Acts 2:14-8:3

New American Bible (Revised Edition)

II. The Mission in Jerusalem

Peter’s Speech at Pentecost. ^14 [a]Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

²² You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.^{(C) 23} This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him.^{(D) 24} But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it.^{(E) 25} For David says of him:

²⁹ My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. ³⁰ But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne,^{(H) 31} he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption.^{(I) 32} God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. ³³ Exalted at the right hand of God,^[b] he received the promise of the holy Spirit from the Father and poured it forth, as you [both] see and hear.^{(J) 34} For David did not go up into heaven, but he himself said:

³⁶ Therefore let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.”^(L)

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?”^{(M) 38} Peter [said] to them, “Repent and be baptized,^[c] every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit.^{(N) 39} For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.”^{(O) 40} He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”^{(P) 41} Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.^(Q)

Communal Life.^{[d] 42 (R)}They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers.^{(S) 43} Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.^{(T) 44} All who believed were together and had all things in common;^{(U) 45} they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need. ⁴⁶ Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Chapter 3

Cure of a Crippled Beggar. ^1 [e]Now Peter and John were going up to the temple area for the three o’clock hour of prayer.^{[f] 2 (V)}And a man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. ⁴ But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” ⁵ He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. ^6 [g]Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, [rise and] walk.”^{(W) 7} Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. ⁸ He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God.^{(X) 9} When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.

Peter’s Speech. ¹¹ As he clung to Peter and John, all the people hurried in amazement toward them in the portico called “Solomon’s Portico.”^{(Y) 12} When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?^{(Z) 13} The God of Abraham, [the God] of Isaac, and [the God] of Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified^[h] his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, when he had decided to release him.^{(AA) 14} You denied the Holy and Righteous One^[i] and asked that a murderer be released to you.^{(AB) 15 [j]}The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.^{(AC) 16} And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you. ¹⁷ Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance,^[k] just as your leaders did;^{(AD) 18} but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets,^[l] that his Messiah would suffer.^{(AE) 19} Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away,^{(AF) 20} and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Messiah already appointed for you, Jesus,^{[m] 21} whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration^[n] of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. ²² For Moses said:^[o]

²⁴ Moreover, all the prophets who spoke, from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days. ²⁵ You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors when he said to Abraham, ‘In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’^{(AI) 26} For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.”^(AJ)

Chapter 4

¹ While they were still speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees^[p] confronted them, ² disturbed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.^{(AK) 3} They laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. ⁴ But many of those who heard the word came to believe and [the] number of men grew to [about] five thousand.

Before the Sanhedrin. ⁵ On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes were assembled in Jerusalem, ⁶ with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly class. ⁷ They brought them into their presence and questioned them, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” ⁸ Then Peter, filled with the holy Spirit, answered them, “Leaders of the people and elders:^{(AL) 9} If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, ¹⁰ then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. ^11 (AM)He is ‘the stone rejected by you,^[q] the builders, which has become the cornerstone.’ ^12 [r](AN)There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

¹³ Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, they were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus. ¹⁴ Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply. ¹⁵ So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred with one another, saying, ¹⁶ “What are we to do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done through them, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But so that it may not be spread any further among the people, let us give them a stern warning never again to speak to anyone in this name.”^(AO)

¹⁸ So they called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.^{(AP) 20} It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” ²¹ After threatening them further, they released them, finding no way to punish them, on account of the people who were all praising God for what had happened. ²² For the man on whom this sign of healing had been done was over forty years old.

Prayer of the Community. ²³ After their release they went back to their own people and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them. ²⁴ And when they heard it, they raised their voices to God with one accord and said, “Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, ²⁵ you said by the holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant:

²⁷ Indeed they gathered in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, Herod^[s] and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,^{(AR) 28} to do what your hand and [your] will had long ago planned to take place. ²⁹ And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, ³⁰ as you stretch forth [your] hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” ^31 [t]As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.^(AS)

Life in the Christian Community.^{[u] 32} The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. ³³ With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. ^34 (AT)There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, ³⁵ and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.

^36 (AU)Thus Joseph, also named by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), a Levite, a Cypriot by birth, ³⁷ sold a piece of property that he owned, then brought the money and put it at the feet of the apostles.

Chapter 5

Ananias and Sapphira.^{[v] 1} A man named Ananias, however, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. ² He retained for himself, with his wife’s knowledge, some of the purchase price, took the remainder, and put it at the feet of the apostles. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you lied to the holy Spirit and retained part of the price of the land?^{(AV) 4} While it remained unsold, did it not remain yours? And when it was sold, was it not still under your control? Why did you contrive this deed? You have lied not to human beings, but to God.” ⁵ When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last, and great fear came upon all who heard of it. ⁶ The young men came and wrapped him up, then carried him out and buried him.

⁷ After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, unaware of what had happened. ⁸ Peter said to her, “Tell me, did you sell the land for this amount?” She answered, “Yes, for that amount.” ⁹ Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen, the footsteps of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” ¹⁰ At once, she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men entered they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.^(AW)

Signs and Wonders of the Apostles.^{[w] 12} Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s portico.^{(AX) 13} None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them. ¹⁴ Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women, were added to them. ¹⁵ Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.^{(AY) 16} A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.

Trial Before the Sanhedrin.^{[x] 17} Then the high priest rose up and all his companions, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and, filled with jealousy,^{(AZ) 18} laid hands upon the apostles and put them in the public jail. ¹⁹ But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said,^{(BA) 20} “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.” ²¹ When they heard this, they went to the temple early in the morning and taught. When the high priest and his companions arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin, the full senate of the Israelites, and sent to the jail to have them brought in. ²² But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison, so they came back and reported, ²³ “We found the jail securely locked and the guards stationed outside the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” ²⁴ When they heard this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss about them, as to what this would come to. ²⁵ Then someone came in and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area and are teaching the people.” ²⁶ Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them in, but without force, because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.^(BB)

²⁷ When they had brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, ²⁸ “We gave you strict orders [did we not?] to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”^{(BC) 29} But Peter and the apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men.^{(BD) 30 [y]}The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,^(BE) though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹ God exalted him at his right hand^[z] as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.^{(BF) 32} We are witnesses of these things, as is the holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey him.”^(BG)

³³ When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death. ^34 [aa]But a Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up, ordered the men to be put outside for a short time,^{(BH) 35} and said to them, “Fellow Israelites, be careful what you are about to do to these men. ^36 [ab]Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important, and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed, and all those who were loyal to him were disbanded and came to nothing. ³⁷ After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census. He also drew people after him, but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered. ³⁸ So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. ³⁹ But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him. ⁴⁰ After recalling the apostles, they had them flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.^{(BI) 41} So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.^{(BJ) 42} And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Messiah, Jesus.^(BK)

Chapter 6

The Need for Assistants. ^1 [ac]At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.^{(BL) 2 [ad]}So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.^{[ae] 3} Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, ⁴ whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵ The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. ^6 (BM)They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.^{[af] 7} The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.^(BN)

Accusation Against Stephen. ^8 [ag]Now Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with Stephen, ¹⁰ but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.^{(BO) 11} Then they instigated some men to say, “We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”^{(BP) 12} They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, accosted him, seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. ¹³ They presented false witnesses^[ah] who testified, “This man never stops saying things against [this] holy place and the law. ¹⁴ For we have heard him claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”^{(BQ) 15} All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Chapter 7

Stephen’s Discourses. ¹ Then the high priest asked, “Is this so?” ^2 (BR)And he replied,^[ai] “My brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia,^[aj] before he had settled in Haran, ³ and said to him, ‘Go forth from your land and [from] your kinsfolk to the land that I will show you.’^{(BS) 4} So he went forth from the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. And from there, after his father died, he made him migrate to this land where you now dwell.^{(BT) 5} Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but he did promise to give it to him and his descendants as a possession, even though he was childless.^{(BU) 6} And God spoke thus,^(BV) ‘His descendants shall be aliens in a land not their own, where they shall be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years; ⁷ but I will bring judgment on the nation they serve,’ God said, ‘and after that they will come out and worship me in this place.’^{(BW) 8} Then he gave him the covenant of circumcision, and so he became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, as Isaac did Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.^(BX)

⁹ “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him^{(BY) 10} and rescued him from all his afflictions. He granted him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, who put him in charge of Egypt and [of] his entire household.^{(BZ) 11} Then a famine and great affliction struck all Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find no food;^{(CA) 12} but when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there a first time.^{(CB) 13} The second time, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh.^{(CC) 14} Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob, inviting him and his whole clan, seventy-five persons;^{(CD) 15} and Jacob went down to Egypt. And he and our ancestors died^{(CE) 16} and were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor at Shechem.^(CF)

¹⁷ “When the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise that God pledged to Abraham, the people had increased and become very numerous in Egypt,^{(CG) 18} until another king who knew nothing of Joseph came to power [in Egypt].^{(CH) 19} He dealt shrewdly with our people and oppressed [our] ancestors by forcing them to expose their infants, that they might not survive. ²⁰ At this time Moses was born, and he was extremely beautiful. For three months he was nursed in his father’s house;^{(CI) 21} but when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.^{(CJ) 22} Moses was educated [in] all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds.

^23 (CK)“When he was forty years old, he decided to visit his kinsfolk, the Israelites. ²⁴ When he saw one of them treated unjustly, he defended and avenged the oppressed man by striking down the Egyptian. ²⁵ He assumed [his] kinsfolk would understand that God was offering them deliverance through him, but they did not understand. ^26 (CL)The next day he appeared to them as they were fighting and tried to reconcile them peacefully, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you harming one another?’ ²⁷ Then the one who was harming his neighbor pushed him aside, saying, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? ²⁸ Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ ²⁹ Moses fled when he heard this and settled as an alien in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.^(CM)

^30 (CN)“Forty years later, an angel appeared to him in the desert near Mount Sinai in the flame of a burning bush. ³¹ When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look at it, the voice of the Lord came, ³² ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob.’ Then Moses, trembling, did not dare to look at it. ³³ But the Lord said to him, ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. ³⁴ I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt.’ ³⁵ This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge?’ God sent as [both] ruler and deliverer, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.^{(CO) 36} This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the desert for forty years.^{(CP) 37} It was this Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you, from among your own kinsfolk, a prophet like me.’^{(CQ) 38} It was he who, in the assembly in the desert, was with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and with our ancestors, and he received living utterances to hand on to us.^(CR)

³⁹ “Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him; instead, they pushed him aside and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,^{(CS) 40} saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will be our leaders. As for that Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’^{(CT) 41 (CU)}So they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifice to the idol, and reveled in the works of their hands. ⁴² Then God turned and handed them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:^(CV)

⁴⁴ Our ancestors had the tent of testimony in the desert just as the One who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the pattern he had seen.^{(CX) 45} Our ancestors who inherited it brought it with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out from before our ancestors, up to the time of David,^{(CY) 46} who found favor in the sight of God and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob.^{(CZ) 47} But Solomon built a house for him.^{(DA) 48} Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:^(DB)

Conclusion. ⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors. ⁵² Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.^{(DD) 53} You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it.”^(DE)

Stephen’s Martyrdom. ⁵⁴ When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. ^55 (DF)But he, filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,^{[ak] 56} and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷ But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears,^[al] and rushed upon him together. ⁵⁸ They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.^{(DG) 59} As they were stoning Stephen,^(DH) he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”^{[am] 60} Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep.^(DI)

Chapter 8

¹ Now Saul was consenting to his execution.^(DJ)

Persecution of the Church. On that day, there broke out a severe persecution^[an] of the church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.^{[ao] 2} Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him. ³ Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the church;^[ap] entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment.^(DK)