1 The first account, O The·ophʹi·lus, I composed about all the things Jesus started to do and to teach+ 2 until the day that he was taken up,+ after he had given instructions through holy spirit to the apostles he had chosen.+ 3 After he had suffered, he showed himself alive to them by many convincing proofs.+ He was seen by them throughout 40 days, and he was speaking about the Kingdom of God.+ 4 While he was meeting with them, he ordered them: “Do not leave Jerusalem,+ but keep waiting for what the Father has promised,+ about which you heard from me; 5 for John, indeed, baptized with water, but you will be baptized with holy spirit+ not many days after this.”
6 So when they had assembled, they asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”+ 7 He said to them: “It does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.+ 8 But you will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you,+ and you will be witnesses+ of me in Jerusalem,+ in all Ju·deʹa and Sa·marʹi·a,+ and to the most distant part of the earth.”+ 9 After he had said these things, while they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud caught him up from their sight.+ 10 And as they were gazing into the sky while he was on his way, suddenly two men in white garments+ stood beside them 11 and said: “Men of Galʹi·lee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was taken up from you into the sky will come in the same manner as you have seen him going into the sky.”
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem+ from a mountain called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, only a sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they arrived, they went up into the upper room where they were staying. There were Peter as well as John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bar·tholʹo·mew and Matthew, James the son of Al·phaeʹus, and Simon the zealous one, and Judas the son of James.+ 14 With one purpose all of these were persisting in prayer, together with some women+ and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers.+
15 During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (the number of people was altogether about 120) and said: 16 “Men, brothers, it was necessary for the scripture to be fulfilled that the holy spirit spoke prophetically through David about Judas,+ who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.+ 17 For he had been numbered among us+ and he obtained a share in this ministry. 18 (This very man, therefore, purchased a field with the wages for unrighteousness,+ and falling headfirst, his body burst open and all his insides spilled out.+ 19 This became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language A·kelʹda·ma, that is, “Field of Blood.”) 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his dwelling become desolate, and let there be no inhabitant in it’+ and, ‘His office of oversight let someone else take.’+ 21 It is therefore necessary that of the men who accompanied us during all the time in which the Lord Jesus carried on his activities among us, 22 starting with his baptism by John+ until the day he was taken up from us,+ one of these men should become a witness with us of his resurrection.”+
23 So they proposed two, Joseph called Barʹsab·bas, who was also called Justus, and Mat·thiʹas. 24 Then they prayed and said: “You, O Jehovah, who know the hearts of all,+ designate which one of these two men you have chosen 25 to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas deviated to go to his own place.”+ 26 So they cast lots over them,+ and the lot fell to Mat·thiʹas, and he was counted along with the 11 apostles.
2 Now while the day of the Festival of Pentecost+ was in progress, they were all together at the same place. 2 Suddenly there was a noise from heaven, just like that of a rushing, stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.+ 3 And tongues as if of fire became visible to them and were distributed, and one came to rest on each one of them, 4 and they all became filled with holy spirit+ and started to speak in different languages, just as the spirit enabled them to speak.+
5 At that time devout Jews from every nation under heaven were staying in Jerusalem.+ 6 So when this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Indeed, they were utterly amazed and said: “See here, all these who are speaking are Gal·i·leʹans,+ are they not? 8 How is it, then, that each one of us is hearing his own native language? 9 Parʹthi·ans, Medes,+ and Eʹlam·ites,+ the inhabitants of Mes·o·po·taʹmi·a, Ju·deʹa and Cap·pa·doʹci·a, Ponʹtus and the province of Asia,+ 10 Phrygʹi·a and Pam·phylʹi·a, Egypt and the regions of Libʹy·a near Cy·reʹne, sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,+ 11 Creʹtans, and Arabians—we hear them speaking in our languages about the magnificent things of God.” 12 Yes, they were all astonished and perplexed, saying to one another: “What does this mean?” 13 However, others mocked them and said: “They are full of sweet wine.”
14 But Peter stood up with the Eleven+ and spoke to them in a loud voice: “Men of Ju·deʹa and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem, let this be known to you and listen carefully to my words. 15 These people are, in fact, not drunk, as you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day. 16 On the contrary, this is what was said through the prophet Joel: 17 ‘“And in the last days,” God says, “I will pour out some of my spirit on every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams,+ 18 and even on my male slaves and on my female slaves I will pour out some of my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.+ 19 And I will give wonders in heaven above and signs on earth below—blood and fire and clouds of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and illustrious day of Jehovah comes. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.”’+
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ was a man publicly shown to you by God through powerful works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst,+ just as you yourselves know. 23 This man, who was handed over by the determined will and foreknowledge of God,+ you fastened to a stake by the hand of lawless men, and you did away with him.+ 24 But God resurrected him+ by releasing him from the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held fast by it.+ 25 For David says about him: ‘I keep Jehovah constantly in front of me, for he is at my right hand that I may never be shaken. 26 On this account my heart became cheerful and my tongue rejoiced greatly. And I will reside in hope; 27 because you will not leave me in the Grave, nor will you allow your loyal one to see corruption.+ 28 You have made life’s ways known to me; you will fill me with great joy in your presence.’+
29 “Men, brothers, it is permissible to speak with freeness of speech to you about the family head David, that he died and was buried,+ and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one of his offspring on his throne,+ 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he forsaken in the Grave nor did his flesh see corruption.+ 32 God resurrected this Jesus, and of this we are all witnesses.+ 33 Therefore, because he was exalted to the right hand of God+ and received the promised holy spirit from the Father,+ he has poured out what you see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”’+ 36 Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lord+ and Christ, this Jesus whom you executed on a stake.”+
37 Now when they heard this, they were stabbed to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Men, brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter said to them: “Repent,+ and let each one of you be baptized+ in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins,+ and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit. 39 For the promise+ is to you and your children, and to all those who are far away, to all those whom Jehovah our God may call to himself.”+ 40 And with many other words he gave a thorough witness and kept exhorting them, saying: “Get saved from this crooked generation.”+ 41 So those who gladly accepted his word were baptized,+ and on that day about 3,000 people were added.+ 42 And they continued devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles, to associating together, to the taking of meals,+ and to prayers.+
43 Indeed, fear began to fall upon everyone, and many wonders and signs began to occur through the apostles.+ 44 All those who became believers were together and had everything in common, 45 and they were selling their possessions+ and properties and distributing the proceeds to all, according to what each one needed.+ 46 And day after day they were in constant attendance in the temple with a united purpose, and they took their meals in different homes and shared their food with great rejoicing and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and finding favor with all the people. At the same time Jehovah continued to add to them daily those being saved.+