And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit shall have descended upon you, and shall be witnesses for me not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Upon arriving at the house where they were staying, they went upstairs. [Those present were]: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James, the son of Alpheus, Simon the Zealous [one] and Judas, the son of James. [Note: Judas Iscariot, the twelfth apostle, had already committed suicide].

It was at that time that Peter got up among the brothers??here were about a hundred and twenty persons present??nd said,

For it is written in the Book of Psalms, "Let his estate become forsaken, and he not be living in it." And, "Let another take his overseership."

And when the day of Pentecost came [Note: This was a Jewish festival held fifty days following the Passover Festival. Lev. 23:15-21], they [i.e., the twelve apostles] were all gathered together in one place [i.e., their second story living quarters, 1:13 ?].

And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

And they were all amazed, and much perplexed, and knew not what to think, saying one to another, What can this mean?

But Peter, getting up, with the eleven, said in a loud voice, O men of Judaea, and all you who are living in Jerusalem, take note of this and give ear to my words.

For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

[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].

Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

"As to the patriarch David, I need hardly remind you, brethren, that he died and was buried, and that we still have his tomb among us.

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

For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

Now Peter and John were going to the Temple at three o'clock one afternoon [Note: Jewish time calculations are employed here], during the regular [Jewish] prayer hour.

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.

and they were taking note of him as being 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 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].

“Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance [not fully aware of what you were doing], just as your rulers did also.

And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

Take note, all of you, and all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you put to death on the cross, whom God gave back from the dead, even through him is this man now before you completely well.

and there is not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under the heaven that hath been given among men, in which it behoveth us to be saved.'

Now when they saw that Peter and John were without fear, though they were men of no education or learning, they were greatly surprised; and they took note of them that they had been with Jesus.

And seeing the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in reply.

saying, 'What shall we do to these men? because that, indeed, a notable sign hath been done through them, to all those dwelling in Jerusalem is manifest, and we are not able to deny it;

But that it be not further spread among the people, let us threaten them severely no longer to speak to any man in this name.

And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

For we are not able to refrain from speaking about [the things] that we have seen and heard."

When the rulers and Council members had threatened them further, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because [of their fear] of the people, for they were all praising and glorifying and honoring God for what had happened;

who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David, Your servant, said,

‘Why did the nations (Gentiles) become arrogant and rage,
And the peoples devise futile things [against the Lord]?

There have indeed gathered together in this city against your holy Servant Jesus, whom you has consecrated the Christ, not Herod and Pontius Pilate only, but the nations and the people of Israel besides--

And now, Lord, take note of their cruel words, and give your servants power to be preachers of your word without fear,

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not one of them'said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

for there was not any one among them who did lack, for as many as were possessors of fields, or houses, selling them, were bringing the prices of the thing sold,

And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

He owned a field, but [due to the great need] sold it and brought the money and gave it to the apostles [for distribution].

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.

And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

But none of the rest [of the people, the non-believers] dared to associate with them; however, the people were holding them in high esteem and were speaking highly of them.

did not venture to approach near them. the number of those who believed in the Lord, both men and women, increas'd more and more.

But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,

While they had found the goal barred securely and the guards posted at the doors, yet, on opening them, they had not found any one inside.

Then the captain, having gone with the officers, brought them, not with violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.

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, answering, said, We have to do the orders of God, not of man.

Not long ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about 400 men rallied to him. He was killed, and all his partisans were dispersed and came to nothing.

Later on another man, named Judas of Galilee, appeared during the census [Note: The time and circumstances of this census were probably known to the original readers], and led [a group of] people away after him, but he also was killed and all of his followers were scattered.

And, in this present case, my advice to you is not to interfere with these men, but to let them alone, for, if their designs and their work are merely of human origin, they will come to an end;

but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God.

And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was increasing, protests were made by the Greek Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were not taken care of in the distribution of food every day.

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

So, brothers, select from among you seven men {of good reputation}, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will put in charge of this need.

And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

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

"So, he left Chaldea [Note: This was another name for Mesopotamia], and lived in Haran, and after his father died he was sent [by God] to this country where you people now live.

And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

And God declared that Abraham's posterity should for four hundred years make their home in a country not their own, and be reduced to slavery and be oppressed.

'And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance,

Their bodies were carried back [from Egypt] to Shechem and buried in the tomb that Abraham had purchased in Shechem from the sons of Hamor for a sum of silver. [Note: "Shechem" was a town in Israel, the country which in New Testament times was known as Samaria].

And when the time of the promise which God had sworn to Abraham drew near, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, Till another king arose, who had not known Joseph.

Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.

The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

On the following day, he appeared to them fighting, and undertook to reduce them to peace, saying, Men, you are brethren; therefore do not injure one another.

You do not want to do away with me {the same way} you did away with the Egyptian yesterday, [do you]?'

Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

This Moses, whom they would not have, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? him God sent to be a ruler and a saviour, by the hand of the angel whom he saw in the thorn-tree.

To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

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.

But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'You did not bring offerings and sacrifices to me [for] forty years in the wilderness, [did you], house of Israel?

Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

Hath not my hand made all these things?

Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

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.

Saul wholeheartedly approved of Stephen’s death.

And on that day a great and relentless persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem; and the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

Philip [the evangelist] went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) to them.

who when they were come down prayed for them that they might receive the holy Spirit: (for He was not yet fallen upon any of them,

for he was not yet fallen upon any of them, only they were baptised to the name of the Lord Jesus.

Now when Simon saw that through the placing of the apostles' hands [on people] the Holy Spirit was given [Note: The fact that Simon "saw" something happen suggests it was supernatural and therefore highly desirable by Simon], he offered to pay them money [for this power],

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, to see if you may not be forgiven for thinking of such a thing.

And Simon, answering, said, Make prayer for me to the Lord, so that these things which you have said may not come on me.

So, he went and [eventually] came across a man who was the Ethiopian Queen Candace's treasurer. He was a high official and was also a eunuch [Note: This was a man without normal sexual activity], who had been to Jerusalem to worship [i.e., probably as a Jewish proselyte].

He was returning [to his home in Ethiopia] and was sitting in his chariot [Note: Chariots were stopped on long journeys occasionally for resting, eating, reading, etc.] reading [a scroll of] the prophet Isaiah.

and he said, 'Why, how am I able, if some one may not guide me?' he called Philip also, having come up, to sit with him.

The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

Being of low degree, his cause was not given a hearing: who has knowledge of his family? for his life is cut off from the earth.

And while they were going on their way, they came to some water, and the Ethiopian said, See, here is water; why may I not have baptism?

(Added verse not retained in Sawyer)

And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer, for he went on his way rejoicing.