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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.
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Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
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So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
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These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
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“‘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.
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When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
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praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
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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.
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When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
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they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
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Peter Speaks to the Onlookers
While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.
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For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.
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Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’
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And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’
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Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.
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They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
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Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
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If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,
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then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
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But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
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Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
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After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
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The Believers Pray
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
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You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
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Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
