Chapter 5, verse 3 - Chapter 10, verse 20
3
But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
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While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.”
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Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.
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The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him.
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About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.
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Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” She said, “Yes, for so much.”
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But Peter asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
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She fell down immediately at his feet, and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.
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Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things.
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By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
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None of the rest dared to join them, however the people honored them.
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More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.
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They even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mattresses, so that as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some of them.
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Multitudes also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people, and those who were tormented by unclean spirits: and they were all healed.
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But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,
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and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public custody.
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But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out, and said,
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“Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”
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When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
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But the officers who came didn’t find them in the prison. They returned and reported,
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“We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”
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Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.
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One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.”
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Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.
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When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them,
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saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”
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But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
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The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.
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God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
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We are His witnesses of these things
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But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and determined to kill them.
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But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the apostles out for a little while.
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He said to them, “You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.
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For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody
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After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.
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Now I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown.
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But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!”
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They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
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They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus’ name.
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Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ.
Chapter 6
1
Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.
2
The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables.
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Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
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But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.”
5
These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch
6
whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
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The word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
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Stephen, full of faith and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
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But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines,” and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen.
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They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.
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Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
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They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, and brought him in to the council,
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and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.
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For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”
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All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel.
Chapter 7
1
The high priest said, “Are these things so?”
2
He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
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and said to him, ‘Get out of your land, and from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.’
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Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and lived in Haran. From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land, where you are now living.
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He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. He promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he still had no child.
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God spoke in this way: that his seed would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.
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‘I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,’ said God, ‘and after that will they come out, and serve me in this place.’
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He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
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“The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him,
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and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
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Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.
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But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time.
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On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s race was revealed to Pharaoh.
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Joseph sent, and summoned Jacob, his father, and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.
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Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, himself and our fathers,
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and they were brought back to Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem.
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“But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
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until there arose a different king, who didn’t know Joseph.
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The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.
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At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome. He was nourished three months in his father’s house.
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When he was thrown out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and reared him as her own son.
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Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works.
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But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
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Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian.
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He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance
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“The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’
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But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
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Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
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Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
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“When forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
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When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, a voice of the Lord came to him,
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‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses trembled, and dared not look.
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The Lord said to him, ‘Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
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I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.’
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“This Moses, whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
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This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.
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This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.’
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This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living oracles to give to us,
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to whom our fathers wouldn’t be obedient, but rejected him, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
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saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’
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They made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.
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But God turned, and gave them up to serve the army of the sky, as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘Did you offer to me slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
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You took up the tabernacle of Moloch, the star of your god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship. I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’
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“Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen
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which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered into the possession of the nations, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, to the days of David,
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who found favor in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.
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But Solomon built him a house.
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However, the Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,
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‘heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?’ says the Lord
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Didn’t my hand make all these things?’
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“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.
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Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.
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You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”
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Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
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But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
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and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
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But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.
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They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
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They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
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He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Chapter 8
1
Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.
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Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.
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But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison.
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Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word.
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Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ.
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The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did.
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For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.
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There was great joy in that city.
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But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,
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to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is that great power of God.”
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They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
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But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
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Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.
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Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
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who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit
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for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus.
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Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
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Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
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saying, “Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”
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But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
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You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God.
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Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
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For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”
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Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me.”
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They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans.
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But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.”
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He arose and went
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He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
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The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.”
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Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
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He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.
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Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he doesn’t open his mouth.
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In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth.”
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The eunuch answered Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?”
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Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus.
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As they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?”
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And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
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He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
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When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
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But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
Chapter 9
1
But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
2
and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
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As he traveled, it happened that he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.
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He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
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He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
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But rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
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The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one.
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Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
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He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
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Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”
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The Lord said to him, “Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying,
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and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.”
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But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.
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Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
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But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.
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For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
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Ananias departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
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Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.
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He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.
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Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.
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All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”
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But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
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When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him,
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but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,
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but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
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When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples
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But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
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He was with them entering into Jerusalem,
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preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him.
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When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.
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So the assemblies throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
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It happened, as Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
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There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, because he was paralyzed.
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Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!” Immediately he arose.
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All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
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Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did.
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It happened in those days that she fell sick, and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
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As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.
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Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
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Peter put them all out, and kneeled down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
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He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
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And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
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It happened, that he stayed many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.
Chapter 10
1
Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
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a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.
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At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
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He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, “What is it, Lord?” He said to him, “Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God.
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Now send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is surnamed Peter.
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He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.”
7
When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually.
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Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9
Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.
10
He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.
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He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth,
12
in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky.
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A voice came to him, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat!”
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But Peter said, “Not so, Lord
15
A voice came to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean.”
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This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.
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Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood before the gate,
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and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.
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While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men seek you.
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But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing
