. The high priest and those who were with him arrived, called the Council and all the elders of Israel together, and sent word to the prison to have the men brought in.

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.

On this the officer went off with his men and fetched them, not, however, by force, for they were afraid that the people would stone them.

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.

To this Peter and the Apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men.

God has exalted to His right hand this very One as our Leader and Saviour, in order to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

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

When they heard this, they were furious, and wanted to kill 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.

This suggestion was approved by the whole body, and so they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Procorus, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, who was a convert to Judaism.

Then they instigated some to say, "We have heard him speaking blasphemy against Moses and against God;" and in this way they excited the people.

By this means they excited the people, the elders, and the scribes, and so they rushed upon him, seized him, and brought him before the council.

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 Jesus of Nazareth will tear this place down, and change the customs which Moses handed down to us."

Then the high priest asked, "Is this true?"

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.

But God further promised: 'I will pass sentence on the nation that enslaves them, and after that they will leave that country and worship me on this very spot.'

"Then he gave him a covenant of circumcision, and under this covenant he became the father of Isaac, whom he circumcised on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve 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;

At this time Moses was born. He was a divinely beautiful child. For three months he was cared for in his father's house.

for he supposed his brethren would have perceiv'd by this, that God design'd to make him the instrument of their deliverance; but they did not perceive it.

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

Moses was astonished at this vision: and as he drew near to observe it, he heard the voice of the Lord, which said to him,

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 one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of 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 they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to this idol, and began to rejoice over what they had made with their hands.

This tent our forefathers brought in and passed on when under Joshua they dispossessed the nations which God drove out before them, and it remained until the time of David.

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

Did not my hand make this universe?

As they continued to listen to this address, they were becoming infuriated and began to grind their teeth at him.

At this, with a loud shout, they stopped their ears and all rushed upon him, forced him outside the city,

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.