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.

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.

“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “‘May another take his place of leadership.’

beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.

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

But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.

Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.

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

So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.

But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer.

Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

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

The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.’

Ananias and Sapphira

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.

With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.

At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

The Apostles Persecuted

Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.

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.