⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Life among the Believers

⁴³ Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.^{(A) 44} All who believed were together and had all things in common;^{(B) 45} they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds^[a] to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home^[b] and ate their food with glad and generous^[c] hearts,^{(C) 47} praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.^(D)

The Believers Share Their Possessions

³² Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.^{(A) 33} With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.^{(B) 34} There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold.^{(C) 35} They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.^(D)

¹⁴ When you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not cheat one another.^{(A) 15} When you buy from your neighbor, you shall pay only for the number of years until the Jubilee; the seller shall charge you only for the remaining crop years.^{(B) 16} If the years are more, you shall increase the price, and if the years are fewer, you shall diminish the price, for it is a certain number of harvests that are being sold to you. ¹⁷ You shall not cheat one another, but you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord your God.^(C)

³⁵ “If any of your kin fall into difficulty and become dependent on you,^[a] you shall support them; they shall live with you as though resident aliens.^{(A) 36} Do not take interest in advance or otherwise make a profit from them, but fear your God; let them live with you.^{(B) 37} You shall not lend them your money at interest taken in advance or provide them food at a profit. ³⁸ I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God.^(C)

²⁶ Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards,^[a] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.^{(A) 27} But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;^(B)

⁶ For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s agents, busy with this very thing. ⁷ Pay to all what is due them: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Love for One Another

⁸ Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.^{(A) 9} The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”^{(B) 10} Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.^(C)

An Urgent Appeal

¹¹ Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is already the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers;^{(A) 12} the night is far gone; the day is near. Let us then throw off^[a] the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;^(B)