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After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
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“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
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This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
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With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
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Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
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Now 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 going into the temple courts.
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So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
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Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.
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they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
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Peter Speaks to the Onlookers
While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.
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When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
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By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
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But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
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If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,
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then know this, you and 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.
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Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
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But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
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For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
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Ananias and Sapphira
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
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The Apostles Heal Many
The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
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“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
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This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
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Stephen Seized
Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.
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“But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?
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“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
