After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.

While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them.

When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying:

Peter, John,
James, Andrew,
Philip, Thomas,
Bartholomew, Matthew,
James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon the Zealot,
and Judas the son of James.

All these were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.

During these days Peter stood up among the brothers—the number of people who were together was about 120—and said:

When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.

Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying.

And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.

There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.

And they were astounded and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?

They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What could this be?”

When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?”

So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them.

Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.

Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.

praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.

Now Peter and John were going up together to the temple complex at the hour of prayer at three in the afternoon.

and they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple complex. So they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.

Now as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them,

because they were provoked that they were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead, using Jesus as the example.

When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.

After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them, because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done;

After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message with boldness.

Now the large group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.

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

For there was not a needy person among them, because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. By common consent they would all meet in Solomon’s Colonnade.

Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—crowds of both men and women.

In addition, a large group came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Then the high priest took action. He and all his colleagues, those who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.

In obedience to this, they entered the temple complex at daybreak and began to teach.

When the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full Senate of the sons of Israel—and sent orders to the jail to have them brought.

As the commander of the temple police and the chief priests heard these things, they were baffled about them, as to what could come of this.

Then the commander went with the temple police and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them.

When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.

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.

After this man, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and attracted a following. That man also perished, and all his partisans were scattered.

but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” So they were persuaded by him.

Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonored on behalf of the Name.

In those days, as the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.

But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

were carried back to Shechem, and were placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

The next day he showed up while they were fighting and tried to reconcile them peacefully, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’

Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him away, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

They even made a calf in those days, offered sacrifice to the idol, and were celebrating what their hands had made.

When they heard these things, they were enraged in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him.

They were stoning Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

Saul agreed with putting him to death.

On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.

So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news.

For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

They were attentive to him because he had astounded them with his sorceries for a long time.

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

Then even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he went around constantly with Philip and was astounded as he observed the signs and great miracles that were being performed.

When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had welcomed God’s message, they sent Peter and John to them.

As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water! What would keep me from being baptized?”

The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one.

Then Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.

So Ananias left and entered the house. Then he placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you can regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

But all who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man who, in Jerusalem, was destroying those who called on this name and then came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

but their plot became known to Saul. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him,

When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, since they did not believe he was a disciple.

The next day, as they were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the housetop about noon.

Then he became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing something, he went into a visionary state.

In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky.

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the Devil, because God was with Him.

The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had welcomed God’s message also.

At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were.

But there were some of them, Cypriot and Cyrenian men, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.

for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And large numbers of people were added to the Lord.

and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many had assembled and were praying.

Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astounded.

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

As they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them to.”

Look, you scoffers,
marvel and vanish away,
because I am doing a work in your days,
a work that you will never believe,
even if someone were to explain it to you.”

As they were leaving, the people begged that these matters be presented to them the following Sabbath.

After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and persuading them to continue in the grace of God.

But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to oppose what Paul was saying by insulting him.

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

But the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and some with the apostles.

When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.

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

After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch teaching and proclaiming the message of the Lord.

After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers in every town where we have preached the message of the Lord and see how they’re doing.” Barnabas wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul did not think it appropriate to take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. There was such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus. Then Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers. He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Paul wanted Timothy to go with him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek.

So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily.

They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia and were prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia.

After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Once, as we were on our way to prayer, a slave girl met us who had a spirit of prediction. She made a large profit for her owners by fortune-telling.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose.

He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized.

Then the police reported these words to the magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

Then some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a great number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women.

The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

However, some men joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

and being of the same occupation, stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.

Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed the Lord, along with his whole household. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.