Study Desk

and you killed the one who leads people to life. But God raised him from death, and all of us can tell you what he has done.

But God had his prophets tell that his Messiah would suffer, and now he has kept that promise.

So turn to God! Give up your sins, and you will be forgiven.

But Jesus must stay in heaven until God makes all things new, just as his holy prophets promised long ago.

Moses said, "The Lord your God will choose one of your own people to be a prophet, just as he chose me. Listen to everything he tells you.

You are really the ones God told his prophets to speak to. And you were given the promise that God made to your ancestors. He said to Abraham, "All nations on earth will be blessed because of someone from your family."

God sent his chosen Son to you first, because God wanted to bless you and make each one of you turn away from your sins.

But there is something we must tell you and everyone else in Israel. This man is standing here completely well because of the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. You put Jesus to death on a cross, but God raised him to life.

Peter and John answered, "Do you think God wants us to obey you or to obey him?

The officials could not find any reason to punish Peter and John. So they threatened them and let them go. The man who was healed by this miracle was more than forty years old, and everyone was praising God for what had happened.

In a powerful way the apostles told everyone that the Lord Jesus was now alive. God greatly blessed his followers,

The property was yours before you sold it, and even after you sold it, the money was still yours. What made you do such a thing? You didn't lie to people. You lied to God!"

Peter and the apostles replied: We don't obey people. We obey God.

You killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross. But the God our ancestors worshiped raised him to life

and made him our Leader and Savior. Then God gave him a place at his right side, so that the people of Israel would turn back to him and be forgiven.

We are here to tell you about all this, and so is the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to everyone who obeys God.

But if God is behind it, you cannot stop it anyway, unless you want to fight against God. The council members agreed with what he said,

The apostles left the council and were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer for the sake of Jesus.

We can spend our time praying and serving God by preaching."

God gave Stephen the power to work great miracles and wonders among the people.