** The Acts of the Apostles **
[Acts 1] {1:1} Certainly, O Theophilus, I composed the first discourse about everything that Jesus began to do and to teach, {1:2} instructing the Apostles, whom he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, even until the day on which he was taken up. {1:3} He also presented himself alive to them, after his Passion, appearing to them throughout forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God with many elucidations. {1:4} And 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 mouth. {1:5} For John, indeed, baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now.” {1:6} Therefore, those who had assembled together questioned him, saying, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom of Israel?”
{1:7} But he said to them: “It is not yours to know the times or the moments, which the Father has set by his own authority. {1:8} But 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.” {1:9} And when he had said these things, while they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. {1:10} And while they were watching him going up to heaven, behold, two men stood near them in white vestments. {1:11} And 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.” {1:12} Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain, which is called Olivet, which is next to Jerusalem, within a Sabbath day’s journey.
{1:13} And 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 staying. {1:14} All these were persevering with one accord in prayer with the women, and with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. {1:15} In those days, Peter, rising up in the midst of the brothers, said (now the crowd of men altogether was about one hundred and twenty): {1:16} “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 Jesus. {1:17} He had been numbered among us, and he was chosen by lot for this ministry. {1:18} And 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 out. {1:19} And this became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that this field was called in their language, Akeldama, that is, ‘Field of Blood.’ {1:20} For 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.’ {1:21} Therefore, 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 us, {1:22} beginning 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.”
{1:23} And they appointed two: Joseph, who was called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
{1:24} And praying, they said: “May you, O Lord, who knows the heart of everyone, reveal which one of these two you have chosen, {1:25} to take a place in this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas prevaricated, so that he might go to his own place.” {1:26} And they cast lots concerning them, and the lot fell upon Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.
[Acts 2] {2:1} And when the days of Pentecost were completed, they were all together in the same place.
{2:2} And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven, like that of a wind approaching violently, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. {2:3} And there appeared to them separate tongues, as if of fire, which settled upon each one of them. {2:4} And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they began to speak in various languages, just as the Holy Spirit bestowed eloquence to them. {2:5} Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, pious men from every nation that is under heaven. {2:6} And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confused in mind, because each one was listening to them speaking in his own language. {2:7} Then all were astonished, and they wondered, saying: “Behold, are not all of these who are speaking Galileans? {2:8} And how is it that we have each heard them in our own language, into which we were born? {2:9} Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and those who inhabit Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, {2:10} Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya which are around Cyrene, and new arrivals of the Romans, {2:11} likewise Jews and new converts, Cretans and Arabs: we have heard them speaking in our own languages the mighty deeds of God.” {2:12} And they were all astonished, and they wondered, saying to one another: “But what does this mean?” {2:13} But others mockingly said, “These men are full of new wine.” {2:14} But 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 words.
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