40 And with many other words he solemnly urged and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation!” 41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added.

The Fellowship of the First Believers

42 And they were devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers. 43 And fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were being performed by the apostles. 44 And all who believed were in the same place, and had everything in common. 45 And they began selling* their* possessions and property, and distributing these things to all, to the degree that anyone had need. 46 And every day, devoting themselves to meeting* with one purpose in the temple courts* and breaking bread from house to house, they were eating their food with joy and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding every day to the total of those who were being saved.

A Lame Beggar Healed at the Temple

3 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man was being carried who was lame ⌊from birth⌋.a ⌊He⌋b was placed every day at the gate of the temple called “Beautiful,” so that he could ask for charitable gifts from those who were going into the temple courts.* 3 When he* saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts,* he began asking to receive alms. 4 And Peter looked intently at him, together with John, and* said, “Look at us!” 5 So he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “Silver and gold ⌊I do not possess⌋,c but what I have, this I give to you—in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!”d 7 And taking hold of him by the right hand, he raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began walking around* and entered into the temple courts* with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 And they recognized him, that this onee was the one who used to sit asking for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.

Peter’s Sermon in Solomon’s Portico

11 And while* he was holding fast to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s, utterly astonished. 12 And when he* saw it,* Peter replied to the people, “Men and Israelites, why are you astonished at this? Or why are you staring at us, as if by our own power or godliness we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham and of Isaacf and of Jacob,g the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate, afterh he had decided to release him.* 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and demanded that a man—a murderer—be granted to you. 15 And you killed the originator of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses! 16 And on the basis of faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know, and the faith that is through him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. 17 And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18 But the things which God foretold through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christi would suffer, he has fulfilled in this way. 19 Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be blotted out, 20 so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Christj appointed for you—Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of the restoration of all things, about which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from earliest times. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord Godk will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You will listen to him in everything that he says to you.l 23 And it will be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed utterly from the people.’m 24 And indeed, all the prophets from Samuel and all those who followed him* have spoken about and proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God ordained with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed.’n 26 God, after he* had raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning each of you back from your wickedness!”

Peter and John Arrested

4 And while* they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees approached them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them and put them* in custody until the next day, because it was already evening. 4 But many of those who listened to the message believed, and the number of the men was approximately five thousand.