Acts 1-4

1In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,

2until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.

3After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

4And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss.

5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

6So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.

8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.

10They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.

11“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

13When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

14With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

15In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,

16“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus.

17He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”

18(Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out.

19This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20“For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’

21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

23So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.

24And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen

25to take up this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned to go to his rightful place.”

26Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was added to the eleven apostles.

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

2Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

6And when this sound rang out, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking his own language.

7Astounded and amazed, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

8How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language?

9Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome,

11both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

12Astounded and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13But others mocked them and said, “They are drunk on new wine!”

14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words.

15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day!

16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

18Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

19I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.

20The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord.

21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

22Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.

23He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.

24But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip.

25David says about Him: ‘I saw the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell in hope,

27because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.

28You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’

29Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne.

31Foreseeing this, David spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His body see decay.

32God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.

33Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

34For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand

35until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’

36Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”

37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

40With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.”

41Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

43A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.

44All the believers were together and had everything in common.

45Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.

46With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,

47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

1One afternoon Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

2And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts.

3When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.

4Peter looked directly at him, as did John. “Look at us!” said Peter.

5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

6But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

7Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong.

8He sprang to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and leaping and praising God.

9When all the people saw him walking and praising God,

10they recognized him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

11While the man clung to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and ran to them in the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade.

12And when Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why are you surprised by this? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

13The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over and rejected Him before Pilate, even though he had decided to release Him.

14You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.

15You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of this fact.

16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know has been made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given him this complete healing in your presence.

17And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.

18But in this way God has fulfilled what He foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.

19Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,

20that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you.

21Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.

22For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you.

23Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.’

24Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have proclaimed these days.

25And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’

26When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

1While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them,

2greatly disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in custody until the next day.

4But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

5The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem,

6along with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and many others from the high priest’s family.

7They had Peter and John brought in and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people!

9If we are being examined today about a kind service to a man who was lame, to determine how he was healed,

10then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

11This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

12Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

13When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.

14And seeing the man who had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say in response.

15So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.

16“What shall we do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we cannot deny it.

17But to keep this message from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in this name.”

18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.

20For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

21After further threats they let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying God for what had happened.

22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

23On their release, Peter and John returned to their own people and reported everything that the chief priests and elders had said to them.

24When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of Your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

26The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’

27In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.

28They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen.

29And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness,

30as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”

31After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

32The multitude of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they owned.

33With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.

34There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales,

35and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.

36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement),

37sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.