2:1 Now ¹  when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2:2 Suddenly ²  a sound ³  like a violent wind blowing ⁴  came from heaven ⁵  and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 2:3 And tongues spreading out like a fire ⁶  appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 2:4 All ⁷  of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages ⁸  as the Spirit enabled them. ⁹ 

2:5 Now there were devout Jews ¹⁰  from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. ¹¹  2:6 When this sound ¹²  occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, ¹³  because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 2:7 Completely baffled, they said, ¹⁴  “Aren’t ¹⁵  all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them ¹⁶  in our own native language? ¹⁷  2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, ¹⁸  2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, ¹⁹  and visitors from Rome, ²⁰  2:11 both Jews and proselytes, ²¹  Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” ²²  2:12 All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 2:13 But others jeered at the speakers, ²³  saying, “They are drunk on new wine!” ²⁴ 

2:14 But Peter stood up ²⁵  with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea ²⁶  and all you who live in Jerusalem, ²⁷  know this ²⁸  and listen carefully to what I say. 2:15 In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, ²⁹  for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ³⁰  2:16 But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel: ³¹ 

2:17 ‘And in the last days ³²  it will be,’ God says,

‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, ³³ 

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, ³⁴  both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. ³⁵ 

2:19 And I will perform wonders in the sky ³⁶  above

and miraculous signs ³⁷  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 ³⁸  day of the Lord comes.

2:21 And then ³⁹  everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ⁴⁰ 

2:22 “Men of Israel, ⁴¹  listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, ⁴²  wonders, and miraculous signs ⁴³  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 ⁴⁴  by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. ⁴⁵  2:24 But God raised him up, ⁴⁶  having released ⁴⁷  him from the pains ⁴⁸  of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. ⁴⁹  2:25 For David says about him,

‘I saw the Lord always in front of me, ⁵⁰ 

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 ⁵¹  also will live in hope,

2:27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades, ⁵² 

nor permit your Holy One to experience ⁵³  decay.

2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will make me full of joy with your presence.’ ⁵⁴ 

2:29 “Brothers, ⁵⁵  I can speak confidently ⁵⁶  to you about our forefather ⁵⁷  David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 2:30 So then, because ⁵⁸  he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants ⁵⁹  on his throne, ⁶⁰  2:31 David by foreseeing this ⁶¹  spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, ⁶²  that he was neither abandoned to Hades, ⁶³  nor did his body ⁶⁴  experience ⁶⁵  decay. ⁶⁶  2:32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. ⁶⁷  2:33 So then, exalted ⁶⁸  to the right hand ⁶⁹  of God, and having received ⁷⁰  the promise of the Holy Spirit ⁷¹  from the Father, he has poured out ⁷²  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 ⁷³  at my right hand

2:35 until I make your enemies a footstool ⁷⁴  for your feet.”’ ⁷⁵ 

2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt ⁷⁶  that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified ⁷⁷  both Lord ⁷⁸  and Christ.” ⁷⁹ 

2:37 Now when they heard this, ⁸⁰  they were acutely distressed ⁸¹  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 ⁸²  in the name of Jesus Christ ⁸³  for ⁸⁴  the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ⁸⁵  2:39 For the promise ⁸⁶  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 ⁸⁷  and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse ⁸⁸  generation!” 2:41 So those who accepted ⁸⁹  his message ⁹⁰  were baptized, and that day about three thousand people ⁹¹  were added. ⁹² 

2:42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, ⁹³  to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁹⁴  2:43 Reverential awe ⁹⁵  came over everyone, ⁹⁶  and many wonders and miraculous signs ⁹⁷  came about by the apostles. 2:44 All who believed were together and held ⁹⁸  everything in common, 2:45 and they began selling ⁹⁹  their property ¹⁰⁰  and possessions and distributing the proceeds ¹⁰¹  to everyone, as anyone had need. 2:46 Every day ¹⁰²  they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, ¹⁰³  breaking bread from ¹⁰⁴  house to house, sharing their food with glad ¹⁰⁵  and humble hearts, ¹⁰⁶  2:47 praising God and having the good will ¹⁰⁷  of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day ¹⁰⁸  those who were being saved.

3:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time ¹⁰⁹  for prayer, ¹¹⁰  at three o’clock in the afternoon. ¹¹¹  3:2 And a man lame ¹¹²  from birth ¹¹³  was being carried up, who was placed at the temple gate called “the Beautiful Gate” every day ¹¹⁴  so he could beg for money ¹¹⁵  from those going into the temple courts. ¹¹⁶  3:3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts, ¹¹⁷  he asked them for money. ¹¹⁸  3:4 Peter looked directly ¹¹⁹  at him (as did John) and said, “Look at us!” 3:5 So the lame man ¹²⁰  paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. 3:6 But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, ¹²¹  but what I do have I give you. In the name ¹²²  of Jesus Christ ¹²³  the Nazarene, stand up and ¹²⁴  walk!” 3:7 Then ¹²⁵  Peter ¹²⁶  took hold ¹²⁷  of him by the right hand and raised him up, and at once the man’s ¹²⁸  feet and ankles were made strong. ¹²⁹  3:8 He ¹³⁰  jumped up, ¹³¹  stood and began walking around, and he entered the temple courts ¹³²  with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 3:9 All ¹³³  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 ¹³⁴  at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with astonishment and amazement ¹³⁵  at what had happened to him.

3:11 While the man ¹³⁶  was hanging on to Peter and John, all the people, completely astounded, ran together to them in the covered walkway ¹³⁷  called Solomon’s Portico. ¹³⁸  3:12 When Peter saw this, he declared to the people, “Men of Israel, ¹³⁹  why are you amazed at this? Why ¹⁴⁰  do you stare at us as if we had made this man ¹⁴¹  walk by our own power or piety? 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ¹⁴²  the God of our forefathers, ¹⁴³  has glorified ¹⁴⁴  his servant ¹⁴⁵  Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected ¹⁴⁶  in the presence of Pilate after he had decided ¹⁴⁷  to release him. 3:14 But you rejected ¹⁴⁸  the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a man who was a murderer be released to you. 3:15 You killed ¹⁴⁹  the Originator ¹⁵⁰  of life, whom God raised ¹⁵¹  from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses! ¹⁵²  3:16 And on the basis of faith in Jesus’ ¹⁵³  name, ¹⁵⁴  his very name has made this man – whom you see and know – strong. The ¹⁵⁵  faith that is through Jesus ¹⁵⁶  has given him this complete health in the presence ¹⁵⁷  of you all. 3:17 And now, brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, ¹⁵⁸  as your rulers did too. 3:18 But the things God foretold ¹⁵⁹  long ago through ¹⁶⁰  all the prophets – that his Christ ¹⁶¹  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 ¹⁶²  may come from the presence of the Lord, ¹⁶³  and so that he may send the Messiah ¹⁶⁴  appointed ¹⁶⁵  for you – that is, Jesus. 3:21 This one ¹⁶⁶  heaven must ¹⁶⁷  receive until the time all things are restored, ¹⁶⁸  which God declared ¹⁶⁹  from times long ago ¹⁷⁰  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 ¹⁷¹  him in everything he tells you. ¹⁷²  3:23 Every person ¹⁷³  who does not obey that prophet will be destroyed and thus removed ¹⁷⁴  from the people.’ ¹⁷⁵  3:24 And all the prophets, from Samuel and those who followed him, have spoken about and announced ¹⁷⁶  these days. 3:25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, ¹⁷⁷  saying to Abraham, ‘And in your descendants ¹⁷⁸  all the nations ¹⁷⁹  of the earth will be blessed.’ ¹⁸⁰  3:26 God raised up ¹⁸¹  his servant and sent him first to you, to bless you by turning ¹⁸²  each one of you from your iniquities.” ¹⁸³ 

4:1 While Peter and John ¹⁸⁴  were speaking to the people, the priests and the commander ¹⁸⁵  of the temple guard ¹⁸⁶  and the Sadducees ¹⁸⁷  came up ¹⁸⁸  to them, 4:2 angry ¹⁸⁹  because they were teaching the people and announcing ¹⁹⁰  in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 4:3 So ¹⁹¹  they seized ¹⁹²  them and put them in jail ¹⁹³  until the next day (for it was already evening). 4:4 But many of those who had listened to ¹⁹⁴  the message ¹⁹⁵  believed, and the number of the men ¹⁹⁶  came to about five thousand.

4:5 On the next day, ¹⁹⁷  their rulers, elders, and experts in the law ¹⁹⁸  came together ¹⁹⁹  in Jerusalem. ²⁰⁰  4:6 Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family. ²⁰¹  4:7 After ²⁰²  making Peter and John ²⁰³  stand in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power or by what name ²⁰⁴  did you do this?” 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, ²⁰⁵  replied, ²⁰⁶  “Rulers of the people and elders, ²⁰⁷  4:9 if ²⁰⁸  we are being examined ²⁰⁹  today for a good deed ²¹⁰  done to a sick man – by what means this man was healed ²¹¹  – 4:10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ ²¹²  the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands before you healthy. 4:11 This Jesus ²¹³  is the stone that was rejected by you, ²¹⁴  the builders, that has become the cornerstone. ²¹⁵  4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people ²¹⁶  by which we must ²¹⁷  be saved.”

4:13 When they saw the boldness ²¹⁸  of Peter and John, and discovered ²¹⁹  that they were uneducated ²²⁰  and ordinary ²²¹  men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus. 4:14 And because they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against this. ²²²  4:15 But when they had ordered them to go outside the council, ²²³  they began to confer with one another, 4:16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For it is plain ²²⁴  to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable miraculous sign ²²⁵  has come about through them, ²²⁶  and we cannot deny it. 4:17 But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more ²²⁷  to anyone in this name.” 4:18 And they called them in and ordered ²²⁸  them not to speak or teach at all in the name ²²⁹  of Jesus. 4:19 But Peter and John replied, ²³⁰  “Whether it is right before God to obey ²³¹  you rather than God, you decide, 4:20 for it is impossible ²³²  for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” 4:21 After threatening them further, they released them, for they could not find how to punish them on account of the people, because they were all praising ²³³  God for what had happened. 4:22 For the man, on whom this miraculous sign ²³⁴  of healing had been performed, ²³⁵  was over forty years old.

4:23 When they were released, Peter and John ²³⁶  went to their fellow believers ²³⁷  and reported everything the high priests and the elders had said to them. 4:24 When they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind ²³⁸  and said, “Master of all, ²³⁹  you who made the heaven, the earth, ²⁴⁰  the sea, and everything that is in them, 4:25 who said by the Holy Spirit through ²⁴¹  your servant David our forefather, ²⁴² 

‘Why do the nations ²⁴³  rage, ²⁴⁴ 

and the peoples plot foolish ²⁴⁵  things?

4:26 The kings of the earth stood together, ²⁴⁶ 

and the rulers assembled together,

against the Lord and against his ²⁴⁷  Christ.’ ²⁴⁸ 

4:27 “For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against ²⁴⁹  your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, ²⁵⁰  4:28 to do as much as your power ²⁵¹  and your plan ²⁵²  had decided beforehand ²⁵³  would happen. 4:29 And now, Lord, pay attention to ²⁵⁴  their threats, and grant ²⁵⁵  to your servants ²⁵⁶  to speak your message ²⁵⁷  with great courage, ²⁵⁸  4:30 while you extend your hand to heal, and to bring about miraculous signs ²⁵⁹  and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 4:31 When ²⁶⁰  they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, ²⁶¹  and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak ²⁶²  the word of God ²⁶³  courageously. ²⁶⁴ 

4:32 The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, ²⁶⁵  and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common. ²⁶⁶  4:33 With ²⁶⁷  great power the apostles were giving testimony ²⁶⁸  to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. 4:34 For there was no one needy ²⁶⁹  among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling ²⁷⁰  them ²⁷¹  and bringing the proceeds from the sales 4:35 and placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds ²⁷²  were distributed to each, as anyone had need. 4:36 So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), ²⁷³  4:37 sold ²⁷⁴  a field ²⁷⁵  that belonged to him and brought the money ²⁷⁶  and placed it at the apostles’ feet.

5:1 Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. 5:2 He ²⁷⁷  kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge; he brought ²⁷⁸  only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet. 5:3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled ²⁷⁹  your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of ²⁸⁰  the land? 5:4 Before it was sold, ²⁸¹  did it not ²⁸²  belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money ²⁸³  not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? ²⁸⁴  You have not lied to people ²⁸⁵  but to God!”

5:5 When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped ²⁸⁶  all who heard about it. 5:6 So the young men came, ²⁸⁷  wrapped him up, ²⁸⁸  carried him out, and buried ²⁸⁹  him. 5:7 After an interval of about three hours, ²⁹⁰  his wife came in, but she did not know ²⁹¹  what had happened. 5:8 Peter said to her, “Tell me, were the two of you ²⁹²  paid this amount ²⁹³  for the land?” Sapphira ²⁹⁴  said, “Yes, that much.” 5:9 Peter then told her, “Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” 5:10 At once ²⁹⁵  she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 5:11 Great ²⁹⁶  fear gripped ²⁹⁷  the whole church ²⁹⁸  and all who heard about these things.

5:12 Now many miraculous signs ²⁹⁹  and wonders came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. By ³⁰⁰  common consent ³⁰¹  they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico. ³⁰²  5:13 None of the rest dared to join them, ³⁰³  but the people held them in high honor. ³⁰⁴  5:14 More and more believers in the Lord were added to their number, ³⁰⁵  crowds of both men and women. 5:15 Thus ³⁰⁶  they even carried the sick out into the streets, and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them. 5:16 A crowd of people from the towns around Jerusalem ³⁰⁷  also came together, bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits. ³⁰⁸  They ³⁰⁹  were all ³¹⁰  being healed.

5:17 Now the high priest rose up, and all those with him (that is, the religious party of the Sadducees ³¹¹ ), ³¹²  and they were filled with jealousy. ³¹³  5:18 They ³¹⁴  laid hands on ³¹⁵  the apostles and put them in a public jail. 5:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord ³¹⁶  opened ³¹⁷  the doors of the prison, ³¹⁸  led them out, ³¹⁹  and said, 5:20 “Go and stand in the temple courts ³²⁰  and proclaim ³²¹  to the people all the words of this life.” 5:21 When they heard this, they entered the temple courts ³²²  at daybreak and began teaching. ³²³ 

Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin ³²⁴  – that is, the whole high council ³²⁵  of the Israelites ³²⁶  – and sent to the jail to have the apostles ³²⁷  brought before them. ³²⁸  5:22 But the officers ³²⁹  who came for them ³³⁰  did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, ³³¹  5:23 “We found the jail locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, ³³²  we found no one inside.” 5:24 Now when the commander ³³³  of the temple guard ³³⁴  and the chief priests heard this report, ³³⁵  they were greatly puzzled concerning it, ³³⁶  wondering what this could ³³⁷  be. 5:25 But someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts ³³⁸  and teaching ³³⁹  the people!” 5:26 Then the commander ³⁴⁰  of the temple guard ³⁴¹  went with the officers ³⁴²  and brought the apostles ³⁴³  without the use of force ³⁴⁴  (for they were afraid of being stoned by the people). ³⁴⁵ 

5:27 When they had brought them, they stood them before the council, ³⁴⁶  and the high priest questioned ³⁴⁷  them, 5:28 saying, “We gave ³⁴⁸  you strict orders ³⁴⁹  not to teach in this name. ³⁵⁰  Look, ³⁵¹  you have filled Jerusalem ³⁵²  with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood ³⁵³  on us!” 5:29 But Peter and the apostles replied, ³⁵⁴  “We must obey ³⁵⁵  God rather than people. ³⁵⁶  5:30 The God of our forefathers ³⁵⁷  raised up Jesus, whom you seized and killed by hanging him on a tree. ³⁵⁸  5:31 God exalted him ³⁵⁹  to his right hand as Leader ³⁶⁰  and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³⁶¹  5:32 And we are witnesses of these events, ³⁶²  and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey ³⁶³  him.”

5:33 Now when they heard this, they became furious ³⁶⁴  and wanted to execute them. ³⁶⁵  5:34 But a Pharisee ³⁶⁶  whose name was Gamaliel, ³⁶⁷  a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up ³⁶⁸  in the council ³⁶⁹  and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. 5:35 Then he said to the council, ³⁷⁰  “Men of Israel, ³⁷¹  pay close attention to ³⁷²  what you are about to do to these men. 5:36 For some time ago ³⁷³  Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He ³⁷⁴  was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and nothing came of it. ³⁷⁵  5:37 After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census, ³⁷⁶  and incited people to follow him in revolt. ³⁷⁷  He too was killed, and all who followed him were scattered. 5:38 So in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people, ³⁷⁸  it will come to nothing, ³⁷⁹  5:39 but if ³⁸⁰  it is from God, you will not be able to stop them, or you may even be found ³⁸¹  fighting against God.” He convinced them, ³⁸²  5:40 and they summoned the apostles and had them beaten. ³⁸³  Then ³⁸⁴  they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. 5:41 So they left the council rejoicing because they had been considered worthy ³⁸⁵  to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. ³⁸⁶  5:42 And every day both in the temple courts ³⁸⁷  and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news ³⁸⁸  that Jesus was the Christ. ³⁸⁹ 

6:1 Now in those ³⁹⁰  days, when the disciples were growing in number, ³⁹¹  a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews ³⁹²  against the native Hebraic Jews, ³⁹³  because their widows ³⁹⁴  were being overlooked ³⁹⁵  in the daily distribution of food. ³⁹⁶  6:2 So the twelve ³⁹⁷  called ³⁹⁸  the whole group ³⁹⁹  of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. ⁴⁰⁰  6:3 But carefully select from among you, brothers, ⁴⁰¹  seven ⁴⁰²  men who are well-attested, ⁴⁰³  full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge ⁴⁰⁴  of this necessary task. ⁴⁰⁵  6:4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 6:5 The ⁴⁰⁶  proposal pleased the entire group, so ⁴⁰⁷  they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with ⁴⁰⁸  Philip, ⁴⁰⁹  Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism ⁴¹⁰  from Antioch. ⁴¹¹  6:6 They stood these men before the apostles, who prayed ⁴¹²  and placed ⁴¹³  their hands on them. 6:7 The word of God continued to spread, ⁴¹⁴  the number of disciples in Jerusalem ⁴¹⁵  increased greatly, and a large group ⁴¹⁶  of priests became obedient to the faith.

6:8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs ⁴¹⁷  among the people. 6:9 But some men from the Synagogue ⁴¹⁸  of the Freedmen (as it was called), ⁴¹⁹  both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, as well as some from Cilicia and the province of Asia, ⁴²⁰  stood up and argued with Stephen. 6:10 Yet ⁴²¹  they were not able to resist ⁴²²  the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. 6:11 Then they secretly instigated ⁴²³  some men to say, “We have heard this man ⁴²⁴  speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 6:12 They incited the people, the ⁴²⁵  elders, and the experts in the law; ⁴²⁶  then they approached Stephen, ⁴²⁷  seized him, and brought him before the council. ⁴²⁸  6:13 They brought forward false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop saying things against this holy place ⁴²⁹  and the law. ⁴³⁰  6:14 For we have heard him saying that Jesus the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs ⁴³¹  that Moses handed down to us.” 6:15 All ⁴³²  who were sitting in the council ⁴³³  looked intently at Stephen ⁴³⁴  and saw his face was like the face of an angel. ⁴³⁵ 

7:1 Then the high priest said, “Are these things true?” ⁴³⁶  7:2 So he replied, ⁴³⁷  “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our forefather ⁴³⁸  Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran, 7:3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your country and from your relatives, and come to the land I will show you.’ ⁴³⁹  7:4 Then he went out from the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God ⁴⁴⁰  made him move ⁴⁴¹  to this country where you now live. 7:5 He ⁴⁴²  did not give any of it to him for an inheritance, ⁴⁴³  not even a foot of ground, ⁴⁴⁴  yet God ⁴⁴⁵  promised to give it to him as his possession, and to his descendants after him, ⁴⁴⁶  even though Abraham ⁴⁴⁷  as yet had no child. 7:6 But God spoke as follows: ‘Your ⁴⁴⁸  descendants will be foreigners ⁴⁴⁹  in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years. ⁴⁵⁰  7:7 But I will punish ⁴⁵¹  the nation they serve as slaves,’ said God, ‘and after these things they will come out of there ⁴⁵²  and worship ⁴⁵³  me in this place.’ ⁴⁵⁴  7:8 Then God ⁴⁵⁵  gave Abraham ⁴⁵⁶  the covenant ⁴⁵⁷  of circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac and circumcised him when he was eight days old, ⁴⁵⁸  and Isaac became the father of ⁴⁵⁹  Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. ⁴⁶⁰  7:9 The ⁴⁶¹  patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold ⁴⁶²  him into Egypt. But ⁴⁶³  God was with him, 7:10 and rescued him from all his troubles, and granted him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made ⁴⁶⁴  him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 7:11 Then a famine occurred throughout ⁴⁶⁵  Egypt and Canaan, causing ⁴⁶⁶  great suffering, and our ⁴⁶⁷  ancestors ⁴⁶⁸  could not find food. 7:12 So when Jacob heard that there was grain ⁴⁶⁹  in Egypt, he sent our ancestors ⁴⁷⁰  there ⁴⁷¹  the first time. 7:13 On their second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph’s family ⁴⁷²  became known to Pharaoh. 7:14 So Joseph sent a message ⁴⁷³  and invited ⁴⁷⁴  his father Jacob and all his relatives to come, seventy-five people ⁴⁷⁵  in all. 7:15 So Jacob went down to Egypt and died there, ⁴⁷⁶  along with our ancestors, ⁴⁷⁷  7:16 and their bones ⁴⁷⁸  were later moved to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a certain sum of money ⁴⁷⁹  from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

7:17 “But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, ⁴⁸⁰  the people increased greatly in number ⁴⁸¹  in Egypt, 7:18 until another king who did not know about ⁴⁸²  Joseph ruled ⁴⁸³  over Egypt. ⁴⁸⁴  7:19 This was the one who exploited ⁴⁸⁵  our people ⁴⁸⁶  and was cruel to our ancestors, ⁴⁸⁷  forcing them to abandon ⁴⁸⁸  their infants so they would die. ⁴⁸⁹  7:20 At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful ⁴⁹⁰  to God. For ⁴⁹¹  three months he was brought up in his father’s house, 7:21 and when he had been abandoned, ⁴⁹²  Pharaoh’s daughter adopted ⁴⁹³  him and brought him up ⁴⁹⁴  as her own son. 7:22 So Moses was trained ⁴⁹⁵  in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful ⁴⁹⁶  in his words and deeds. 7:23 But when he was about forty years old, it entered his mind ⁴⁹⁷  to visit his fellow countrymen ⁴⁹⁸  the Israelites. ⁴⁹⁹  7:24 When ⁵⁰⁰  he saw one of them being hurt unfairly, ⁵⁰¹  Moses ⁵⁰²  came to his defense ⁵⁰³  and avenged the person who was mistreated by striking down the Egyptian. 7:25 He thought his own people ⁵⁰⁴  would understand that God was delivering them ⁵⁰⁵  through him, ⁵⁰⁶  but they did not understand. ⁵⁰⁷  7:26 The next day Moses ⁵⁰⁸  saw two men ⁵⁰⁹  fighting, and tried to make peace between ⁵¹⁰  them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting one another?’ 7:27 But the man who was unfairly hurting his neighbor pushed ⁵¹¹  Moses ⁵¹²  aside, saying, ‘Who made ⁵¹³  you a ruler and judge over us? 7:28 You don’t want to kill me the way you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ ⁵¹⁴  7:29 When the man said this, ⁵¹⁵  Moses fled and became a foreigner ⁵¹⁶  in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

7:30 “After ⁵¹⁷  forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the desert ⁵¹⁸  of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. ⁵¹⁹  7:31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and when he approached to investigate, there came the voice of the Lord, 7:32 ‘I am the God of your forefathers, ⁵²⁰  the God of Abraham, Isaac, ⁵²¹  and Jacob.’ ⁵²²  Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look more closely. ⁵²³  7:33 But the Lord said to him, ‘Take the sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. ⁵²⁴  7:34 I have certainly seen the suffering ⁵²⁵  of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. ⁵²⁶  Now ⁵²⁷  come, I will send you to Egypt.’ ⁵²⁸  7:35 This same ⁵²⁹  Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’ ⁵³⁰  God sent as both ruler and deliverer ⁵³¹  through the hand of the angel ⁵³²  who appeared to him in the bush. 7:36 This man led them out, performing wonders and miraculous signs ⁵³³  in the land of Egypt, ⁵³⁴  at ⁵³⁵  the Red Sea, and in the wilderness ⁵³⁶  for forty years. 7:37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ⁵³⁷  ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’ ⁵³⁸  7:38 This is the man who was in the congregation ⁵³⁹  in the wilderness ⁵⁴⁰  with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, ⁵⁴¹  and he ⁵⁴²  received living oracles ⁵⁴³  to give to you. ⁵⁴⁴  7:39 Our ⁵⁴⁵  ancestors ⁵⁴⁶  were unwilling to obey ⁵⁴⁷  him, but pushed him aside ⁵⁴⁸  and turned back to Egypt in their hearts, 7:40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go in front of us, for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt ⁵⁴⁹  – we do not know what has happened to him!’ ⁵⁵⁰  7:41 At ⁵⁵¹  that time ⁵⁵²  they made an idol in the form of a calf, ⁵⁵³  brought ⁵⁵⁴  a sacrifice to the idol, and began rejoicing ⁵⁵⁵  in the works of their hands. ⁵⁵⁶  7:42 But God turned away from them and gave them over ⁵⁵⁷  to worship the host ⁵⁵⁸  of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘It was not to me that you offered slain animals and sacrifices ⁵⁵⁹  forty years in the wilderness, was it, ⁵⁶⁰  house of Israel? 7:43 But you took along the tabernacle ⁵⁶¹  of Moloch ⁵⁶²  and the star of the ⁵⁶³  god Rephan, ⁵⁶⁴  the images you made to worship, but I will deport ⁵⁶⁵  you beyond Babylon.’ ⁵⁶⁶  7:44 Our ancestors ⁵⁶⁷  had the tabernacle ⁵⁶⁸  of testimony in the wilderness, ⁵⁶⁹  just as God ⁵⁷⁰  who spoke to Moses ordered him ⁵⁷¹  to make it according to the design he had seen. 7:45 Our ⁵⁷²  ancestors ⁵⁷³  received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors, ⁵⁷⁴  until the time ⁵⁷⁵  of David. 7:46 He ⁵⁷⁶  found favor ⁵⁷⁷  with ⁵⁷⁸  God and asked that he could ⁵⁷⁹  find a dwelling place ⁵⁸⁰  for the house ⁵⁸¹  of Jacob. 7:47 But Solomon built a house ⁵⁸²  for him. 7:48 Yet the Most High ⁵⁸³  does not live in houses made by human hands, ⁵⁸⁴  as the prophet says,

7:49 ‘Heaven is my throne,

and earth is the footstool for my feet.

What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,

or what is my resting place? ⁵⁸⁵ 

7:50 Did my hand ⁵⁸⁶  not make all these things?’ ⁵⁸⁷ 

7:51 “You stubborn ⁵⁸⁸  people, with uncircumcised ⁵⁸⁹  hearts and ears! ⁵⁹⁰  You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors ⁵⁹¹  did! 7:52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors ⁵⁹²  not persecute? ⁵⁹³  They ⁵⁹⁴  killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, ⁵⁹⁵  whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! ⁵⁹⁶  7:53 You ⁵⁹⁷  received the law by decrees given by angels, ⁵⁹⁸  but you did not obey ⁵⁹⁹  it.” ⁶⁰⁰ 

7:54 When they heard these things, they became furious ⁶⁰¹  and ground their teeth ⁶⁰²  at him. 7:55 But Stephen, ⁶⁰³  full ⁶⁰⁴  of the Holy Spirit, looked intently ⁶⁰⁵  toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing ⁶⁰⁶  at the right hand of God. 7:56 “Look!” he said. ⁶⁰⁷  “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 7:57 But they covered their ears, ⁶⁰⁸  shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent. 7:58 When ⁶⁰⁹  they had driven him out of the city, they began to stone him, ⁶¹⁰  and the witnesses laid their cloaks ⁶¹¹  at the feet of a young man named Saul. 7:59 They ⁶¹²  continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 7:60 Then he fell ⁶¹³  to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” ⁶¹⁴  When ⁶¹⁵  he had said this, he died. ⁶¹⁶  8:1 And Saul agreed completely with killing ⁶¹⁷  him.

Now on that day a great ⁶¹⁸  persecution began ⁶¹⁹  against the church in Jerusalem, ⁶²⁰  and all ⁶²¹  except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions ⁶²²  of Judea and Samaria. 8:2 Some ⁶²³  devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation ⁶²⁴  over him. ⁶²⁵  8:3 But Saul was trying to destroy ⁶²⁶  the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off ⁶²⁷  both men and women and put them in prison. ⁶²⁸ 

8:4 Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word. 8:5 Philip went down to the main city of Samaria ⁶²⁹  and began proclaiming ⁶³⁰  the Christ ⁶³¹  to them. 8:6 The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said, ⁶³²  as they heard and saw the miraculous signs ⁶³³  he was performing. 8:7 For unclean spirits, ⁶³⁴  crying with loud shrieks, were coming out of many who were possessed, ⁶³⁵  and many paralyzed and lame people were healed. 8:8 So there was ⁶³⁶  great joy ⁶³⁷  in that city.

8:9 Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic ⁶³⁸  and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 8:10 All the people, ⁶³⁹  from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” ⁶⁴⁰  8:11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God ⁶⁴¹  and the name of Jesus Christ, ⁶⁴²  they began to be baptized, ⁶⁴³  both men and women. 8:13 Even Simon himself believed, and after he was baptized, he stayed close to ⁶⁴⁴  Philip constantly, and when he saw the signs and great miracles that were occurring, he was amazed. ⁶⁴⁵ 

8:14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem ⁶⁴⁶  heard that Samaria had accepted the word ⁶⁴⁷  of God, they sent ⁶⁴⁸  Peter and John to them. 8:15 These two ⁶⁴⁹  went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 8:16 (For the Spirit ⁶⁵⁰  had not yet come upon ⁶⁵¹  any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) ⁶⁵²  8:17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, ⁶⁵³  and they received the Holy Spirit. ⁶⁵⁴ 

8:18 Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit ⁶⁵⁵  was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money, 8:19 saying, “Give me this power ⁶⁵⁶  too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” 8:20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, ⁶⁵⁷  because you thought you could acquire ⁶⁵⁸  God’s gift with money! 8:21 You have no share or part ⁶⁵⁹  in this matter ⁶⁶⁰  because your heart is not right before God! 8:22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord ⁶⁶¹  that he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your heart. ⁶⁶²  8:23 For I see that you are bitterly envious ⁶⁶³  and in bondage to sin.” 8:24 But Simon replied, ⁶⁶⁴  “You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen to ⁶⁶⁵  me.”

8:25 So after Peter and John ⁶⁶⁶  had solemnly testified ⁶⁶⁷  and spoken the word of the Lord, ⁶⁶⁸  they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming ⁶⁶⁹  the good news to many Samaritan villages ⁶⁷⁰  as they went. ⁶⁷¹ 

8:26 Then an angel of the Lord ⁶⁷²  said to Philip, ⁶⁷³  “Get up and go south ⁶⁷⁴  on the road that goes down from Jerusalem ⁶⁷⁵  to Gaza.” (This is a desert ⁶⁷⁶  road.) ⁶⁷⁷  8:27 So ⁶⁷⁸  he got up ⁶⁷⁹  and went. There ⁶⁸⁰  he met ⁶⁸¹  an Ethiopian eunuch, ⁶⁸²  a court official of Candace, ⁶⁸³  queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He ⁶⁸⁴  had come to Jerusalem to worship, ⁶⁸⁵  8:28 and was returning home, sitting ⁶⁸⁶  in his chariot, reading ⁶⁸⁷  the prophet Isaiah. 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 8:30 So Philip ran up ⁶⁸⁸  to it ⁶⁸⁹  and heard the man ⁶⁹⁰  reading Isaiah the prophet. He ⁶⁹¹  asked him, ⁶⁹²  “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 8:31 The man ⁶⁹³  replied, “How in the world can I, ⁶⁹⁴  unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 8:32 Now the passage of scripture the man ⁶⁹⁵  was reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to slaughter,

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he did ⁶⁹⁶  not open his mouth.

8:33 In humiliation ⁶⁹⁷  justice was taken from him. ⁶⁹⁸ 

Who can describe his posterity? ⁶⁹⁹ 

For his life was taken away ⁷⁰⁰  from the earth.” ⁷⁰¹ 

8:34 Then the eunuch said ⁷⁰²  to Philip, “Please tell me, ⁷⁰³  who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?” ⁷⁰⁴  8:35 So Philip started speaking, ⁷⁰⁵  and beginning with this scripture ⁷⁰⁶  proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 8:36 Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop me ⁷⁰⁷  from being baptized?” 8:37 [[EMPTY]] ⁷⁰⁸  8:38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, ⁷⁰⁹  and Philip baptized ⁷¹⁰  him. 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but ⁷¹¹  went on his way rejoicing. ⁷¹²  8:40 Philip, however, found himself ⁷¹³  at Azotus, ⁷¹⁴  and as he passed through the area, ⁷¹⁵  he proclaimed the good news ⁷¹⁶  to all the towns ⁷¹⁷  until he came to Caesarea. ⁷¹⁸