²⁹ “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you ^(A)of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Therefore, being a prophet, ^(B)and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, ^[a]according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, ³¹ he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, ^(C)that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. ^32 (D)This Jesus God has raised up, ^(E)of which we are all witnesses. ³³ Therefore ^(F)being exalted ^[b]to ^(G)the right hand of God, and ^(H)having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He ^(I)poured out this which you now see and hear.

³⁴ “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:

³⁶ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

³⁷ Now when they heard this, ^(K)they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

³⁸ Then Peter said to them, ^(L)“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the ^[c]remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and ^(M)to your children, and ^(N)to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

A Vital Church Grows

⁴⁰ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this ^[d]perverse generation.” ⁴¹ Then those who ^[e]gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. ^42 (O)And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ ^[f]doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

²⁷ “For ^(A)truly against ^(B)Your holy Servant Jesus, ^(C)whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together ^28 (D)to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. ²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants ^(E)that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, ^(F)and that signs and wonders may be done ^(G)through the name of ^(H)Your holy Servant Jesus.”

³¹ And when they had prayed, ^(I)the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(J)and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Continuing Power in the Church

¹² And ^(A)through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. ^(B)And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. ¹³ Yet ^(C)none of the rest dared join them, ^(D)but the people esteemed them highly. ¹⁴ And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, ¹⁵ so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, ^(E)that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. ¹⁶ Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing ^(F)sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Imprisoned Apostles Freed

^17 (G)Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with ^[a]indignation, ^18 (H)and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. ¹⁹ But at night ^(I)an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ²⁰ “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people ^(J)all the words of this life.”

²¹ And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. ^(K)But the high priest and those with him came and called the ^[b]council together, with all the ^[c]elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Apostles on Trial Again

²² But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, ²³ saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing ^[d]outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” ²⁴ Now when ^[e]the high priest, ^(L)the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. ²⁵ So one came and told them, ^[f]saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”

²⁶ Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, ^(M)for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. ²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, ²⁸ saying, ^(N)“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, ^(O)and intend to bring this Man’s ^(P)blood on us!”

²⁹ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ^(Q)“We ought to obey God rather than men. ^30 (R)The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by ^(S)hanging on a tree. ^31 (T)Him God has exalted to His right hand to be ^(U)Prince and ^(V)Savior, ^(W)to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And ^(X)we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit ^(Y)whom God has given to those who obey Him.”