Beginning
1 In the sefer harishon I wrote about everything, O Theophilus, about Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, both what he began to do and the shiurim he began to say,
2 Until HaYom, when he made aliyah ascent to Shomayim, having given Moshiach’s mitzvot through the Ruach Hakodesh to the Shlichim whom he chose,
3 To whom also he presented himself chai (alive), after his Messianic yissurim (sufferings), by many convincing proofs, during arba’im yamim appearing to his Shlichim and speaking concerning the Malchut Hashem:
4 And, while gathering them at a yechidus, Moshiach gave instructions to them not to depart from Yerushalayim, but to wait for the havtachah (promise) of [Elohim] HaAv which he said, "You heard of from Me. [TEHILLIM 27:14]
5 "For Yochanan gave a tevilah of teshuva with a mikveh mayim, but you will receive a tevilah in the Ruach Hakodesh not many yamim from now." [YOEL 3:1;(2:28)]
6 And at yechidus, having come together, they were asking him saying, "Adoneinu, is it at this time that You are restoring the Malchut Hashem to Am Yisroel?"
7 But he said to them, "It is not for you to have da’as of the itim (times) or moadim (seasons) which [Elohim] HaAv has set by His own samchut (authority). [Dt 29:29; Ps 107:13]
8 "But you will receive ko’ach when the Ruach Hakodesh has come upon you, and you all will be the Eidus (the Witness) of me, in Yerushalayim, and in all Yehudah, and Shomron and as far as ad ketzeh ha’aretz."
9 And having said these things, while they were looking on, in an aliyah ascent to Shomayim, Moshiach was taken up; and an anan (cloud) took him away from their eyes.
10 And as they were gazing intently into Shomayim, while Moshiach was going—hinei—two beings, enrobed in white, had been present with them.
11 Also, these said, "Men of the Galil, why do you stand looking into Shomayim? This Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, the one having been taken up from you into Shomayim, will also come again in like manner as you saw him going into Shomayim."
12 Then they returned to Yerushalayim from Har HaZeytim, which from Yerushalayim is a Shabbos walk.
13 And when they entered, they went up to the aliyyah where they were staying, that is, Kefa and Yochanan and Ya’akov and Andrew and Philippos and T’oma and Bar-Talmai and Mattityahu and Ya’akov Ben Chalfai and Shimon the Zealot and Yehudah Ben Ya’akov.
14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to tefillah, with the nashim and with Miryam the Em of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and with his achim.
15 And at this time, having stood up, Kefa, in the midst of the Achim b’Moshiach (there were 120 persons in the place)
16 —Said, "Achim b’Moshiach, the Kitvei Hakodesh had to be fulfilled, which the Ruach Hakodesh foretold through the peh of Dovid Hamelech concerning Yehudah, who became a guide to the ones arresting Yehoshua.
17 "For he had been numbered among us, and he received his ministry in the Messianic avodas kodesh of the Moshiach’s Shlichim.
18 (Now this man, therefore, acquired a sadeh out of the sachar [reward] of his peysha and, having fallen headlong, he plotst [burst] open in the middle and all the inward parts of him were poured out.
19 And this became known to all the ones inhabiting Yerushalayim, so that the sadeh [field] became known in their language as 'Akeldama’‖that is 'Sadeh of Dahm.')
20 "For it has been written in the Sefer Tehillim, "TEHI the place of him NESHAMMAH (one being deserted)... V’AL YEHI YOSHEV" ("May his place be deserted and let him not be the one dwelling in it": TEHILLIM 69:26) and "PEKUDATO YIKACH ACHER" ("his place of leadership may another take". TEHILLIM 109:8)
21 "It is necessary, therefore, that one of the anashim who accompanied us during all the time in which Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua went in and went out among us,
22 "Beginning from the tevilah of teshuva of Yochanan until the day when Moshiach was taken up from us—one of these should become Eidus (Witness) with us to the Techiyas HaMoshiach."
23 And they put forward two anashim, Yosef Bar-Sabba, also called Justus, and Mattityahu.
24 And having davened, they said, "Adonoi, you have da’as of the levavot of Kol B’nei Adam. Therefore, show which of these two is your bechirah [1Sm 14:41]
25 "To take the place of this avodas kodesh ministry and Shlichus from which Yehudah turned aside to go to his own place."
26 And they drew lots, and the lot fell to Mattityahu, and he was numbered with the Achad Asar of Moshiach’s Shlichim. [T.N. Lukas wrote this work around 63 C.E., near the time of his awaiting the first hearing of Rav Sha’ul before Nero in Rome.]
2 And when the day of Shavuos is fulfilled, they were all together in one place. [Lv 23:15,16]
2 And there was mitamuhl (suddenly) from Shomayim a sound like the rushing of a violent wind, and it filled the whole bais where they were sitting.
3 And leshonot appeared to them, being divided as eish resting on each one of them,
4 And all were filled with the Ruach Hakodesh, and they began to speak in leshonot acherot as the Ruach Hakodesh was giving the utterance to them.
5 Now there were in Yerushalayim frum, charedi (orthodox) Yehudim from all the nations under Shomayim.
6 And at this sound, the multitude assembled and was bewildered, because they were hearing, each one in his own native language, the Achim b’Moshiach speaking.
7 And they were mishpoyel (standing in awe) and marveled, saying, "Hinei, are not all of these Galileans speaking?
8 "And how are we hearing, each in our own language in which we were born?
9 "We Parthians and Medes and Elamites; the ones living in Mesopotamia, Yehudah, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,
10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Mitzrayim (Egypt), and the regions of Libya around Cyrene; and the visiting Romans,
11 Both Yehudim and Gerim (Proselytes), Cretan, and Arabic, we hear them speaking in other languages [than their own] of the Gevurot (mighty acts) of Hashem".
12 And all had real hispailus (overwhelming awe) and were bewildered saying one to another, "What can this mean?"
13 But others, mocking, were saying, "Of sweet wine they have been filled!”
14 But Kefa, having stood with the Achad Asar, lifted up his voice and declared to them, "Anashim Yehudim! And the ones inhabiting Yerushalayim, have da’as of all this and be goires (listen to) my dvarim:
15 "For these ones are not, as you assume, in their schnaps, for it is only the third hour of the day (nine o’clock in the morning).
16 "But this is what has been spoken by Yoel HaNavi;
17 `And it shall be in the Acharit Hayamim, ne’um Hashem, ESHPOCH ES RUCHI AL KOL BASAR V’NIB’U BNEICHEM U’VENOTEICHEM ZIKNEICHEM CHALOMOT YACHALOMUN BACHUREICHEM CHEZYONOT YIRU ("I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh: and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams and your bochrim will see visions": Yoel 3:1 [2:28]) [Num 11:25; Isa 44:3; Ezek 39:29]
18 ‘And upon My avadim and upon My shfakhot in BAYYAMIM HAHEMMAH ESHPOCH ES RUCHI ("in those days I will pour out my Ruach Hakodesh") and they will speak dvarim hanevu’ah:
19 ‘And I will give MOFTIM BASHOMAYIM and signs on ha’aretz below DAHM VA’EISH V’TIMROT ASHAM ("blood and fire and billows of smoke")
20 ‘The shemesh (sun) will be transformed into choshech (darkness) and the moon into blood before the great and dreadful YOM HASHEM.")
21 ("And it will be that everyone whoever calls upon the Name of Adonoi will be saved".)' [BERESHIS 4:26; 26:25; TEHILLIM 105:1; YOEL 3:1-5 (2:28 32)]
22 "Anshei Yisroel, listen to these dvarim: Yehoshua of Natzeret, a man having been attested by Hashem to you by gevurot and moftim which Hashem did through him in your midst, just as you yourselves have da’as
23 "This one, delivered up by the determined cheshbon (plan) and yedi’ah mukdemet (foreknowledge) of Hashem, and by the hand of lawless Bnei Adam you made him talui al HaEtz (being hanged on the Tree, DEVARIM 21:23) and put him to death. [YESHAYAH 53:10]
24 "But in fact Hashem made Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach to stand up alive again, having destroyed the Chevlei HaMavet, because it was impossible for Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach to be held by Death’s ko’ach.
25 "For Dovid Hamelech says of him, SHIVVITI HASHEM L’NEGDI TAMID KI MIMINI BAL EMMOT ("I set Adonoi before me always, because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken.") [TEHILLIM 16:8-11]
26 "Therefore my heart was cheered up and my tongue exulted and in addition also my flesh, my body, will live in secure [hope].") [BERESHIS 47:18; TEHILLIM 16:9-10; IYOV 19:25-27; YESHAYAH 53:11]
27 "Because you will not abandon the nefesh (soul) of me to destruction nor will you give your Chasid [T.N. i.e., Moshiach the ultimate Chasid] to see corruption.")
28 TODIEINI ORACH CHAYYIM SOVA SEMACHOT ES PANECHA ("You made known to me the path of Chayyim, you will fill me with simcha in your presence.") [TEHILLIM 16:8-11]
29 "Anashim Achim, it is permitted to speak with bitachon (confidence) to you benoigeia (regarding) Dovid Avinu, that also he died and was buried and his kever (tomb) is with us until this day. [MELACHIM ALEF 2:10; NECHEMYAH 3:16]
30 "Therefore, being a Navi and having da’as that with a shevu’ah (an oath) HASHEM swore to him that from his loins his zera would sit upon his KISSE... [TEHILLIM 132:11; 89:3-4; SHMUEL BAIS 7:12-13]
31 "Foreseeing this, Dovid Hamelech spoke about the Techiyas HaMoshiach: neither was he "abandoned to destruction nor did his BASAR see corruption." [BERESHIS 47:18; TEHILLIM 16:9-10; IYOV 19:25-27; YESHAYAH 53:11]
32 "This Yehoshua in fact Hashem made to stand up alive again, of which we all are Edim (T.N. i.e., here the original language means “martyr witnesses unto mavet al Kiddush ha-Shem”).
33 "Having been exalted to the right hand of Hashem and having received the havtachah of the Ruach Hakodesh from [Elohim] HaAv, Moshiach poured out this which you also see and hear.
34 "For Dovid Hamelech did not ascend into Shomayim, but he says, "Hashem says to Adoni, SHEV LIMINI ("sit down at my right hand")
35 Until I make OYVECHA ("your enemies") your footstool." [TEHILLIM 110:1]
36 "Therefore, assuredly let Klal Yisroel have da’as that this Yehoshua, whom you made talui al HaEtz (being hanged on the Tree, DEVARIM 21:23), this one Hashem has made both Adoneinu and Rabbeinu, Melech HaMoshiach."
37 And when they heard this, they were pierced with conviction in their levavot, and they said to Kefa and to the other of Moshiach’s Shlichim, "Achim, what shall we do?"
38 And Kefa said to them, "Make teshuva (repentance, turning from chet to Hashem) and each of you submit to a tevilah of teshuva in the Shem of Yehoshua HaMoshiach, for the selichat avon of you, and you will receive the matanah of the Ruach Hakodesh.
39 "For to you is the havtachah and to your yeladim and to all the ones at a distance, as many as may YIKRA B’SHEM ADONOI ELOHEINU." [YOEL 3:5; 2:28; YESHAYAH 44:3; 65:23; 57:19]
40 And with many other dvarim, Kefa gave solemn edut (testimony) and was warning them, "Receive yeshu’at Eloheinu from this DOR IKKESH U’FETALTOL (warped and crooked generation)!" DEVARIM 32:5]
41 Those, who were mekabel Besuras HaGeulah and welcomed his dvar, submitted to a tevilah of teshuva and there were added in that day nefashot (souls) beerech (approximately, dacht zich) shloshet alafim (three thousand).
42 And they were keseder (constantly) shtark (steadfastly) devoting themselves to the Moshiach’s pnimiyus (innermost) Torah as handed on by Moshiach’s Shlichim (emmisaries of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach) and to being mishtatef (involved, joining) in the Messianic Chavurah (fellowship, company, group, especially one eating the paschal lamb together) and to the tishen (shared meals) with Betzi’at HaLechem (Breaking Bread) at the Seudos Moshiach and to the Tefillos.
43 All were filled with yirat Shomayim and mishpoyel (awe), and many moftim and otot through Moshiach’s Shlichim were taking place.
44 And all the [Jewish] Ma’aminim HaMeshichiyim were together and they were having all things in common.
45 And they were selling their properties and possessions and were distributing tzedakah to everyone as someone had need. [DEVARIM 28:1-14]
46 And yom yom, devoting themselves with one mind in the courts of the Beis Hamikdash, and from bais to bais, offering the Betzi’at HaLechem, they were together at tish with single-hearted exultation and hitlahavut.
47 Praising Hashem, and having favor with all the people while G-d was adding to their number yom yom those receiving yeshu’at Eloheinu.
3 Now Kefa and Yochanan were going up to the Beis Hamikdash at the hour of tefillah, the ninth hour (three o’clock in the afternoon). [TEHILLIM 55:17]
2 And a certain ish, an ish (pisei’ach from the womb of his em), was being carried and they were putting him bederech klal (usually) yom yom at the sha’ar of the Beis Hamikdash, the one being called the Sha’ar Hatiferet, in order to beg for tzedakah from the ones entering into the Beis Hamikdash.
3 When the ish pisei’ach (lame man) saw Kefa and Yochanan being about to enter into the Beis Hamikdash, he began begging them for tzedakah.
4 But Kefa, as did Yochanan, gazed at him, saying, "Look at us!"
5 And the ish pisei’ach was paying heed to them, expecting to receive something from them.
6 And Kefa said, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give to you. In ha-Shem of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua of Natzeret, get up and walk!"
7 And having grasped him by the yad yamin, Kefa lifted him up, and immediately the man’s feet and ankles were strengthened.
8 And leaping up, he stood and was walking around, and he entered with them into the Beis Hamikdash, walking and leaping and shouting "Baruch Hashem!" [YESHAYAH 35:6]
9 And all the people saw him walking and shouting, "Baruch Hashem!"
10 And they recognized him, that he was the one sitting at the Sha’ar Hatiferet (Beautiful Gate) of the Beis Hamikdash begging for tzedakah; and they were mishpoyel (standing in awe) and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 Now while Kefa and Yochanan were being held by him, all the people ran together to them at the Portico which is called Ulam Sh’lomo, and the people were utterly astonished.
12 And when Kefa saw this, he answered the people, preaching, "Anshei Yisroel, why are you bewildered at this or at us? Why are you gazing as if it were by our own ko’ach or chassidus that this man has become able to walk?
13 "Hashem, Elohei Avraham V’Elohei Yitzchak V’Elohei Ya’akov, the G-d of Avoteinu, has brought kavod to his mesharet, his Eved, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate when you decided to release the other one. [SHEMOT 3:6,15; YESHAYAH 52:13;53:11]
14 "But you denied HaKadosh and the Tzaddik and you asked for a man who was a rotzeach (murderer) to be granted unto you,
15 "but the Sar HaChayyim you did away with, whom Hashem made to stand up alive again from the mesim, of which we are edim (witnesses).
16 "And on the basis of emunah in Shmo (Name), this ish whom you see and know, the Shem of Yehoshua has made him strong; ken, and it is emunah (faith) that comes through Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, which has given a refu’ah shleimah (complete healing) to this man in the presence of all of you.
17 "And now, Achim, I realize that according to a lack of da’as you acted, as did also your manhigim (leaders).
18 "But Hashem has thus fulfilled the things which he announced beforehand through the mouth of all the Nevi’im that the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach should undergo Messianic yissurim (sufferings).
19 "Therefore, make teshuva (repentance, turning from chet [sin] to G-d) and turn in order that your chatta’im, your averos (sins) may be removed, [TEHILLIM 51:1; YESHAYAH 43:25; 44:22]
20 "In order that times of rest may come from the presence of Adonoi, and that he may send the one having been proclaimed beforehand to you, that is, the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach,
21 "Whom it is necessary for Shomayim to receive until the times of the Tikkun of all things of which Hashem spoke long ago through the mouth of his Nevi’im hakedoshim."
22 "Moshe Rabbenu indeed said, "NAVI KAMOCHA [T. N. i.e., a prophet like Moses] for you Hashem Adonoi will raise up from your achim; to him you will give heed according to everything whatever he may speak to you." [DEVARIM 18:15,18]
23 "And it will be that every nefesh (soul) whoever LO YISHMA (does not listen) to that Navi (prophet) will be utterly destroyed from among the people. [DEVARIM 18:19; VAYIKRA 23:29]
24 "And likewise all the Nevi’im (prophets) from Shmuel and his successors onward, also announced HaYom HaZeh.
25 "You are the Bnei HaNevi’im (prophets) and you are the Bnei HaBrit which Hashem decreed to your Avot, saying to Avraham Avinu, V’NIVRAKHU (“and they will be blessed”) in your ZERA (“Seed”), KOL MISHPEKHOT HA’ADAMAH ("and in your Zera will be blessed all the families of the earth.") [BERESHIS 12:3; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14]
26 "To you rishonah (first) Hashem raised up his EVED [Moshiach], sending him to give you a bracha, turning every one of you in teshuva away from your wicked ways."
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