praising God and having the good will ¹  of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day ²  those who were being saved.

While the man ¹  was hanging on to Peter and John, all the people, completely astounded, ran together to them in the covered walkway ²  called Solomon’s Portico. ³ 

While Peter and John ¹  were speaking to the people, the priests and the commander ²  of the temple guard ³  and the Sadducees ⁴  came up ⁵  to them,

But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more ¹  to anyone in this name.”

who said by the Holy Spirit through ¹  your servant David our forefather, ²  ‘Why do the nations ³  rage, ⁴  and the peoples plot foolish ⁵  things?

Now many miraculous signs ¹  and wonders came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. By ²  common consent ³  they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico. ⁴ 

Then the commander ¹  of the temple guard ²  went with the officers ³  and brought the apostles ⁴  without the use of force ⁵  (for they were afraid of being stoned by the people). ⁶ 

But a Pharisee ¹  whose name was Gamaliel, ²  a teacher of the law who was respected by all the people, stood up ³  in the council ⁴  and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time.

They incited the people, the ¹  elders, and the experts in the law; ²  then they approached Stephen, ³  seized him, and brought him before the council. ⁴ 

“But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, ¹  the people increased greatly in number ²  in Egypt,

He ¹  was a devout, God-fearing man, ²  as was all his household; he did many acts of charity for the people ³  and prayed to God regularly.

He ¹  commanded us to preach to the people and to warn ²  them ³  that he is the one ⁴  appointed ⁵  by God as judge ⁶  of the living and the dead.

When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads ¹  of soldiers to guard him. Herod ²  planned ³  to bring him out for public trial ⁴  after the Passover.

and ¹  for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied ²  him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These ³  are now his witnesses to the people.

because I am with you, and no one will assault ¹  you to harm ²  you, because I have many people in this city.”

Paul replied, ¹  “I did not realize, ²  brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” ³ 

that ¹  the Christ ²  was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people ³  and to the Gentiles.” ⁴ 

“And in the very place ¹  where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” ² 

But about Israel he says, “All day long I held out my hands to this disobedient and stubborn people!” ¹ 

So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.