Nov 12 - Acts 1-2
Acts
1Certainly, O Theophilus, I composed the first discourse about everything that Jesus began to do and to teach2instructing the Apostles, whom he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, even until the day on which he was taken up3He also presented himself alive to them, after his Passion, appearing to them throughout forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God with many elucidations4And dining with them, he instructed them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but that they should wait for the Promise of the Father, "about which you have heard," he said, "from my own mouth5For John, indeed, baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now.6Therefore, those who had assembled together questioned him, saying, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom of Israel?7But he said to them: "It is not yours to know the times or the moments, which the Father has set by his own authority8But you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit, passing over you, and you shall be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.9And when he had said these things, while they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight10And while they were watching him going up to heaven, behold, two men stood near them in white vestments11And they said: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall return in just the same way that you have seen him going up to heaven.12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain, which is called Olivet, which is next to Jerusalem, within a Sabbath day’s journey13And when they had entered into the cenacle, they ascended to the place where Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude of James, were staying14All these were persevering with one accord in prayer with the women, and with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers15In those days, Peter, rising up in the midst of the brothers, said (now the crowd of men altogether was about one hundred and twenty)16"Noble brothers, the Scripture must be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit predicted by the mouth of David about Judas, who was the leader of those who apprehended Jesus17He had been numbered among us, and he was chosen by lot for this ministry18And this man certainly possessed an estate from the wages of iniquity, and so, having been hanged, he burst open in the middle and all his internal organs poured out19And this became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that this field was called in their language, Akeldama, that is, ‘Field of Blood.20For it has been written in the book of Psalms: ‘Let their dwelling place be desolate and may there be no one who dwells within it,’ and ‘Let another take his episcopate.21Therefore, it is necessary that, out of these men who have been assembling with us throughout the entire time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us22beginning from the baptism of John, until the day when he was taken up from us, one of these be made a witness with us of his Resurrection.23And they appointed two: Joseph, who was called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias24And praying, they said: "May you, O Lord, who knows the heart of everyone, reveal which one of these two you have chosen25to take a place in this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas prevaricated, so that he might go to his own place.26And they cast lots concerning them, and the lot fell upon Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven Apostles
1And when the days of Pentecost were completed, they were all together in the same place2And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven, like that of a wind approaching violently, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting3And there appeared to them separate tongues, as if of fire, which settled upon each one of them4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they began to speak in various languages, just as the Holy Spirit bestowed eloquence to them5Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, pious men from every nation that is under heaven6And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confused in mind, because each one was listening to them speaking in his own language7Then all were astonished, and they wondered, saying: "Behold, are not all of these who are speaking Galileans8And how is it that we have each heard them in our own language, into which we were born9Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and those who inhabit Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya which are around Cyrene, and new arrivals of the Romans11likewise Jews and new converts, Cretans and Arabs: we have heard them speaking in our own languages the mighty deeds of God.12And they were all astonished, and they wondered, saying to one another: "But what does this mean?13But others mockingly said, "These men are full of new wine.14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and he spoke to them: "Men of Judea, and all those who are staying in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and incline your ears to my words15For these men are not inebriated, as you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day16But this is what was spoken of by the prophet Joel17‘And this shall be: in the last days, says the Lord, I will pour out, from my Spirit, upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. And your youths shall see visions, and your elders shall dream dreams18And certainly, upon my men and women servants in those days, I will pour out from my Spirit, and they shall prophesy19And I will bestow wonders in heaven above, and signs on earth below: blood and fire and the vapor of smoke20The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord arrives21And this shall be: whoever shall invoke the name of the Lord will be saved.22Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus the Nazarene is a man confirmed by God among you through the miracles and wonders and signs that God accomplished through him in your midst, just as you also know23This man, under the definitive plan and foreknowledge of God, was delivered by the hands of the unjust, afflicted, and put to death24And he whom God has raised up has broken the sorrows of Hell, for certainly it was impossible for him to be held by it25For David said about him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always in my sight, for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be moved26Because of this, my heart has rejoiced, and my tongue has exulted. Moreover, my flesh shall also rest in hope27For you will not abandon my soul to Hell, nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption28You have made known to me the ways of life. You will completely fill me with happiness by your presence.29Noble brothers, permit me to speak freely to you about the Patriarch David: for he passed away and was buried, and his sepulcher is with us, even to this very day30Therefore, he was a prophet, for he knew that God had sworn an oath to him about the fruit of his loins, about the One who would sit upon his throne31Foreseeing this, he was speaking about the Resurrection of the Christ. For he was neither left behind in Hell, nor did his flesh see corruption32This Jesus, God raised up again, and of this we are all witnesses33Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured this out, just as you now see and hear34For David did not ascend into heaven. But he himself said: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand35until I make your enemies your footstool.36Therefore, may the entire house of Israel know most certainly that God has made this same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.37Now when they had heard these things, they were contrite in heart, and they said to Peter and to the other Apostles: "What should we do, noble brothers?38Yet truly, Peter said to them: "Do penance; and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit39For the Promise is for you and for your sons, and for all who are far away: for whomever the Lord our God will have called.40And then, with very many other words, he testified and he exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this depraved generation.41Therefore, those who accepted his discourse were baptized. And about three thousand souls were added on that day42Now they were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in the communion of the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers43And fear developed in every soul. Also, many miracles and signs were accomplished by the Apostles in Jerusalem. And there was a great awe in everyone44And then all who believed were together, and they held all things in common45They were selling their possessions and belongings, and dividing them to all, just as any of them had need46Also, they continued, daily, to be of one accord in the temple and to break bread among the houses; and they took their meals with exultation and simplicity of heart47praising God greatly, and holding favor with all the people. And every day, the Lord increased those who were being saved among them