19:21 Now after all these things had taken place, 1 Paul resolved 2 to go to Jerusalem, 3 passing through Macedonia 4 and Achaia. 5 He said, 6 “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 7
1:1 I wrote 11 the former 12 account, 13 Theophilus, 14 about all that Jesus began to do and teach 1:2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, 15 after he had given orders 16 by 17 the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 1:3 To the same apostles 18 also, after his suffering, 19 he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day period 20 and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God. 1:4 While he was with them, 21 he declared, 22 “Do not leave Jerusalem, 23 but wait there 24 for what my 25 Father promised, 26 which you heard about from me. 27 1:5 For 28 John baptized with water, but you 29 will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
1:6 So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him, 30 “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 1:7 He told them, “You are not permitted to know 31 the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts 32 of the earth.” 1:9 After 33 he had said this, while they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud hid him from their sight. 1:10 As 34 they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly 35 two men in white clothing stood near them 1:11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here 36 looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven 37 will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.”
1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem 38 from the mountain 39 called the Mount of Olives 40 (which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey 41 away). 1:13 When 42 they had entered Jerusalem, 43 they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter 44 and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James were there. 45 1:14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 46 1:15 In those days 47 Peter stood up among the believers 48 (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty people) and said, 1:16 “Brothers, 49 the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through 50 David concerning Judas – who became the guide for those who arrested Jesus – 1:17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.” 51 1:18 (Now this man Judas 52 acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, 53 and falling headfirst 54 he burst open in the middle and all his intestines 55 gushed out. 1:19 This 56 became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language 57 they called that field 58 Hakeldama, that is, “Field of Blood.”) 1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his house become deserted, 59 and let there be no one to live in it,’ 60 and ‘Let another take his position of responsibility.’ 61 1:21 Thus one of the men 62 who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with 63 us, 1:22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day he 64 was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us.” 1:23 So they 65 proposed two candidates: 66 Joseph called Barsabbas (also called Justus) and Matthias. 1:24 Then they prayed, 67 “Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 1:25 to assume the task 68 of this service 69 and apostleship from which Judas turned aside 70 to go to his own place.” 71 1:26 Then 72 they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias; 73 so he was counted with the eleven apostles. 74
2:1 Now 75 when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2:2 Suddenly 76 a sound 77 like a violent wind blowing 78 came from heaven 79 and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 2:3 And tongues spreading out like a fire 80 appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 2:4 All 81 of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages 82 as the Spirit enabled them. 83
2:5 Now there were devout Jews 84 from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. 85 2:6 When this sound 86 occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, 87 because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 2:7 Completely baffled, they said, 88 “Aren’t 89 all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them 90 in our own native language? 91 2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, 92 2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, 93 and visitors from Rome, 94 2:11 both Jews and proselytes, 95 Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” 96 2:12 All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 2:13 But others jeered at the speakers, 97 saying, “They are drunk on new wine!” 98
2:14 But Peter stood up 99 with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea 100 and all you who live in Jerusalem, 101 know this 102 and listen carefully to what I say. 2:15 In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, 103 for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 104 2:16 But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel: 105
2:17 ‘And in the last days 106 it will be,’ God says,
‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, 107
and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
and your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
2:18 Even on my servants, 108 both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 109
2:19 And I will perform wonders in the sky 110 above
and miraculous signs 111 on the earth below,
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
2:20 The sun will be changed to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and glorious 112 day of the Lord comes.
2:21 And then 113 everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 114
2:22 “Men of Israel, 115 listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, 116 wonders, and miraculous signs 117 that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know – 2:23 this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed 118 by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. 119 2:24 But God raised him up, 120 having released 121 him from the pains 122 of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. 123 2:25 For David says about him,
‘I saw the Lord always in front of me, 124
for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.
2:26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced;
my body 125 also will live in hope,
2:27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades, 126
nor permit your Holy One to experience 127 decay.
2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of joy with your presence.’ 128
2:29 “Brothers, 129 I can speak confidently 130 to you about our forefather 131 David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 2:30 So then, because 132 he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants 133 on his throne, 134 2:31 David by foreseeing this 135 spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, 136 that he was neither abandoned to Hades, 137 nor did his body 138 experience 139 decay. 140 2:32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. 141 2:33 So then, exalted 142 to the right hand 143 of God, and having received 144 the promise of the Holy Spirit 145 from the Father, he has poured out 146 what you both see and hear. 2:34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,
‘The Lord said to my lord,
“Sit 147 at my right hand
2:35 until I make your enemies a footstool 148 for your feet.”’ 149
2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt 150 that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified 151 both Lord 152 and Christ.” 153
2:37 Now when they heard this, 154 they were acutely distressed 155 and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do, brothers?” 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized 156 in the name of Jesus Christ 157 for 158 the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 159 2:39 For the promise 160 is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 2:40 With many other words he testified 161 and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse 162 generation!” 2:41 So those who accepted 163 his message 164 were baptized, and that day about three thousand people 165 were added. 166
2:42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, 167 to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 168 2:43 Reverential awe 169 came over everyone, 170 and many wonders and miraculous signs 171 came about by the apostles. 2:44 All who believed were together and held 172 everything in common, 2:45 and they began selling 173 their property 174 and possessions and distributing the proceeds 175 to everyone, as anyone had need. 2:46 Every day 176 they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, 177 breaking bread from 178 house to house, sharing their food with glad 179 and humble hearts, 180 2:47 praising God and having the good will 181 of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day 182 those who were being saved.
3:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time 183 for prayer, 184 at three o’clock in the afternoon. 185 3:2 And a man lame 186 from birth 187 was being carried up, who was placed at the temple gate called “the Beautiful Gate” every day 188 so he could beg for money 189 from those going into the temple courts. 190 3:3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts, 191 he asked them for money. 192 3:4 Peter looked directly 193 at him (as did John) and said, “Look at us!” 3:5 So the lame man 194 paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. 3:6 But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, 195 but what I do have I give you. In the name 196 of Jesus Christ 197 the Nazarene, stand up and 198 walk!” 3:7 Then 199 Peter 200 took hold 201 of him by the right hand and raised him up, and at once the man’s 202 feet and ankles were made strong. 203 3:8 He 204 jumped up, 205 stood and began walking around, and he entered the temple courts 206 with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 3:9 All 207 the people saw him walking and praising God, 3:10 and they recognized him as the man who used to sit and ask for donations 208 at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with astonishment and amazement 209 at what had happened to him.
3:11 While the man 210 was hanging on to Peter and John, all the people, completely astounded, ran together to them in the covered walkway 211 called Solomon’s Portico. 212 3:12 When Peter saw this, he declared to the people, “Men of Israel, 213 why are you amazed at this? Why 214 do you stare at us as if we had made this man 215 walk by our own power or piety? 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 216 the God of our forefathers, 217 has glorified 218 his servant 219 Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected 220 in the presence of Pilate after he had decided 221 to release him. 3:14 But you rejected 222 the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a man who was a murderer be released to you. 3:15 You killed 223 the Originator 224 of life, whom God raised 225 from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses! 226 3:16 And on the basis of faith in Jesus’ 227 name, 228 his very name has made this man – whom you see and know – strong. The 229 faith that is through Jesus 230 has given him this complete health in the presence 231 of you all. 3:17 And now, brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, 232 as your rulers did too. 3:18 But the things God foretold 233 long ago through 234 all the prophets – that his Christ 235 would suffer – he has fulfilled in this way. 3:19 Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out, 3:20 so that times of refreshing 236 may come from the presence of the Lord, 237 and so that he may send the Messiah 238 appointed 239 for you – that is, Jesus. 3:21 This one 240 heaven must 241 receive until the time all things are restored, 242 which God declared 243 from times long ago 244 through his holy prophets. 3:22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must obey 245 him in everything he tells you. 246 3:23 Every person 247 who does not obey that prophet will be destroyed and thus removed 248 from the people.’ 249 3:24 And all the prophets, from Samuel and those who followed him, have spoken about and announced 250 these days. 3:25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, 251 saying to Abraham, ‘And in your descendants 252 all the nations 253 of the earth will be blessed.’ 254 3:26 God raised up 255 his servant and sent him first to you, to bless you by turning 256 each one of you from your iniquities.” 257