But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;

And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them,

and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be 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 under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.

Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”

But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy.

Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this.

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

He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

And 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 say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown;

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 kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

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

But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.

for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter 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 when 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 was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

And after he had been set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son.

On the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?’

But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?

You do not mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’

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

But the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.

“This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush.

This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren.’

This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.

saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what happened to him.’

But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘It was not to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, was it, 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 earth is the footstool of My feet;
What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,
‘Or what place is there for My repose?

“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;

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

They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing.

and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.”

Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

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

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)

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

Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “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 humiliation His judgment was taken away;
Who will relate His generation?
For His life is removed from the earth.”

As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

[And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”]

And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

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

As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching 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 bear 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 hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?”

But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

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

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.

Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.”

And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter;

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

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

Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate;

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

As he talked with him, he entered and *found many people assembled.

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

That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’

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.

The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)—

not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

“Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”

And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;

And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.

Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”

They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.”

Now when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter.

When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper.

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus,

But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him,

Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.

When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about four hundred and fifty years.

And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

“Brethren, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.

that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son; today i have begotten You.’

As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath.

For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles,
That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.’”

When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well,

When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.”

The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.