And all who believed were in the same [place], and had everything in common.

And every day, devoting themselves [to meeting] with one purpose in the temple [courts] and breaking bread from house [to house], they were eating [their] food with joy and simplicity of heart,

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding every day to the total [of] those who were being saved.

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth [hour].

And a certain man was being carried who was lame {from birth}. {He} was placed every day at the gate of the temple called "Beautiful," [so that he] could ask for charitable gifts from those who were going into the temple [courts].

And taking hold of him by the right hand, he raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.

And they recognized him, that this one was the one who used to sit [asking] for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.

And [while] they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees approached them,

greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all those who were from the high priest's family.

Now [when they] saw the boldness of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were astonished, and recognized them, that they had been with Jesus.

So [after] threatening [them] further, they released them, finding no way to punish them on account of the people, because they were all praising God for what had happened.

And [when they] were released, they went to their own [people] and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

And [when] they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Now the group of those who believed were one heart and soul, and no one said anything of what belonged to him was his own, but all [things] were theirs in common.

And with great power the apostles were giving testimony [to] the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all.

For there was not even anyone needy among them, because all those who were owners of plots of land or houses were selling [them] [and] bringing the proceeds of the things that were sold

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."

Now many signs and wonders were being performed among the people through the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico.

And even more believers in the Lord were being added, large numbers of both men and women,

And the people of the towns around Jerusalem also came together, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, who were all being healed.

Now the high priest rose up and all those [who were] with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), [and] they were filled with jealousy.

Now when both the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed concerning them, [as to] what this might be.

Then the captain went with the officers [and] brought them, not with force (for they were afraid of the people, lest they be stoned [by them]).

Now [when] they heard [this], they were infuriated, and were wanting to execute them.

For before these days, Theudas rose up saying he was somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined {him}. {He} was executed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.

After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and {caused people to follow him in revolt}. And that one perished, and all who followed him were scattered.

But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them, lest you even be found fighting against God." So they were persuaded by him.

Now in these days, [as] the disciples were increasing [in number], a complaint arose by the {Greek-speaking Jews} against the {Hebraic Jews} because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution [of food].

And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.

And [as they] looked intently at him, all those who were sitting in the Sanhedrin saw his face [was] like the face of an angel.

And the patriarchs, [because they] were jealous of Joseph, sold [him] into Egypt. And God was with him,

And they were brought back to Shechem and buried in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

And on the following day, he made an appearance to them [while they] were fighting and was attempting to reconcile them in peace, saying, 'Men [and] brothers, why are you doing wrong to one another?'

to whom our fathers were not willing to become obedient, but rejected [him] and turned [back] in their hearts to Egypt,

Now [when they] heard these [things], they were infuriated in their hearts and gnashed [their] teeth at him.

And Saul was agreeing with his murder. Now there happened on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was being said by Philip, [as] they heard [him] and saw the signs that he was performing.

For many of those who had unclean spirits, they were coming out [of them], crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

They were all paying attention to {him}, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called 'Great.'"

And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with [his] magic.

But when they believed Philip [as he] was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized.

And Simon himself also believed, and [after he] was baptized he was {keeping close company with} Philip. And [when he] saw the signs and great miracles that were taking place, he was astonished.

So [when] they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they turned back toward Jerusalem, and were proclaiming the good news [to] many villages of the Samaritans.

And as they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"

[and] asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he could bring [them] tied up to Jerusalem.

(Now the men who were traveling together with him stood speechless, [because they] heard the voice but saw no one.)

So Saul got up from the ground, but [although] his eyes were open he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, they brought [him] into Damascus.

And all who heard [him] were amazed, and were saying, "Is this not the one who was wreaking havoc in Jerusalem [on] those who call upon this name, and had come here for this [reason], that he could bring them tied up to the chief priests?"

But their plot became known to Saul, and they were also watching the gates both day and night so that they could do away with him.

And [when he] arrived in Jerusalem, he was attempting to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, [because they] did not believe that he was a disciple.

And he was speaking and debating with the {Greek-speaking Jews}, but they were trying to do away with him.

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

And he became hungry and wanted to eat. But [while] they were preparing [the food], a trance came over him.

in which were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the sky.

Therefore I sent for you at once, and you {were kind enough to come}. So now we all are present before God to hear all the things that have been commanded to you by the Lord."

Jesus of Nazareth--how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.

[While] Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message.

And those believers from the circumcision who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles,

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had accepted the word of God.

saying, "You went to men {who were uncircumcised} and ate with them!"

And behold, at once three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea approached the house in which we were [staying].

But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, [when they] came to Antioch, began to speak to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.

because he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large number were added to the Lord.

And [when he] found [him], he brought [him] to Antioch. And it happened to them also [that they] met together [for] a whole year with the church and taught a large number [of people]. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

Now when Herod was about to bring him [out], on that [very] night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards before the door were watching the prison.

And [when he] realized [this], he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John (who is also called Mark), where many [people] were gathered together and were praying.

But Peter was continuing to knock, and [when they] opened [the door] they saw him and were astonished.

Now there were prophets and teachers in Antioch in the church that was there: Barnabas, and Simeon (who was called Niger), and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.

And [while] they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart now for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

And when they had carried out all the things that were written about him, they took [him] down from the tree [and] placed [him] in a tomb.

"Therefore let it be known to you, men [and] brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all [the things] from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses,

'Look, you scoffers, and be astonished and perish! For I am doing a work in your days, a work that you would never believe [even] if someone were to tell [it] to you.'"

And [as] they were going out, they began urging [that] these things be spoken about to them on the next Sabbath.

And [after] the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them [and] were persuading them to continue in the grace of God.

But [when] the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and began contradicting what was being said by Paul [by] reviling [him].

And [when] the Gentiles heard [this], they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of the Lord. And all those who were designated for eternal life believed.

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

But the Jews who were disobedient stirred up and {poisoned the minds} of the Gentiles against the brothers.

But the population of the city was divided, and {some} were with the Jews {and some} with the apostles.

And there they were continuing to proclaim the good news.

So they were sent on their way by the church, [and] passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, telling in detail the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

And [when they] arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and reported all that God had done with them.

Then it seemed best to the apostles and the elders, together with the whole church, to send men chosen from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas--Judas who was called Barsabbas and Silas, men [who were] leaders among the brothers--

So [when] they were sent off, they came down to Antioch, and [after] calling together the community, they delivered the letter.

Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers by a long message.

And [after] spending [some] time, they were sent away in peace from the brothers to those who had sent them.

Paul wanted this one to go with him, and he took [him] [and] circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for [they] all knew that his father was Greek.

And as they went through the towns, they passed on to them to observe the rules that had been decided by the apostles and elders [who were] in Jerusalem.

So the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were growing in number every day.

and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city [of that] district of Macedonia, a [Roman] colony. And we were staying in this city for some days.

And it happened that [as] we were going to the place of prayer, a certain female slave who had a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing a large profit to her owners [by] fortune-telling.

Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying [and] singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and all the bonds were unfastened.

So the police officers reported these words to the chief magistrates, and they were afraid [when they] heard that they were Roman citizens.

And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, and [also] a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few of the prominent women.

But the Jews were filled with jealousy and, taking along some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace and forming a mob, threw the city into an uproar. And attacking Jason's house, they were looking for them to bring [them] out to the popular assembly.

Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. {They} accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures every day [to see] if these [things] were so.

And even some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, and some were saying, "What does this babbler want to say?" But [others said], "He appears to be a proclaimer of foreign deities," because he was proclaiming the good news [about] Jesus and the resurrection.

But some people joined him [and] believed, among whom also [were] Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman {named} Damaris and others with them.