when this voice was made, the multitude came together, and was confounded in mind, because that every one heard them speaking in his own tongue. And they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these, who speak, Galileans? And how have we every one heard our own tongue wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphilia, Egypt, and the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: What meaneth this? But others mocking, said: These men are full of new wine.

Peter then stood up with the other apostles, and declared to the people that this wonderful gift was the work of the Holy Ghost, which had been foretold by the prophet Joel, and that He who had wrought it was none other than that Jesus whom they had crucified, and whom God had raised from the dead.

And when they heard these things, they had compunction in their heart: and they said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles: What shall we do, men brethren? And Peter said to them: Do penance, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call. And with a great many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying: Save yourselves from this perverse generation. They, therefore, that received his word, were baptised: and there were added to them in that day about three thousand souls. And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles in Jerusalem: and there was great fear in all. And all they that believed were together, and had

all things common. They sold their possessions and goods, and divided them to all, according as every one had need. And continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they took their meat with gladness and simplicity of heart: praising God together, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added daily to their society such as should be saved.

Peter preaches to the People.

CHAP. II. The Lame Man healed.
The Apostles are apprehended.

IT was the will of God that the whole ceremonial law of Moses should now be abolished, that the distinction between Jew and Gentile should cease, and the gospel be preached to all nations alike. The Church was henceforth to be taught and governed, not by the priesthood of Aaron, but by the Christian priesthood, of which the apostles and their successors were to be the chief, one of the apostles, Simon Peter, and his successors, being supreme over all. Nevertheless, such of the Jews as were converted were permitted, if they wished it, to conform to the ceremonial rules of the law of Moses, provided only they did not insist upon them as obligatory upon all Christians. And especially all the Christians continued to frequent the temple at the time of public prayer.

It was on one of these occasions that the apostles wrought their first miracle, after the departure of our Lord. At the ninth hour, Peter and John went up into the temple to pray; and a certain man, who was lame from his mother's womb, was carried: whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called the Beautiful, that he might beg alms of them that went into the temple. He, when he had seen Peter and John about to go into the temple, begged to receive an alms. But Peter, with John, fixing his eyes upon him, said: Look upon us. And he looked earnestly upon them, hoping that he should receive something from them. But Peter said: Silver and gold I have none:

but what I have, I give thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And having taken him by the right hand, he lifted him up, and forthwith his feet and soles became firm. And he leaping up, stood, and walked; and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

And when great crowds were gathered together at the tidings of the miracle, Peter again preached to them that it was by the power of the crucified Jesus that these things were done: and he called upon them all to believe in His name, and repent of their sins. This roused the jealousy of the priests and rulers of the people, and they seized the apostles and cast them into prison; for already the number of those who believed had reached five thousand. And the next day they called the apostles before them, and asked by what power, or name, they did these things. And Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, again declared that it was Jesus of Nazareth who wrought these marvels. And the rulers, seeing the constancy of the apostles, and knowing that they were poor and unlearned persons, were astonished and terrified, and contented themselves with commanding them to keep silence for the future. And they let them go, fearing the vengeance of the people if they punished them, though the apostles declared that they must obey God rather than men.

CHAP. III. Ananias and Saphira. The Miracles of the Apostles. They are apprehended and scourged.

Ar this wonderful progress of the faith, and the deliverance of the apostles, the hearts of all who believed were filled with joy, and peace and brotherly love ruled the souls of all. They cast their goods also into one common stock, and each was supplied according to his need.

But a certain man, named Ananias, with Saphira his wife, sold a field, and by fraud kept part of the price of the field, his wife being conscious of it; and bringing a certain part of it, he laid it at the feet of the

apostles. But Peter said: Ananias, why hath Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost, and by fraud keep part of the price of the field? Whilst it remained, did it not remain to thee? and being sold, was it not in thy power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God. And Ananias hearing these words, fell down, and gave up the ghost. And great fear came upon all that heard it. And the young men rising up, removed him, and carrying him out, buried him. And it came to pass, about the space of three hours after, his wife also, not knowing what had happened, came in. And Peter said to her: Tell me, woman, whether you sold the field for so much? And she said: Yea, for so much. And Peter said unto her: Why have you agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried thy husband, are at the door; and they shall carry thee out. Immediately she fell down before his feet, and gave up the ghost. And the young men coming in, found her dead; and carried her out, and buried her by her husband. And there came great fear upon the whole Church, and upon all that heard these things.

And by the hands of the Apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. But of the rest no one durst join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And the multitude of men and women that believed in the Lord was more increased, insomuch that they brought out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that when Peter came, his shadow at the least might overshadow any of them, and they might be delivered from their infirmities. And there came also together to Jerusalem a multitude out of the neighbouring cities, bringing sick persons, and such as were troubled with unclean spirits: who were all healed.

Then, again, the high-priest, who at this time was of the sect of the Sadducees, with his supporters, filled with fear and anger, seized the apostles and cast them

into the common prison. But at night an angel set them free, and bade them return and preach again in the temple. This miraculous deliverance, however, only terrified in some degree the unbelieving high-priest. He again seized the apostles, though without force, fearing the people, and brought them before the council. And when Peter and the rest boldly declared the resurrection of Jesus before them, they were cut to the heart, and proposed to put them to death. By the advice of Gamaliel, a Pharisee of great learning and repute, they, however, gave up the bloody design, and contented themselves with scourging the apostles, and then dismissed them. And they went from the council rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus. And they ceased not every day in the temple, and from house to house, to teach and preach Christ Jesus.

CHAP. IV. The Ordaining of the Seven Deacons. The Zeal and Martyrdom of Stephen. Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.

THE number of Christians now increasing rapidly, a dispute arose from the difficulty the apostles found in attending to the temporal concerns of the poor. The converts who had been brought up among the Gentiles complained against the rest, that their widows were neglected in the daily distribution of money.

The

apostles, therefore, enjoined on the brethren to choose seven men, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, who should fulfil the duties of deacons, and superintend the business, for which they themselves had no leisure. And they chose Stephen, Philip, Prochoras, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch. These seven the apostles ordained, by the imposition of hands, with prayer.

Stephen, one of the seven, immediately did great wonders and signs among the people; and confounded, by his speaking, all those who disputed with him. The unbelieving Jews then bribed false witnesses to say that