New Testament Plan

Acts 2,3,4

Acts 2

1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.

2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

7And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?

9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,

11both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians — we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

12And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

13But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

14But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

15For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

16But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

17“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;

18even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

19And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;

20the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

21And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

22“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know —

23this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

24God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

25For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;

26therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.

27For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.

28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

29“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne,

31he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

32This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

33Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

34For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,

35until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

36Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized 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.

39For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

40And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

41So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

42And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

43And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

44And all who believed were together and had all things in common.

45And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Acts 3

1Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

2And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.

3Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.

4And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”

5And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.

6But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

7And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.

8And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

9And all the people saw him walking and praising God,

10and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

11While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's.

12And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?

13The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.

14But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

15and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

16And his name — by faith in his name — has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

17“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

18But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.

19Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

20that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,

21whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

22Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.

23And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’

24And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.

25You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’

26God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Acts 4

1And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,

2greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

4But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

5On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,

6with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.

7And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”

8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,

9if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,

10let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead — by him this man is standing before you well.

11This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

12And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

14But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

15But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another,

16saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

17But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.”

18So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,

20for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

21And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.

22For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

23When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

24And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,

25who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?

26The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’ —

27for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,

28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

29And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,

30while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

32Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

33And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold

35and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

36Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,

37sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.