Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Nathaniel, Matthew, James son of Alpheus, Simon the zealot, and Jude Thaddeus were staying in the upstairs room of a house along with Jesus’ mother Mary, Jesus’ brothers, the other women who were followers of Jesus, and around 100 others. They all prayed together constantly.
One day, Peter stood up and said, “Brothers and sisters. The prophetic words about Judas’ betrayal had to come true. He was one of us. He shared in our work, but he was a guide to those who arrested Jesus. Now we need to choose his replacement, someone who has been with us since Jesus was baptized by John right up until he returned to heaven.” After prayerfully considering two men, they chose Matthias to become one of the 12.
After ten days of praying together they suddenly heard a sound like a violent wind blowing through the whole house. They saw what looked like tongues of fire appear on each of them. At that moment they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in languages they had never spoken before.
When they heard the sound, Jews from every country who were currently in Jerusalem gathered at the house and were astonished to hear Jesus’ followers speaking to them in their own languages. They asked, “Aren’t these Galileans? How can we understand what they are saying regardless of where we came from? We hear them speak of the wonders of God. What does this mean?” But others were convinced it was just drunken gibberish they were hearing.
Then Peter stood up and said to everyone, “Let me explain. No one could be drunk this early in the morning. Jesus of Nazareth was a man empowered by God to do miracles, as you are aware. This man was handed over to you by God’s design and with the help of wicked men you had him killed on a cross. But God brought him back to life because it was impossible for death to hold him. I can tell you that our great king David is dead and buried. But he was also a prophet who knew God promised he would have an heir to the throne who would reign forever. That man is Jesus and we have seen him be brought back to life with our own eyes. He now sits next to God and has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit that you now see and hear.”
When the people heard this it affected them greatly and they asked what they should do. Peter replied, “Repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus our Savior who forgives you and you will also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for everyone, no matter where or when.” He continued to speak to them and nearly 3000 people became followers of Jesus that day, carrying the story of Jesus back to their homes, leading people in various towns throughout the Roman Empire to believe.
That day became known as Pentecost because it was fifty days since Jesus had been brought back to life. Those who had been close with Jesus during his entire ministry became known as apostles because they were Jesus’ messengers. The new followers spent their time listening to the apostles’ teachings and growing closer to each other over many shared meals together. Everyone was amazed at the miracles the apostles did. They lived together and shared everything they had. They sold their belongings and gave to anyone who was in need. Every day more people joined them because of their life-changing joy.
One day, Peter and John were going to the temple to pray when they came across a beggar who had been unable to walk his entire life. When he saw the two men he asked them for money. Peter said, “I don’t have any money, but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus, our savior, walk.” Then he helped him to his feet which instantly became strong. He walked with them into the temple courts where he jumped with joy, praising God. When the people recognized him they were amazed.
Peter said to the gathering crowd, “Why does this surprise you? Do you think that this power originates with us? The God of our ancestors gave power to Jesus. You handed him over to be killed and disowned him before Pilate even though he was prepared to let him go. You asked for the murderer, Barabbas, to be released instead. You killed the creator of life, but God returned him to life. We saw it happen. I know you acted without understanding what you were doing. This is how the words of the prophets came true. Repent of your sins and return to God and you will be forgiven and refreshed. The prophets spoke of these days. Even Abraham was told that through his offspring all the world would be blessed. When God sent Jesus he was sent first to you so that you would turn away from your sinful ways.
The Sadducees, who did not believe in resurrection, were upset when they learned Peter and John were telling the people that Jesus had returned to life. They threw them in jail, but regardless many people who heard their message believed and their numbers increased to around 5000. The next day the Sanhedrin questioned Peter and John. “With what power and by whose authority did you heal that man?”
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit of God said, “If we are being questioned for showing kindness to a crippled man, then know this: It is by the name of Jesus, our savior, who you had killed, but who God returned to life that this man is healed. Jesus is the stone you builders rejected who has become the cornerstone. No one else can save us.”
When the Sanhedrin saw the courage of these two uneducated followers of Jesus they were amazed. But since they could plainly see the man that was healed they couldn’t do anything to Peter and John. They sent them away and then privately said among themselves, “What are we going to do about these two? Everyone in Jerusalem knows what they did and we can’t deny it. We need to stop this message from spreading. So they called Peter and John again and ordered them to stop talking about Jesus to anyone.
But they both replied, “You be the judge about what is right, to listen to you or to listen to God? We can’t stop talking about what we have seen and heard.” The religious leaders continued to threaten them, but because the people were praising God they would not punish them.
When Peter and John returned to the believers they told them everything that happened with the religious leaders. They all prayed together, “Our God and king. You made everything that exists. Through your Holy Spirit speaking to prophets you warned us of these dangers. Herod, Pilate, and the religious leaders worked together against Jesus, your servant. Help us to speak your words to everyone boldly in spite of their threats. Stretch out your hand and perform miracles in the name of Jesus.” After they prayed the house shook and, filled with the Holy Spirit of God, they boldly spoke the words of God.
A man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira, like many of the other believers, sold a piece of land they owned. But unlike the others, they secretly kept some of the money for themselves. When he brought the rest of the money and laid it at Peter’s feet he said, “Ananias, how is it that you have let Satan convince you to lie to the Holy Spirit about the money you made from selling your land? It was your property and once you sold it, it was your money. Why would you do this? You haven’t lied just to us, but to God.
When Ananias heard this he fell down dead and was carried away. About three hours later Sapphira came, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Is this the full price you got for your land?”
“Yes it is,” she replied.
Peter said, “How could you scheme against the Holy Spirit like this? Listen, the men who buried your husband are at the door and they will bury you as well.” Then she fell down dead and was buried next to her husband. Everyone who heard this story was filled with fear.
The apostles continued to speak about Jesus publicly in the temple courts and none of the Sadducees dared to join them, though they thought themselves well-respected. The crowds came with their sick and injured, just hoping Peter would pass by them, and all of them were healed. Many more people believed and joined them. Soon the Sadducees, in their jealousy, had all of the apostles arrested and put them in jail. But during the night an angel opened the doors to the prison and told them, “Go stand in the temple courts and tell the people all about this new life with Jesus.
When the Sanhedrin gathered the next morning and sent for the apostles they learned they were gone. The officers reported that the doors were locked and the guards at their posts, but no one was inside the cell.
As they were thinking about what to do someone spotted the apostles in the temple court. So they had them brought before the Sanhedrin. The high priest said, “we gave you orders not to speak about Jesus. But you seem determined to make the people think we are guilty for having him killed.
Peter replied, “We must obey God, rather than men. The God of our ancestors brought Jesus back to life after you had him killed. God made him our savior so that Israel might repent and be forgiven for its sins. We have seen this and are now filled with God’s Holy Spirit which is for all that obey.”
When they heard this they were furious and wanted them killed. But one of them, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, had the apostles removed from the room and said to the others, “Think carefully about what you are going to do to these men. We’ve seen movements like this come and go. If they are only serving themselves, their scheme will fail. But if they are following God, then we cannot stop them.”
Though he persuaded the others not to kill the apostles, they were still whipped and ordered never to speak about Jesus again. The apostles left, celebrating because their suffering was for the sake of Jesus and day after day they never stopped telling everyone they could that Jesus could save them from their sins.
But as their numbers continued to increase they started to face some problems. The Greek-speaking Jews began to complain that their widows were being overlooked by the Hebrew-speaking Jews when the food was distributed. So the 12 apostles said, “This problem needs to be addressed, but it would be wrong for us to be distracted from our responsibilities sharing Jesus. Choose people you know who are wise and full of the Holy spirit to handle this.”
Everyone was satisfied so they chose seven to oversee the distribution of food, among them Stephen and Philip, who became known as the Evangelist, not the apostle Philip. The apostles prayed for them as they took on this responsibility. More and more people became believers, including many priests.
Over time, Stephen did many wondrous things that amazed the people. But soon a group that opposed the believers, knowing they could not outdo Stephen’s heavenly wisdom, began to make up lies that he had said untrue things about God and Moses.
So the Sanhedrin had him arrested and made him stand trial. Lying witnesses claimed Stephen said, “Jesus will destroy this temple and change the laws Moses gave us.” They all looked at Stephen, but his face was like an angel’s.
They asked him, “Is this true?”
He answered, “Elders and brothers, listen to me. God appeared to Abraham and told him to leave his home and travel here. He owned no land in his lifetime, but God promised this land to his descendants even though he had no children at the time. He told him of our 400 year slavery in Egypt. He told him that the Egyptians would be punished and that we would return to this land as a free people.
“And, because of Joseph, our ancestors came to live in Egypt where they were eventually enslaved before being freed by Moses. But the people rebelled against Moses and against God again and again until eventually, led by Joshua, they carried the tabernacle into this land and conquered it.
“It was King David who wanted to turn the tabernacle into a permanent temple, but his son Solomon was the one to build it. But, as was told to them, God does not live in a house made by men.
“You stubborn people, you may have the mark God first taught Abraham we are to put on our bodies, but your minds and hearts are unchanged like your ancestors. You resist the Holy Spirit. Every prophet, your ancestors mistreated or killed. And now you have killed the savior of the world, you, who received God’s law from the angels but did not understand how to obey it.”
When the religious leaders heard this they were furious at Stephen, but Stephen at that moment received a vision and said, “Look, I see Jesus in heaven standing right next to God.”
The religious leaders covered their ears and began yelling as loudly as they could as they rushed to grab him. They dragged him outside the city and threw stones at him. His murder was overseen by one of them, a Pharisee named Saul. As they continued to pelt him, he called out, “Jesus, receive my spirit and do not hold this sin against them,” and died
On that day the religious leaders began an all out attack on the believers of Jesus, chasing all of them, except some of the apostles, out of Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria. Stephen was buried and his loss saddened them all. Saul, seeking the complete destruction of the believers of Jesus began going house to house, arresting anyone associated with them.
Those who fled Jerusalem spread the story of Jesus wherever they went. Philip the evangelist spoke in a town in Samaria and also healed many people there. Even a sorcerer Simon, famous for his mystical power in the area, came to believe and was baptized.
When the other apostles learned how the Samaritans were eagerly believing in Jesus, Peter and John came to them as well. They prayed that these believers would also receive the Holy Spirit. When the two placed their hands on any of these new believers they were filled with the Spirit.
When Simon the sorcerer saw this, he offered the apostles money to teach him this new power. But Peter replied, “You think you can buy the gift of God with your money? You have no part in this because your heart is not in the right place. Repent and pray to God that you will be forgiven for this desire. I can see that you are still a bitter man and a slave to your sin.”
“Pray for me so that it will not be like you said,” Simon asked. After this, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, spreading the news of Jesus in many Samaritan towns along the way.
During this time, Philip the evangelist was told by an angel of God to travel south. Along his journey he met an Ethiopian man, an important official in charge of the queen of Ethiopia’s money. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship and was now returning. He was in his chariot reading the writings of Isaiah. When Philip saw this he asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
“How can I unless someone explains it to me,” the Ethiopian replied.
The passage he was reading was a prophecy about Jesus’ death so Philip told the man the story of Jesus. As they continued to travel they came to some water and the Ethiopian said, “Look. Here’s water. Is there any reason I can’t get baptized right now?”
So Philip baptized the man, but when he came up out of the water, an angel caused Philip to vanish. Though the Ethiopian never saw him again he continued home celebrating the whole way. Philip, meanwhile, found himself in town of Azotos, once a Philistine city, and told the story of Jesus in every town he passed through until he reached Caesarea Maritima.
Saul, meanwhile, was travelling with some men to Damascus to capture any followers of Jesus he could find there. As he travelled a light from heaven enveloped him and he heard a voice say, “Saul, why do you treat me with such hostility?”
“Who are you?” Saul replied.
“I am Jesus, the one whose people you hunt and kill. Now get up and go into the city and await further instructions.”
When the light left, Saul realized that he was completely blind. The men who had travelled with him had not seen the light or heard Jesus speaking, but they led Saul into Damascus where he remained blind and refused to eat or drink for three days.
There was a follower of Jesus, Ananias of Damascus, who Jesus spoke to in a vision, saying, “Go to the house I show you and ask for a man named Saul, who is fasting, and has seen a vision of you arriving to restore his sight.”
He replied, “I’ve heard about how this man has been hunting down your followers, that’s why he has come here.”
But Jesus said, “Go! He is my chosen one to proclaim my name to the gentiles as well as the people of Israel. He will learn what it means to suffer for me.”
When Ananias reached Saul he placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me here to restore your sight and fill you with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. He got up and was baptized before eating some food and regaining his strength.
Saul spent several days with the followers of Jesus who lived in Damascus. After this he immediately went to the synagogue and started saying that Jesus is the son of God. Everyone who heard him was amazed and asked, “Isn’t this the same person who was hunting down followers of Jesus in Jerusalem? Didn’t he come here intending to do the same?” But Saul’s influence grew as he baffled the Jews living there by proving that Jesus was their prophesied savior.
After several days of this, some of the Jews conspired to kill Saul, but he learned of their plan. Though the conspirators watched the city gates at all hours, Saul’s followers lowered down the city walls in a basket at night so he could safely escape the city.
When he returned to Jerusalem he tried to meet with the disciples, but they were scared and would not believe he had become a follower. But one believer, Barnabas, who was known to the disciples and had also been with Saul in Damascus vouched for him and told the story of Saul’s conversion and how he had fearlessly spoken about Jesus in the synagogue. Convinced, they welcomed Saul as a brother and he continued to boldly speak of Jesus in Jerusalem as he had in Damascus. But when he debated the Greek speaking Jews and they sought to kill him, the disciples sent him to Caesarea Maritima and then North of Israel to Tarsus, in Asia Minor, his hometown.
After this, the followers of Jesus in Israel enjoyed years of peace and their numbers continued to increase. Tiberius Caesar died and was succeeded by his nephew Caligula Caesar, who appointed other governors of Judea to replace Pilate before installing his friend Herod Agrippa,grandson of Herod the Great, as King of Judea, albeit under Roman rule.
Peter travelled about the country spreading the story of Jesus and healing the sick. In the town of Lydda he found a paralyzed man named Aeneas and told him, “Jesus, your savior, heals you. Get up.” When Aeneas got up everyone in the town who saw him followed Jesus. In nearby Joppa, Peter learned that Tabita, a follower of Jesus who was known for caring for the poor, had died. When Peter saw her he sent everyone out of the room where her body was kept and said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, sat up, and looked at Peter, who took her by the hand and presented her to everyone who had gathered. Peter remained in Joppa for some time, staying in the home of Simon the tanner, and as the story of Tabitha’s resurrection became known, many more came to believe in Jesus.
Meanwhile, back in Caesarea Maritima there was a Roman soldier named Cornelius whose entire family devotedly followed Yahweh. One afternoon an angel appeared to him and said, “Your prayers and gifts for the poor are a pleasing sacrifice to God. Send men to Joppa and have them bring back a man named Peter, who is staying with Simon the tanner.”
At noon the next day, as Cornelius’ men made their way towards Joppa, Peter received a vision while he was praying. He saw a large sheet coming down from heaven. When it reached him he saw it was filled with all kinds of food, including some which were forbidden by the law of Moses. Peter heard a voice say, “Get up and eat, Peter.”
Peter replied, “I wouldn’t dare. I’ve never eaten anything forbidden in my life.”
But the voice replied, “Do not call anything forbidden that God has made clean.” The vision ended and Peter was left wondering at its meaning when he heard the Holy Spirit say to him, “There are men looking for you. Go downstairs and follow them, for I have sent them.”
When the men entered the house they said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a soldier, but also a righteous man who is respected by all the Jews of Caesarea. In a vision he was told to retrieve you so he could hear what you have to say.”
Peter invited the men to spend the night and the next day he set out with them to the house of Cornelius. When he arrived, Cornelius bowed down, but Peter said, “It’s alright, you can get up. I’m just a man, like you.”
Peter found that Cornelius had gathered many people together, so Peter addressed them, saying, “You know that is against the law of Moses for a Jew to visit with a gentile like this. But God has shown me that I should not think of anyone as forbidden. So when I was asked to come here, I did it without hesitation. Why have you sent for me?”
Cornelius replied, “You have already heard how an angel told me to find you. I have gathered all of these people here to listen to what God has commanded you to tell us.”
Peter said, “I can now see that God does not show favoritism, but accepts anyone who follows him and does what is right, regardless of what country they are from. You have heard the stories of how Jesus’ coming was prophesied as well as the amazing things he did during his life. I saw him die, but then I, along with many of his followers, saw him alive again after three days. He told us to share his story with everyone and tell them that he is one who was prophesied to be the judge over the living and the dead. Everyone who believes he is who he says he is will be saved from their sins.” Even as he was speaking, the people believed and immediately were filled with the Holy Spirit. The Jewish followers of Jesus who were there with Peter were amazed to see this happening to gentiles.” Peter said, “They have received the same Spirit as us. Surely there is no reason they shouldn’t be baptized and welcomed as our brothers in Jesus.”
When Peter returned to Jerusalem and the other apostles along with other Jewish followers of Jesus heard what he had done they said, “How could you go into the house of a gentile and eat with them?” Peter told them the entire story, starting with the vision he received in Joppa and finishing with the gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit. When they heard this, they had no more objections and praised God, saying, “So God has offered repentance and eternal life even to gentiles!”
Now, when some of the believers fled Jerusalem after Stephen’s murder, they travelled far, sharing the story of Jesus with Jews in Phoenicia, north of Israel, the island of Cyprus Northwest of Israel in the Mediterannean Sea, and even further north to Antioch, in Asia Minor. Around this same time, Caligula was assassinated by his own bodyguards and succeeded by Claudius Caesar, his uncle and the brother of Tiberius.
When news of this reached Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to learn more about what was happening there. When he arrived and saw what God had done he was glad and encouraged them to continue to follow the teachings of Jesus with all of their hearts. Barnabas then travelled to nearby Tarsus so he could bring Saul back with him to Antioch.
It was around this time that Herod Agrippa arrested some believers. He had the apostle James executed, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter as well. He had his prison cell guarded by four squads of four soldiers each so there was no chance he could escape. Herod Agrippa intended to have him face a public trial during Passover, 12 years after Jesus had been tried and executed.
The night before his trial, Peter was asleep, chained between two soldiers, while the other two guarded the door. Suddenly an angel appeared and struck him on the side, saying, “Get up, put on your clothes and shoes and follow me” as Peter’s chains fell off his wrists. Peter did as he was told, but thought he was experiencing a vision. They walked out of the prison, with the doors opening by themselves, and turned down a street before the angel left him.
Peter said to himself, “Now I know that God sent this angel to rescue me from the schemes of Herod Agrippa.” He then went to the house of John Mark, where many believers were praying, and knocked on the door and called for them, but they did not believe it was really him. After he continued they finally opened the door and were astonished to see him. Peter motioned for them to be quiet, told them how he had escaped, and then said, “Tell other apostles and believers about this,” before he left to find a safer place. The next morning, everyone was confused about what had happened to Peter and when Herod Agrippa was unable to learn anything from the guards he ordered their executions.
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