until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.

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.

For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

“Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

Peter Heals a Lame Beggar

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.

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.

“Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days.

When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.

The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.

At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles.

After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.

Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

The Choosing of the Seven

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.

When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers on their first visit.

The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’