³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord^(A) and Messiah.”^(B)

³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”^(C)

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized,^(D) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.^(E) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.^{(F) 39} The promise is for you and your children^(G) and for all who are far off^(H)—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”^{(I) 41} Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number^(J) that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching^(K) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread^(L) and to prayer.^{(M) 43} Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.^(N)

Philip and the Ethiopian

²⁶ Now an angel^(A) of the Lord said to Philip,^(B) “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ²⁷ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian^[a](C) eunuch,^(D) an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,^{(E) 28} and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. ²⁹ The Spirit told^(F) Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

³⁰ Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

³¹ “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

³² This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

³⁴ The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip began^(H) with that very passage of Scripture^(I) and told him the good news^(J) about Jesus.

³⁶ As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”^{(K) [37] [c] 38} And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

Saul’s Conversion^(A)

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.^(B) He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,^(C) so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way,^(D) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.^{(E) 4} He fell to the ground and heard a voice^(F) say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”^(G)

⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound^(H) but did not see anyone.^{(I) 8} Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.^(J) So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,^(K) “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus^(L) named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on^(M) him to restore his sight.”

¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people^(N) in Jerusalem.^{(O) 14} And he has come here with authority from the chief priests^(P) to arrest all who call on your name.”^(Q)

¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument^(R) to proclaim my name to the Gentiles^(S) and their kings^(T) and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”^(U)

¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on^(V) Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”^{(W) 18} Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,^{(X) 19} and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples^(Y) in Damascus.^{(Z) 20} At once he began to preach in the synagogues^(AA) that Jesus is the Son of God.^(AB)

²³ Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter at Cornelius’s House

The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers^(A) from Joppa went along.^{(B) 24} The following day he arrived in Caesarea.^(C) Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. ²⁶ But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”^(D)

²⁷ While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people.^{(E) 28} He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile.^(F) But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.^{(G) 29} So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes^(H) stood before me ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. ³² Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism^{(I) 35} but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.^{(J) 36} You know the message^(K) God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news^(L) of peace^(M) through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.^(N)

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on^(A) all who heard the message. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter^(B) were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out^(C) even on Gentiles.^{(D) 46} For they heard them speaking in tongues^[a](E) and praising God.

Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water.^(F) They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”^{(G) 48} So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.^(H) Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

¹³ On the Sabbath^(A) we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira^(B) named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart^(C) to respond to Paul’s message. ¹⁵ When she and the members of her household^(D) were baptized,^(E) she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

²² The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.^{(A) 23} After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer^(B) was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴ When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.^(C)