Acts 1; Acts 2; Acts 3

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Acts 1

1 To Theophilus. The first book I wrote was about everything Jesus began to do and teach

2 until the day he was taken up into heaven. Before this, with the help of the Holy Spirit, Jesus told the apostles he had chosen what they should do.

3 After his death, he showed himself to them and proved in many ways that he was alive. The apostles saw Jesus during the forty days after he was raised from the dead, and he spoke to them about the kingdom of God.

4 Once when he was eating with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem. He said, "Wait here to receive the promise from the Father which I told you about.

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

6 When the apostles were all together, they asked Jesus, "Lord, are you now going to give the kingdom back to Israel?"

7 Jesus said to them, "The Father is the only One who has the authority to decide dates and times. These things are not for you to know.

8 But when the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive power. You will be my witnesses -- in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world."

9 After he said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 As he was going, they were looking into the sky. Suddenly, two men wearing white clothes stood beside them.

11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking into the sky? Jesus, whom you saw taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go."

12 Then they went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. (This mountain is about half a mile from Jerusalem.)

13 When they entered the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon (known as the Zealot), and Judas son of James were there.

14 They all continued praying together with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus' brothers.

15 During this time there was a meeting of the believers (about one hundred twenty of them). Peter stood up and said,

17 "Brothers and sisters, in the Scriptures the Holy Spirit said through David something that must happen involving Judas. He was one of our own group and served together with us. He led those who arrested Jesus."

18 (Judas bought a field with the money he got for his evil act. But he fell to his death, his body burst open, and all his intestines poured out.

19 Everyone in Jerusalem learned about this so they named this place Akeldama. In their language Akeldama means "Field of Blood.")

20 "In the Book of Psalms," Peter said, "this is written: 'May his place be empty; leave no one to live in it.'

21 And it is also written: 'Let another man replace him as leader.'

22 "So now a man must become a witness with us of Jesus' being raised from the dead. He must be one of the men who were part of our group during all the time the Lord Jesus was among us -- from the time John was baptizing people until the day Jesus was taken up from us to heaven."

23 They put the names of two men before the group. One was Joseph Barsabbas, who was also called Justus. The other was Matthias.

25 The apostles prayed, "Lord, you know the thoughts of everyone. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to do this work. Show us who should be an apostle in place of Judas, who turned away and went where he belongs."

26 Then they used lots to choose between them, and the lots showed that Matthias was the one. So he became an apostle with the other eleven.

Acts 2

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

2 Suddenly a noise like a strong, blowing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3 They saw something like flames of fire that were separated and stood over each person there.

4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languagesn by the power the Holy Spirit was giving them.

5 There were some religious Jews staying in Jerusalem who were from every country in the world.

6 When they heard this noise, a crowd came together. They were all surprised, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

7 They were completely amazed at this. They said, "Look! Aren't all these people that we hear speaking from Galilee?

8 Then how is it possible that we each hear them in our own languages? We are from different places:

9 Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,

10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the areas of Libya near Cyrene, Rome

11 (both Jews and those who had become Jews), Crete, and Arabia. But we hear them telling in our own languages about the great things God has done!"

12 They were all amazed and confused, asking each other, "What does this mean?"

13 But others were making fun of them, saying, "They have had too much wine."

14 But Peter stood up with the eleven apostles, and in a loud voice he spoke to the crowd: "My fellow Jews, and all of you who are in Jerusalem, listen to me. Pay attention to what I have to say.

15 These people are not drunk, as you think; it is only nine o'clock in the morning!

16 But Joel the prophet wrote about what is happening here today:

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

18 At that time I will pour out my Spirit also on my male slaves and female slaves, and they will prophesy.

19 I will show miracles in the sky and on the earth: blood, fire, and thick smoke.

20 The sun will become dark, the moon red as blood, before the overwhelming and glorious day of the Lord will come.

21 Then anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved.'

22 "People of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus from Nazareth was a very special man. God clearly showed this to you by the miracles, wonders, and signs he did through Jesus. You all know this, because it happened right here among you.

23 Jesus was given to you, and with the help of those who don't know the law, you put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But this was God's plan which he had made long ago; he knew all this would happen.

24 God raised Jesus from the dead and set him free from the pain of death, because death could not hold him.

25 For David said this about him: 'I keep the Lord before me always. Because he is close by my side, I will not be hurt.

26 So I am glad, and I rejoice. Even my body has hope,

27 because you will not leave me in the grave. You will not let your Holy One rot.

28 You will teach me how to live a holy life. Being with you will fill me with joy.'

29 "Brothers and sisters, I can tell you truly that David, our ancestor, died and was buried. His grave is still here with us today.

30 He was a prophet and knew God had promised him that he would make a person from David's family a king just as he was.

31 Knowing this before it happened, David talked about the Christ rising from the dead. He said: 'He was not left in the grave. His body did not rot.'

32 So Jesus is the One whom God raised from the dead. And we are all witnesses to this.

33 Jesus was lifted up to heaven and is now at God's right side. The Father has given the Holy Spirit to Jesus as he promised. So Jesus has poured out that Spirit, and this is what you now see and hear.

34 David was not the one who was lifted up to heaven, but he said: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit by me at my right side,

35 until I put your enemies under your control."'

36 "So, all the people of Israel should know this truly: God has made Jesus -- the man you nailed to the cross -- both Lord and Christ."

37 When the people heard this, they felt guilty and asked Peter and the other apostles, "What shall we do?"

38 Peter said to them, "Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each 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.

39 This promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to himself."

40 Peter warned them with many other words. He begged them, "Save yourselves from the evil of today's people!"

41 Then those people who accepted what Peter said were baptized. About three thousand people were added to the number of believers that day.

42 They spent their time learning the apostles' teaching, sharing, breaking bread, and praying together.

43 The apostles were doing many miracles and signs, and everyone felt great respect for God.

44 All the believers were together and shared everything.

45 They would sell their land and the things they owned and then divide the money and give it to anyone who needed it.

46 The believers met together in the Temple every day. They ate together in their homes, happy to share their food with joyful hearts.

47 They praised God and were liked by all the people. Every day the Lord added those who were being saved to the group of believers.

Acts 3

1 One day Peter and John went to the Temple at three o'clock, the time set each day for the afternoon prayer service.

2 There, at the Temple gate called Beautiful Gate, was a man who had been crippled all his life. Every day he was carried to this gate to beg for money from the people going into the Temple.

3 The man saw Peter and John going into the Temple and asked them for money.

4 Peter and John looked straight at him and said, "Look at us!"

5 The man looked at them, thinking they were going to give him some money.

6 But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold, but I do have something else I can give you. By the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, stand up and walk!"

7 Then Peter took the man's right hand and lifted him up. Immediately the man's feet and ankles became strong.

8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk. He went into the Temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God.

10 All the people recognized him as the crippled man who always sat by the Beautiful Gate begging for money. Now they saw this same man walking and praising God, and they were amazed. They wondered how this could happen.

11 While the man was holding on to Peter and John, all the people were amazed and ran to them at Solomon's Porch.

12 When Peter saw this, he said to them, "People of Israel, why are you surprised? You are looking at us as if it were our own power or goodness that made this man walk.

13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, gave glory to Jesus, his servant. But you handed him over to be killed. Pilate decided to let him go free, but you told Pilate you did not want Jesus.

14 You did not want the One who is holy and good but asked Pilate to give you a murderern instead.

15 And so you killed the One who gives life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses to this.

16 It was faith in Jesus that made this crippled man well. You can see this man, and you know him. He was made completely well because of trust in Jesus, and you all saw it happen!

17 "Brothers and sisters, I know you did those things to Jesus because neither you nor your leaders understood what you were doing.

18 God said through the prophets that his Christ would suffer and die. And now God has made these things come true in this way.

19 So you must change your hearts and lives! Come back to God, and he will forgive your sins. Then the Lord will send the time of rest.

20 And he will send Jesus, the One he chose to be the Christ.

21 But Jesus must stay in heaven until the time comes when all things will be made right again. God told about this time long ago when he spoke through his holy prophets.

22 Moses said, 'The Lord your God will give you a prophet like me, who is one of your own people. You must listen to everything he tells you.

23 Anyone who does not listen to that prophet will die, cut off from God's people.'

24 Samuel, and all the other prophets who spoke for God after Samuel, told about this time now.

25 You are descendants of the prophets. You have received the agreement God made with your ancestors. He said to your father Abraham, 'Through your descendants all the nations on the earth will be blessed.'

26 God has raised up his servant Jesus and sent him to you first to bless you by turning each of you away from doing evil."