The Ingathering

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.”^{(A) 40} And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, “^[a]Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!” ⁴¹ So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about ^[b]3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers].

^5 [a]Philip [the evangelist] went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) to them.^{(A) 6} The crowds gathered and were paying close attention to everything Philip said, as they heard [the message] and saw the [miraculous] signs which he was doing [validating his message]. ⁷ For unclean spirits (demons), shouting loudly, were coming out of many who were possessed; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸ So there was great rejoicing in that city.

⁹ Now there was a man named Simon, who previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. ¹⁰ They all paid [a great deal of] attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God!” ¹¹ They were paying attention to him because for a long time he had mystified and dazzled them with his magic. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached the ^[b]good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women. ¹³ Even Simon believed [Philip’s message of salvation]; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he watched the attesting signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

³⁵ Then Philip spoke and beginning with this Scripture he preached Jesus to him [explaining that He is the promised Messiah and the source of salvation]. ³⁶ As they continued along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, “Look! Water! What forbids me from being baptized?” ^37 [a][Philip said to him, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] ³⁸ And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord [suddenly] took Philip [and carried him] away [to a different place]; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing.

¹⁰ Now in Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he answered, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called ^[a]Straight, and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul; for he is praying [there], ¹² and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him, so that he may regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, especially how much suffering and evil he has brought on Your saints (God’s people) at Jerusalem; ¹⁴ and here [in Damascus] he has authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on Your name [confessing You as Savior].” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; ¹⁶ for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.” ¹⁷ So Ananias left and entered the house, and he laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came [to Damascus], has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit [in order to proclaim Christ to both Jews and Gentiles].” ¹⁸ Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized;

Gentiles Hear Good News

³⁴ Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“Most certainly I understand now that God is not one to show partiality [to people as though Gentiles were excluded from God’s blessing], ³⁵ but in every nation the person who fears God and does what is right [by seeking Him] is acceptable and welcomed by Him. ³⁶ You know the message which He sent to the sons of Israel, announcing ^[a]the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all— ³⁷ you know the things that have taken place throughout Judea, starting in Galilee after the baptism preached by John— ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with great power; and He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.^{(A) 39} We are [personally] eyewitnesses of everything that He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem [in particular]. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross; ⁴⁰ God raised Him [to life] on the third day and caused Him to be plainly seen, ⁴¹ not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen and designated beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank together with Him after He rose from the dead.^{(B) 42} He commanded us to preach to the people [both Jew and Gentile], and to solemnly testify that He is the One who has been appointed and ordained by God as Judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets testify about Him, that through His name everyone who believes in Him [whoever trusts in and relies on Him, accepting Him as Savior and Messiah] receives forgiveness of sins.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message [confirming God’s acceptance of Gentiles]. ⁴⁵ All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them talking in [unknown] tongues (languages) and exalting and magnifying and praising God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Can anyone refuse water for these people to be baptized, since they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” ⁴⁸ And he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay there for a few days.

¹³ and on the Sabbath day we went outside the city gate to the bank of the [Gangites] river, where we thought there would be a ^[a]place of prayer, and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had come there.

First Convert in Europe

¹⁴ A woman named ^[b]Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a dealer in ^[c]purple fabrics who was [already] a worshiper of God, listened to us; and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention and to respond to the things said by Paul. ¹⁵ And when she was baptized, along with her household, she pleaded with us, saying, “If you have judged me and decided that I am faithful to the Lord [a true believer], come to my house and stay.” And she persuaded us.

³⁰ and after he brought them out [of the inner prison], he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

The Jailer Converted

³¹ And they answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus [as your personal Savior and entrust yourself to Him] and you will be saved, you and your household [if they also believe].” ³² And they spoke the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ] to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their bloody wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.

⁸ Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household [joyfully acknowledging Him as Messiah and Savior]; and many of the Corinthians who heard [Paul’s message] were believing and being baptized.

Paul at Ephesus

19 It happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the upper [inland] districts and came down to Ephesus, and found some disciples. ² He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [in Jesus as the Christ]?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” ³ And he asked, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” ⁴ Paul said, “John performed a baptism of repentance, continually telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, [to confidently accept and joyfully believe] in Jesus [the Messiah and Savior].” ⁵ After hearing this, they were baptized [again, this time] in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in [unknown] tongues (languages) and prophesying.