The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV
Page 539
16“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17‘Andk it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
l That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and myour daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
18And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
n And they shall prophesy.
19o I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
20p The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
21And it shall come to pass
That qwhoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.’
22“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you rby miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—
23“Him, sbeing delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, tyou 6have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
24u“whom God raised up, having 7loosed the 8pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
25“For David says concerning Him:
v‘I foresaw the LORD always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
26Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
27For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see wcorruption.
28You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’
29“Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you xof the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30“Therefore, being a prophet, yand knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, 9according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,
31“he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, zthat His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.
32a“This Jesus God has raised up, bof which we are all witnesses.
33“Therefore cbeing exalted 10to dthe right hand of God, and ehaving received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He fpoured out this which you now see and hear.
34“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
g‘The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
35Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’
36“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
37Now when they heard this, hthey were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
38Then Peter said to them, i“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the 11remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39“For the promise is to you and jto your children, and kto all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
A Vital Church Grows
40And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this 12perverse generation.”
41Then those who 13gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
42lAnd they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ 14doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43Then fear came upon every soul, and mmany wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44Now all who believed were together, and nhad all things in common,
45and 15sold their possessions and goods, and odivided16 them among all, as anyone had need.
46pSo continuing daily with one accord qin the temple, and rbreaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47praising God and having favor with all the people. And sthe Lord added 17to the church daily those who were being saved.
Acts 3
A Lame Man Healed
1Now Peter and John went up together ato the temple at the hour of prayer, bthe ninth hour.
2And ca certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, dto 1ask alms from those who entered the temple;
3who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
4And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”
5So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
6Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: eIn the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
7And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8So he, fleaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.
9gAnd all the people saw him walking and praising God.
10Then they knew that it was he who hsat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Preaching in Solomon’s Portico
11Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch iwhich is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed.
12So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
13j“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, kglorified His Servant Jesus, whom you ldelivered up and mdenied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.
14“But you denied nthe Holy One oand the Just, and pasked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15“and killed the 2Prince of life, qwhom God raised from the dead, rof which we are witnesses.
16s“And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17“Yet now, brethren, I know that tyou did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
18“But uthose things which God foretold vby the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
19w“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
20“and that He may send 3Jesus Christ, who was 4preached to you before,
21x“whom heaven must receive until the times of yrestoration of all things, zwhich God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since 5the world began.
22“For Moses truly said to the fathers, a‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.
23‘And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
24“Yes, and ball the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also 6foretold these days.
25c“You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, d‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’
26“To you efirst, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, fin turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” Major Sermons in Acts
&nb
sp; Acts 4
Peter and John Arrested
1Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the aSadducees came upon them,
2being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
3And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
4However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
Addressing the Sanhedrin
5And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes,
6as well as bAnnas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
7And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, c“By what power or by what name have you done this?”
8dThen Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
9“If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,
10“let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, ethat by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, fwhom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
11“This is the g‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’
12h“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
The Name of Jesus Forbidden
13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, iand perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
14And seeing the man who had been healed jstanding with them, they could say nothing against it.
15But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
16saying, k“What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a 1notable miracle has been done through them is levident2 to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.
17“But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
18mSo they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
19But Peter and John answered and said to them, n“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.
20o“For we cannot but speak the things which pwe have seen and heard.”
21So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, qbecause of the people, since they all rglorified God for swhat had been done.
22For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
Prayer for Boldness
(cf. Ps. 2:1, 2)
23And being let go, tthey went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, uYou are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
25“who 3by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
v‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
26The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the LORD and against His Christ.’
27“For wtruly against xYour holy Servant Jesus, ywhom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together
28z“to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
29“Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants athat with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30“by stretching out Your hand to heal, band that signs and wonders may be done cthrough the name of dYour holy Servant Jesus.”
31And when they had prayed, ethe place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, fand they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Sharing in All Things
32Now the multitude of those who believed gwere of one heart and one soul; hneither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33And with igreat power the apostles gave jwitness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And kgreat grace was upon them all.
34Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; lfor all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35mand laid them at the apostles’ feet; nand they distributed to each as anyone had need.
36And 4Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of 5Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus,
37ohaving land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 5
Lying to the Holy Spirit
1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.
2And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3aBut Peter said, “Ananias, why has bSatan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
4“While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5Then Ananias, hearing these words, cfell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.
6And the young men arose and dwrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
7Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for so much.”
9Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together eto test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
10fThen immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.
11gSo great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
Continuing Power in the Church
12And hthrough the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. iAnd they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.
13Yet jnone of the rest dared join them, kbut the people esteemed them highly.
14And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
15so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, lthat at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
16Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing msick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
Imprisoned Apostles Freed
17nThen the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with 1indignation,
18oand laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.
19But at night pan angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,
20“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people qall the words of this life.”
21And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. rBut the high priest and those with him came and called the 2council together, with all the 3elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
Apostles on Trial Again
22But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported,
23saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing 4outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”
24Now when 5the high priest, sthe captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be.
25So one came and told them, 6saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”
26Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, tfor they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.
27And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,
28saying, u“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, vand intend to bring this Man’s wblood on us!”
29But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: x“We ought to obey God rather than men.
30y“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by zhanging on a tree.
31a“Him God has exalted to His right hand to be bPrince and cSavior, dto give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
32“And ewe are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit fwhom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Gamaliel’s Advice
33When they heard this, they were gfurious7 and plotted to kill them.
34Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named hGamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while.
35And he said to them: “Men of Israel, 8take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men.
36“For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, 9joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing.
37“After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed.
38“And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing;