At that time the disciples being assembled, to the number of about an hundred and twenty, Peter rose up in the midst of them,

and said, men and brethren, the prediction which the holy ghost made, by the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was guide to those that seiz'd Jesus, must have been accomplished.

a fact so generally known to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that they called the field in their tongue, Aceldema, that is to say, the field of blood.

wherefore of those who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus convers'd among us,

that he may be admitted to this apostolick ministry which Judas abandoned, to go to his own place."

when all of a sudden there came a sound from heaven, like that of an impetuous wind, which filled all the house where they were.

how comes it then that we hear every man talking in our own native tongue?

But Peter standing up with the eleven, and raising his voice, said to them, ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known to you, and observe what I say.

the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and illustrious day of the Lord shall come.

having delivered him from the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be overpower'd by it.

for David says concerning him, "I had the Lord always present before me, he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.

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 spoke of the resurrection of Christ, when he said, "that his soul was not lest in the grave, neither did his body undergo corruption."'

therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the father the promise of the holy spirit, he has diffused that spirit, the effects of which ye now see and hear.

therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

for the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

and with many other discourses did he conjure and exhort them, to save themselves from that depraved generation.

then they that embraced his doctrine, were baptized: and there were about three thousand converts made that very day.

All that believed were united together, and had all things in common,

so that they sold their possessions and goods, and distributed the money to every one as his occasions required.

they were carrying a man who had been lame from his birth, one whom they daily laid at the gate of the temple called, Beauty-gate, to ask alms of those that pass'd into the temple.

so that he fell a leaping, and walking, and entred with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

but ye renounced him that was holy and just; you interceeded for the life of a murderer,

it is the faith which we have in him, that has procured strength to this man 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 it was through ignorance, that both you and your rulers, have acted thus.

but thus it is that God has accomplished what he had foretold by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer.

repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshment shall come from the presence of the Lord, who shall send Jesus Christ,

and whoever he be that will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."

afterwards Samuel and all that prophesied after him, have likewise foretold these times.

it is to you that God first of all sent his son Jesus, having raised him up to bless you, provided you all renounce your iniquities.

being displeas'd that they taught the people, and maintain'd the resurrection from the dead in the person of Jesus.

and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you entirely recover'd.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were illiterate, and of the lower rank of men, they were surpriz'd; but tho' they knew that they had been Jesus's disciples,

saying, what shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

but to prevent its spreading any further among the people, let us charge them with threats not to speak for the future to any man in that name.

so when they had further threatned them, they let them go, not finding it practicable to punish them, because of the people, who all glorified God for that which was done.

As soon as they were discharg'd, they went to their brethren, and reported all that the chief priests and senators had said to them:

at the relation of which they unanimously lift up their voice to God, and said, Lord, thou art the God who hast made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is therein:

for it was truly against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, that Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, united themselves in this city,

among the rest one Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (that is to say, the son of consolation) a Levite, and a native of Cyprus,

at these words Ananias fell down dead upon the spot: which struck the minds of all that heard of it with great dread.

then Peter said to her, how comes it that you have conspir'd together, to tempt the spirit of the Lord? see there at the door the men that are come from burying thy husband, and they shall carry thee out likewise.

which affected the whole assembly, and all that heard of it with great dread.

insomuch that they brought the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least, the shadow of Peter might cover some of them, as he pass'd by.

Then the high priest, and all that accompanied him, who were of the sect of the Sadducees, being filled with indignation,

when they heard that, they entred into the temple early in the morning, and taught. in the mean time, the high priest, and those of his party, being arrived at the council-chamber, summon'd all the Jewish senate to meet, and sent to the prison to bring the apostles before them.

and we are his witnesses in what we say, and so is the holy spirit, whom God hath given to those that obey him.

When they heard that, they were so enraged, they consulted to take away their lives.

full of joy, that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.

At that time, as the number of the disciples was multiplied, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the distribution that was made daily.

the twelve therefore assembled all the disciples, and said, it is not fit that we should leave the word of God, to mind what relates to your meals.

but as they were not able to withstand the force of that sublime knowledge which appeared in his discourse,

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

and all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw an air of majesty in his aspect.

God declar'd likewise, "that his posterity should sojourn in a strange land, where they should be enslaved and abused 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."

in the mean time a famine spread over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, so that our fathers did not know where to get provisions.

and were transported to Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

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.

the next day seeing some that were fighting, he would have persuaded them to agree, saying, sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye injure one another?

but he that did his neighbour the injury repelled Moses, saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

this Moses whom they refused, saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge? the very same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hands of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.

this is that Moses who said to 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."

'twas he that was in the assembly with our fathers in the wilderness, and with the angel that spoke to him on mount Sina: and delivered the oracles to him by word of mouth for our use.

then God left them, and abandon'd them to the worship of the celestial army; as it is written in the book of the prophets, "O ye house of Israel, is it to me that ye have offered victims, and sacrifices, for the space of forty years in the wilderness?

our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, ordering Moses to make it according to the model that he had seen.

it was Solomon however that built him a temple.

was there ever any prophet whom your fathers did not persecute? have they not slain those who predicted the coming of that just person whom you have so lately betrayed and murder'd?

and Saul was accessory to his death. At that time the persecution was so violent against the church at Jerusalem, they were all dispers'd through the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles,

but they that were dispers'd, preach'd the gospel wherever they went.

for the impure spirits, with great outcries, came out of many that were possessed: many paralytic, and lame people were cured.

which caused great joy in that city.

One Simon was then resident in that place, who pretended to be something extra-ordinary, and by his magical practices had so enchanted the people of Samaria,

that they all followed him, both old and young. this man, said they, is the plenipotentiary of God.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem, heard that the Samaritans had embraced the word of God, they sent Peter and John,

who upon their arrival, prayed for them that they might receive the holy spirit.

when Simon saw that the holy spirit was given by imposition of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money, saying,

give me too this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the holy spirit.

but Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee, for thinking that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Simon answered, do you pray to the Lord for me, that nothing like what you mention may befall me.

Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, arise, and go toward the south, by the way that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza, in the desart.

[and Philip said, if you believe with all your heart, you may. and he answered, I do believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God.]

when they were come out of the water, the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he pursued his way with joy.

went to the high priest, and demanded letters for the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any of this sect, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

at length Saul rose from the ground; and when he opened his eyes, he could not see: so that they led him by the hand, and brought him to Damascus,

(at that very instant Saul saw in a vision the said Ananias come in, and put his hand on him, to restore his sight.)

then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many that this man has done a world of mischief to thy saints at Jerusalem: he is now here,

and is impower'd by the chief priests, to imprison all that make profession of thy name.

Ananias therefore departed, and being arrived at the house, he put his hands on Saul, and said, brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus that appeared to you on your journey hither, hath sent me, that you might obtain your sight, and be filled with the holy spirit.

Immediately he maintained in the synagogues, that Jesus was the son of God.

the audience were all amazed, and said, is not this he that persecuted the professors of this doctrine at Jerusalem, and came here on purpose to carry them prisoners to the chief priests?

however Saul still gain'd ground, and confounded the Jews of Damascus, proving that Jesus was the Messias.

when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he try'd to associate himself with the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and could not be persuaded that he was a disciple.

now as Peter was making a general visitation, he went to Lydda to see the converts in that city,

and all that dwelt at Lydda, and Saron, saw him, and became converts to the Lord.

At Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, that is in Greek, Dorcas: this woman was very active in all the offices of benevolence and charity.

she happen'd to fall sick at that time, and died: after they had bath'd her body, they laid her out in an upper chamber.

as Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples having heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him to desire he would come to them without delay.

so that Peter staid there a considerable time with one Simon a tanner.

As soon as the angel that spoke to Cornelius was departed, he called two of his domesticks, and a devout soldier, one of those that were in waiting: