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After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
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On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
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No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
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“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
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Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
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But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
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But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.
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Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
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The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
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They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
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But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer.
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Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.
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For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.
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“Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days.
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And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’
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They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
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Ananias and Sapphira
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
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Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
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This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
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Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen.
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They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
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He gave him no inheritance here, not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.
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“As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.
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I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’
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“This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’
