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The first account I ^(F1)composed, ^(C1)Theophilus, about all that Jesus ^(C2)began to do and teach,

until the day when He ^(C1)was taken up to heaven, after He ^(C2)had given orders ^(F1)by the Holy Spirit to ^(C3)the apostles whom He had ^(C4)chosen.

To ^(F1)these ^(C1)He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of ^(C2)things regarding the kingdom of God.

^(F1)Gathering them together, He commanded them ^(C1)not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for ^(F2)(C2)what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me;

for ^(C1)John baptized ^(F1)with water, but you will be baptized ^(F1)with the Holy Spirit ^(F2)(C2)not many days from now."

So, when they had come together, they began asking Him, saying, "Lord, ^(C1)is it at this time that You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"

But He said to them, "It is not for you to know periods of time or appointed times which ^(C1)the Father has set by His own authority;

but you will receive power ^(C1)when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be ^(C2)My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and ^(C3)Samaria, and as far as ^(C4)the remotest part of the earth."

And after He had said these things, ^(C1)He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight.

And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, then behold, ^(C1)two men in white clothing stood beside them,

and they said, "^(C1)Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who ^(C2)has been taken up from you into heaven, will ^(C3)come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

Then they ^(C1)returned to Jerusalem from the ^(F1)(C2)mountain called ^(F2)Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a ^(F3)Sabbath day's journey away.

When they had entered the city, they went up to ^(C1)the upstairs room where they were staying, that is, ^(C2)Peter, John, ^(F1)James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, ^(F1)James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and ^(C3)Judas the ^(F2)son of ^(F1)James.

All these ^(C1)were continually devoting themselves with one ^(F1)mind to prayer, along with ^(C2)the women, and Mary the ^(C3)mother of Jesus, and with His ^(C3)brothers.

^(F1)At this time Peter stood up among ^(C1)the brothers and sisters (a group of about 120 ^(F2)people was there together), and said,

"^(F1)Brothers, ^(C1)the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, ^(C2)who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

"For he was ^(C1)counted among us and received his share in ^(C2)this ministry."

(Now this man ^(C1)acquired a field with ^(C2)the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.

And it became known to all the residents of Jerusalem; as a result that field was called Hakeldama in ^(C1)their own language, that is, Field of Blood.)

"For it is written in the book of Psalms: '^(C1)MAY HIS RESIDENCE BE MADE DESOLATE, AND MAY THERE BE NONE LIVING IN IT'; and, '^(C2)MAY ANOTHER TAKE HIS ^(F1)OFFICE.'

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"Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that ^(C1)the Lord Jesus went in and out ^(F1)among us—

^(C1)beginning ^(F1)with the baptism of John until the day that He ^(C2)was taken up from us—one of these must become a ^(C3)witness with us of His resurrection."

So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and ^(C1)Matthias.

And they ^(C1)prayed and said, "You, Lord, who ^(C2)know the hearts of all people, show which one of these two You have chosen

to ^(F1)occupy ^(C1)this ministry and ^(C2)apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place."

And they ^(F1)(C1)drew lots for them, and the lot fell ^(F2)to ^(C2)Matthias; and he was added to ^(C3)the eleven apostles.

When ^(C1)the day of Pentecost ^(F1)had come, they were all together in one place.

And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled ^(C1)the whole house where they were sitting.

And tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, ^(F1)distributing themselves, and a tongue ^(F2)rested on each one of them.

And they were all ^(C1)filled with the Holy Spirit and began to ^(C2)speak with different ^(F1)tongues, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out.

Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, ^(C1)devout men from every nation under heaven.

And when ^(C1)this sound occurred, the crowd came together and they were bewildered, because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own ^(F1)language.

^(C1)They were amazed and astonished, saying, "^(F1)Why, are not all these who are speaking ^(C2)Galileans?

"And how is it that we each hear them in our own ^(F1)language ^(F2)to which we were born?

"Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and ^(C1)Cappadocia, ^(C2)Pontus and ^(F1)(C3)Asia,

^(C1)Phrygia and ^(C2)Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around ^(C3)Cyrene, and ^(F1)(C4)visitors from Rome, both Jews and ^(F2)(C5)proselytes,

Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own ^(F1)tongues of the mighty deeds of God."

And ^(C1)they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, "What does this mean?"

But others were jeering and saying, "^(C1)They are full of ^(F1)sweet wine!"

But Peter, taking his stand with ^(C1)the other eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: "Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, ^(F1)know this, and pay attention to my words.

"For these people are not drunk, as you assume, ^(C1)since it is only the ^(F1)third hour of the day;

but this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:

'^(C1)AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, 'THAT I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL ^(F1)MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN WILL ^(F2)HAVE DREAMS;

AND EVEN ON MY MALE AND FEMALE ^(F1)SERVANTS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS, And they will prophesy.

-'AND I WILL ^(F1)DISPLAY WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, BLOOD, FIRE, AND ^(F2)VAPOR OF SMOKE.

-'THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD COMES.

-'AND IT SHALL BE THAT ^(C1)EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.'

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: ^(C1)Jesus the Nazarene, ^(C2)a Man ^(F1)attested to you by God with ^(F2)miracles and ^(C3)wonders and ^(F3)signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know—

this Man, delivered over by the ^(C1)predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, ^(C2)you nailed to a cross by the hands of ^(F1)godless men and put Him to death.

"^(F1)But ^(C1)God raised Him from the dead, putting an end to the ^(F2)agony of death, since it ^(C2)was impossible for Him to be held ^(F3)in its power.

"For David says of Him, '^(C1)I SAW THE LORD CONTINUALLY BEFORE ME, BECAUSE HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.

-'THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE WAS OVERJOYED; MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE;

FOR YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO ^(C1)HADES, ^(C2)NOR WILL YOU ^(F1)ALLOW YOUR ^(F2)HOLY ONE TO ^(F3)UNDERGO DECAY.

-'YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.'

"^(F1)Brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the ^(C1)patriarch David that he both ^(C2)died and ^(C3)was buried, and ^(C4)his tomb is ^(F2)with us to this day.

"So because he was ^(C1)a prophet and knew that ^(C2)God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one ^(F1)of his descendants on his throne,

he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the ^(F1)Christ, that ^(C1)He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh ^(F2)suffer decay.

"It is this Jesus whom ^(C1)God raised up, ^(F1)a fact to which we are all ^(C2)witnesses.

"Therefore, ^(F1)since He has been exalted ^(F2)(C1)at the right hand of God, and ^(C2)has received ^(C3)the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has ^(C4)poured out this which you both see and hear.

"For it was not David who ascended into ^(F1)heaven, but he himself says: '^(C1)THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,

UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET."'

"Therefore let all the ^(C1)house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both ^(C2)Lord and ^(F1)Christ—this Jesus ^(C3)whom you crucified."

Now when they heard this, they were ^(F1)pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "^(F2)Brothers, ^(C1)what are we to do?"

Peter said to them, "^(C1)Repent, and each of you be ^(C2)baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

"For ^(C1)the promise is for you and your children and for all who are ^(C2)far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself."

And with many other words he solemnly ^(C1)testified and kept on urging them, saying, "^(F1)Be saved from this ^(C2)perverse generation!"

So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand ^(F1)(C1)souls.

They were ^(C1)continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to ^(C2)the breaking of bread and ^(C1)to ^(F1)prayer.

^(F1)Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many ^(C1)wonders and ^(F2)signs were taking place through the apostles.

And all the believers ^(F1)were together and ^(C1)had all things in common;

and they ^(C1)would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need.

^(C1)Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and ^(C2)breaking bread ^(F1)from house to house, they were taking their ^(F2)meals together with gladness and ^(F3)sincerity of heart,

praising God and ^(C1)having favor with all the people. And the Lord ^(C2)was adding to ^(F1)their number day by day ^(C3)those who were being saved.