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10 was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And as they continued looking stedfastly up to heaven, while he was going, behold! two men stood near them, robed in 11 white, who addressed them, saying, Men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up to heaven? This same Jesus who is taken. up from you into heaven, will come in the same manner as you have seen him going to heaven.

12

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called 13 Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey* from it. And when they came in, they went up into the upper room, where Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James, usually 14 made their abode. These all continued with one mind in prayer and supplication, with the women, particularly Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

15

And in those days Peter rising up in the midst of the disciples, (the number of persons assembled being about one hun16 dred and twenty) said, Men, brethren, It was necessary that this scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit predicted, by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was 17 guide to them who laid hold on Jesus; because he was num18 bered with us, and had a part of this service allotted him-(Now

this man indeed had purchased† a field with the reward of his iniquity, and, falling on his face, had burst asunder, and all 19 his bowels gushed out; and this was so generally known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that the field is called in their 20 language, Akeldama, that is field of blood) "for it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his fold be desolate, and let there be no 21 inhabitant therein." And, His office let another take; It is necessary therefore, that one of these men who have accompanied us, during all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and 22 went out over us, beginning from the baptism of John to the day on which he was taken up from us, should be a witness

*About a mile.

†That is, according to the Hebrew idiom, + Ps. 69. 25. $109. 8.

had occasioned a field to be purchased.

VOL. IV.

D d

23 with us of his resurrection." So they set up two, Joseph call24 ed Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And

having prayed, saying, "Thou, O Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, shew which of these two thou hast chosen to take 25 the share of this ministration and apostleship which Judas 26 abandoned to go to his own place," they cast lots; and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

II. Now when the day of pentecost was fully come, they 2 were all with one accord in the same place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a mighty rushing wind, which 3 filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there

appeared to them separate tongues, as of fire, and it settled 4 on each of them. And they were all filled with a holy spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the spirit gave 5 them to make solemn addresses. Now there were residing at Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 So when this report spread, the multitude came together and 7 were confounded. Because every one heard them speaking in his own peculiar dialect; therefore they were astonished and expressed their amazement, saying one to another, Behold! 8 are not all these men who speak, Galileans? How then do we 9 hear, every one in his own native tongue! Parthians and Medes

and Elamites and the inhabitants of Mesopotamia and Judea, 10 and Capadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphilia,

Egypt and the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, the Roman 11 strangers also both Jews and Proselytes, Cretans and Arabs,

we hear them speaking, in our own tongues, the wonderful 12 dispensations of God. So they were all amazed and in suspense, saying to one another, What can be the meaning of 13 this? But others scoffingly said, They are filled with sweet wine.

14

Whereupon Peter, as he was standing with the eleven, raised his voice and thus solemnly addressed them, "Men of Judea and all ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, let this be made 15 known to you; and listen attentively to my words: for these

*Pentecost the 50th day. See Lev. 23. 15, 16.

men are not drunk as you suppose; for it is but the third 16 hour* of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet 17 Joel, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,

that I will pour out a portion of my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; and your young 18 men shall see visions; and your old men shall dream dreams; and upon my servants, and upon my handmaids, in those days I will pour out a portion of my spirit, and they shall prophe19 sy and I will exhibit wonders in the heaven above, and signs 20 on the earth beneath-blood and fire and smoky vapour. The

sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and illustrious day of the Lord. 21 And it shall come to pass, that whoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.t"

22

"Men of Israel hear these words-Jesus the Nazarene, a man from God, pointed out to you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God performed by him among you, as you 23 yourselves know.-Him, being surrendered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken; and by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain.— 24 Him God hath raised up, having loosed the bondst of death,

as it was not possible that he could be holden by it: for concerning him David saith, I saw the Lord continually before 25 me: because he is at my right hand that I may not be mov26 ed; therefore my heart was gladdened, and my tongue exult

ed with joy; and moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope, 27 that thou wilt not leave my soul in the mansion of the dead,§ 28 nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life. Thou with thy presence wilt fill me with joy.||"

29 "Men, brethren, permit me to speak freely to you con

cerning the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried; 30 and his sepulchre is among us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him with an

* Nine o'clock, A. M. † Joel, 2. 28, &c.
or pains, the cause being put for the effect.
the place of departed spirits. Ps, 16. 8, &c.

+ Literally, pangs Literally Hades,

oath, that from the fruit of his loins he would, as far as regardeth the flesh, raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he 31 spoke prophetically of the resurrection of the Christ, that his

soul was not left in the mansion of the dead, nor did his flesh 32 see corruption.-This very Jesus God hath raised up, of which 33 we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand

of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he hath poured out this which you now see 34 and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens; yet he 35 saith, "The Lord said to my lord, Sit at my right hand, un

til I make thine enemies thy footstool.*" Therefore let all the 36 house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified, Lord and Christ. 37 Upon hearing this, they were pierced to the heart and said. 38 to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men, brethren, What shall we do? Thereupon Peter said to them, Repent and let every one of you be baptized to the remission of sins for the name of Jesus Christ, and you will receive the gift of the Ho39 ly Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and

to all them afar off, whomsoever the Lord our God may in40 vite." And with many other words he obtested and exhorted

them, saying, "Save yourselves from this depraved genera41 tion." Then they who gladly received his word were baptized,

and about three thousand souls were that day added; and con42 tinued stedfast in the doctrine of the apostles and in the com43 munity, and in the breaking of the loaf, and in prayers, and there was fear on every soul; and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44 Now all they who believed were together, and had all 45 things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods 46 and distributed them to all, as any had need. And continuing

daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at 47 home, they partook of food with joy and singleness of heart,

praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added daily to the congregation them who were cured.

Ps. 110. 1.

III.

Now at the same time that Peter and John were going up 2 to the temple at the hour of prayer, namely, at the ninth hour,* there was a certain man carried up who had been lame from his birth, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, call3 ed BEAUTY-GATE, to ask alms of them who were going into the temple; who seeing Peter and John just about to enter the 4 temple, begged to receive an alms. Whereupon Peter and John 5 having fixed their eyes on him, Peter said, Look on us. Upon

which he looked earnestly at them, expecting to receive some6 thing from them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold I have none. But what I have, that I give thee. In the name of Jesus 7 Christ the Nazarene, rise up and walk. Then having taken him by the right hand he raised him up. And instantly his 8 feet and ankle bones were strengthened; and leaping up, he stood; then walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

9

When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recollected that he was the man who used to sit begging at the Beauty-gate of the temple, they were filled with wonder 11 and astonishment at what had happened to him. And while the lame man who was cured, kept hold of Peter and John, all the people in amaze crowded to them in the portico called So12 lomon's. Now when Peter saw this he thus addressed the people.

ye fix

"Men of Israel, why wonder ye at this? Or why do your eyes on us, as if we by our own power or piety had made 13 this man walk? The God of Abraham, and Isaak, and Jacob

the God of our fathers hath glorified his servant Jesus whom ye delivered up. Yes, you renounced him in the presence of 14 Pilate, when he had determined to release him: you indeed

renounced the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murder15 er to be granted to you. You indeed killed him who is the con

ductor to life, whom God hath raised from the dead, of which 16 we are witnesses. Now for the belief in his name, his name hath strengthened this man whom you see and know. Yes, the belief which is by him hath given this man this perfect sound17 ness in the presence of you all. And now brethren, I know that

*Three o'clock afternoon, the time of the evening sacrifice.

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