And Saul agreed completely with killing him.Now on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias,” and he replied, “Here I am, Lord.”

Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, I was praying in my house, and suddenly a man in shining clothing stood before me

“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, an object something like a large sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came to me.

and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught a significant number of people. Now it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay as foreigners in the country of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.

And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote against them when they were sentenced to death.

Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.”

For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem.

And I will perform wonders in the sky above and miraculous signs on the earth below, blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.

angry because they were teaching the people and announcing in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

On the next day, their rulers, elders, and experts in the law came together in Jerusalem.

“Go and stand in the temple courts and proclaim to the people all the words of this life.”

But the officers who came for them did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,

And every day both in the temple courts and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus was the Christ.

Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

So Joseph sent a message and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come, seventy-five people in all.