³⁶ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that ^(A)God has made him ^(B)both Lord and Christ, this Jesus ^(C)whom you crucified.”

³⁷ Now when ^(D)they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, ^(E)what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, ^(F)“Repent and ^(G)be baptized every one of you ^(H)in the name of Jesus Christ ^(I)for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive ^(J)the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For ^(K)the promise is for you and ^(L)for your children and for all ^(M)who are far off, everyone ^(N)whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ^(O)“Save yourselves from this ^(P)crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and ^(Q)there were added that day about three thousand souls.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² And ^(R)they devoted themselves to the apostles' ^(S)teaching and the ^(T)fellowship, to ^(U)the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe^[a] came upon every soul, and ^(V)many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and ^(W)had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And ^(X)they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, ^(Y)attending the temple ^(Z)together and ^(AA)breaking bread in their homes, they received their food ^(AB)with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and ^(AC)having favor with all the people. And the Lord ^(AD)added to their number ^(AE)day by day those who ^(AF)were being saved.

Seven Chosen to Serve

6 Now in these days ^(A)when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists^[a] arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in ^(B)the daily distribution. ² And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. ^3 (C)Therefore, brothers,^[b] pick out from among you seven men ^(D)of good repute, ^(E)full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. ⁴ But ^(F)we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵ And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, ^(G)a man full of faith and ^(H)of the Holy Spirit, and ^(I)Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, ^(J)a proselyte of Antioch. ⁶ These they set before the apostles, and ^(K)they prayed and ^(L)laid their hands on them.

⁷ And ^(M)the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests ^(N)became obedient to ^(O)the faith.