По вознесении Иисуса Христа ученики Его, помолившись и бросив жребий, на место несчастного предателя Иуды избрали Матфея, которого и причислили к одиннадцати апостолам. Всех же верующих было теперь 120 человек, и все они собирались каждый день вместе и молились единодушно Господу о ниспослании им Святаго Духа. Так прошло десять дней после вознесения Господня на небо, и настала Пятидесятница, праздник воспоминания синайского законодательства. В этот день все апостолы были единодушно вместе. И вот внезапно сделался шум с небес, как бы от несущегося сильного дыхания ветра, и наполнил весь дом, где они находились. Святый Дух явился в виде разделяющихся огненных языков, которые ниспускались на каждого из них. Тогда исполнились все Святаго Духа и начали говорить на других языках, как Дух давал им провещать. В Иерусалиме в то время находились набожные иудеи со всех стран земли. И так, когда сделался сей шум, то собралось множество людей и все они пришли в изумление, услышав их говорящими на разных языках. «Не всели они галилеяне? – рассуждали они между собою. – Как же мы слышим от них каждый свой язык, в котором кто из нас родился? Что это значит?» А иные насмехались, говоря: «Видно, они напились сладкого вина». Тогда Петр, встав вместе с одиннадцатью апостолами, начал так говорить к собравшемуся народу. «Мужи иудейские и все живущие в Иерусалиме! Послушайте моих слов и разумейте! Они не пьяны, как вы думаете, ибо теперь еще третий час дня, но это есть то, что предсказано пророком Иоилем: "И будет в последние дни, – говорит Бог, – излию дух Мой на всякую плоть, и будут пророчествовать сыны ваши и дщери ваши, а юноши ваши будут видения видеть, и старцам вашим будут сниться сны. И на рабов Моих, и на рабынь Моих в те дни излию дух Мой, и будут пророчествовать". Израильтяне! Выслушайте слова сии: Иисуса Назорея, Мужа, засвидетельствованного вам от Бога чудесами, явлениями и знамениями, которые Бог сотворил через Него среди вас, как и сами знаете, вы взяли и убили, пригвоздив ко кресту. Но Бог воскресил Его, чему мы все свидетели. Теперь же, быв вознесен десницею Божиею, Он излил на нас Святаго Духа, что вы теперь видите и слышите. Итак, верно знай, весь дом Израилев, что Бог Сего Самого Иисуса, которого вы распяли, соделал Господом и Христом». Услышав это, иудеи умилились сердцем и сказали апостолам: «Братия, что нам делать?» Петр же отвечал: «Покайтесь, и да крестится каждый из вас во имя Иисуса Христа для прощения грехов; и получите дар Святаго Духа. Ибо обещание сие дано вам, и детям вашим, и всем дальним, кого ни призовет Господь Бог наш». Принявшие эти слова апостола к сердцу крестились, и в тот же день к числу учеников Иисуса Христа присоединилось около трех тысяч душ. С тех пор все они постоянно пребывали в учении апостолов в общении, в преломлении хлеба и в молитвах. Имения свои они продавали и раздавали нуждающимся и были любимы всем народом. Господь же ежедневно присоединял спасаемых к Церкви.

38. Анания и Сапфира

Некто именем Анания, с женою своею Сапфирою, продав имение свое, утаил часть из цены оного, а остальное принес и положил к ногам апостолов. Но Петр сказал: «Анания! Для чего ты допустил сатане вложить в сердце твое мысль обмануть Святаго Духа и утаить часть из цены твоего поместья? Разве проданное не тебе принадлежало, а вырученное через продажу не в твоей ли власти находилось? Как пришло тебе в голову такое дело? Ты солгал не перед людьми, а перед Богом». Услышав слова сии, Анания упал и испустил дух. Его подняли и, вынесши, похоронили.

Часа через три приходит жена его, не зная ничего о случившемся. Петр спросил и ее: «Скажи мне, за столько ли вы продали поместье, за сколько сказал твой муж?» «Да, за столько!» – отвечала она. Но Петр продолжал: «Что это вы согласились искусить Духа Господня? Вот у дверей слышны шаги погребавших твоего мужа, они вынесут и тебя». И она тотчас же упала у ног его и испустила дух. Люди вошли и, нашедши ее мертвою, вынесли и похоронили подле мужа. Тогда великий страх объял всю церковь и всех, слышавших о том.

39. Смерть Стефана

Апостолы Иисуса Христа, не имея времени сами заботиться о всех внешних нуждах Церкви, избрали семь диаконов и возложили на них обязанность пещись о бедных. В числе этих диаконов иерусалимской церкви был Стефан, муж, исполненный веры и силы, делавший великие чудеса и знамения в народе. Раз некоторые из иудеев вступили с ним в спор о вере и, не могши противостоять его мудрости и духу, возбудили против него народ, старейшин и книжников, которые, схватив его, привели в Синедрион. Здесь явились ложные свидетели и говорили: «Этот человек непрестанно произносит хульные слова на это святое место и на закон; мы слышали сами, как он говорил, что Иисус Назорей разрушит место сие и переменит обычаи, переданные нам Моисеем». Тут все сидевшие в Синедрионе взглянули на Стефана и увидели, что лицо его было как бы ангельское. Когда же первосвященник спросил его: «Подлинно ли это так?», то Стефан, начав говорить, коснулся сперва дивных судеб народа израильского, потом в сильной речи обличил упорство и неповиновение его воле Божией и, наконец, заключил слова свои так: «Люди жестоковыйные и не обрезанные сердцем и ушами! Вы всегда противитесь Святому Духу, как отцы ваши, так и вы. Ибо кого из пророков не гнали отцы ваши? Они убили предвозвещавших пришествие Праведника, Которого предателями и убийцами сделались ныне вы, которые приняли закон при служении Ангелов и не сохранили его!» Здесь иудеи прервали его, не могши долее слушать его речи, и от злости скрежетали на него зубами. Стефан же, исполненный Духа Святаго, воззрев на небо, увидел Славу Божию и Иисуса, стоящего одесную Бога, и сказал: «Вот я вижу отверстые небеса и Сына Человеческого, стоящего одесную Бога». Но они закричали громким голосом, затыкали уши и, бросившись на него всею толпою, вытащили его за город и стали бросать в него камни. Стефан же молился, говоря: «Господи Иисусе! Прими дух мой!» Наконец, преклонив колена, воскликнул громким голосом: «Господи, не поставь им сего в грех!» И, сказав сие, почил.

40. Евнух эфиопский

When Stephen was being stoned, among the spectators of this torture was also a young man named Saul, who also approved of the murder of Stephen. This Saul was the blindest zealot of the law of Moses, and therefore the most cruel persecutor of the Christian church. He went into houses, looking for Christians who were hiding everywhere, and imprisoned them. Because of this persecution, Christians were scattered in the surrounding cities and villages, and everywhere they went, they preached the word of God. Thus, one of the deacons of the Jerusalem church, Philip, came to the city of Samaria with a sermon about Christ, and the people of Samarin unanimously listened to him, hearing and seeing how he worked miracles. After some time, an angel of God appeared to him and said: "Get up and go at noon, on the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza." Philip got up and walked. And behold, there came an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a nobleman of the Ethiopian queen Candace, who had come to Jerusalem to worship and was now returning home. He sat in the chariot and read the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip: "Come and harbor to this chariot." Philip ran up and, hearing that the Ethiopian was reading the prophet Isaiah, asked him: "Do you understand what you read?" The eunuch answered: "How can I understand if someone does not instruct me?" The words of the Scriptures, which he read, were as follows: "As a sheep is led to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent to him who shears it: so he does not open his mouth. In His humility His judgment is taken; Who shall tell His generation? For His life shall be earthed from the earth." The eunuch said to Philip: "Please tell me, of whom is the prophet speaking? For himself or for anyone else?" Then Philip, beginning with these words of writing, began to preach to him about Jesus. Meanwhile, continuing their journey, they came to the water, and the eunuch said: "Here is the water! What prevents me from being baptized?" Philip answered him: "It is possible, if you believe with all your heart." And when he answered: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God," both of them got down from the chariot and went to the water, in which Philip baptized the eunuch. After that, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip, and he became invisible, and the eunuch, full of joy, went on his way.

41. Saul's Conversion

Meanwhile, Saul, breathing threats and murder, was not content to persecute the disciples of the Lord in Jerusalem; he also begged from the high priest a written command to the Jewish synagogues in Damascus, that even there, whom he found from among the followers of Christian teaching, he would be bound and brought to Jerusalem. But on the way, not far from Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone on him, and he, falling to the ground, heard a voice saying to him: "Saul, Saul! When he asked, "Who art thou, Lord?" the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. It's hard for you to go against the." Then Saul, trembling and terrified, said: "Lord! What wilt thou command me to do?" And the Lord saith unto him: Arise and go into the city, where thou shalt be told what thou shalt do. Saul got up from the ground and, opening his eyes, could not see anything. Then those who went with him took him by the arms and led him to Damascus, where he spent three days in fasting and prayer. In Damascus there was then a certain disciple of the Lord, whose name was Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision: "Ananias! Get up and go to the street called the Straight Street, and ask in the house of Judas a certain Tarsian named Saul; for behold, he was praying, and saw in a vision a man named Ananias, who came in to him and laid his hand on him to restore his sight." Ananias answered: "Lord! I have heard from many about this man! How much evil he has done to Thy saints in Jerusalem, He has authority from the chief priests here also to bind all who call on Thy name." But the Lord said to him: "Go, for this man is my chosen vessel; he will carry my name to the nations, and to kings, and to the children of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." Then Ananias obeyed, went into the house and, laying his hands on Saul, said: "Brother Saul! The Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were walking, sent me so that you might receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately it was as if scales fell from his eyes, and he began to see, and arose, and was baptized. From then on, Saul began to preach openly and boldly in Damascus and Jerusalem that Jesus was the Son of God.

42. Centurion Cornelius

In Caesarea there lived a Roman centurion named Cornelius. He was a pious man and fearing God with all his household; he gave much alms to the people and prayed fervently to God. One day in the middle of the day he clearly saw a vision of an angel of God, who came to him and said: "Cornelius! Thy prayers and thy alms have come to the remembrance of God. Therefore send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose name is Peter, who dwells in the house of a certain tanner, Simon, by the sea. From him you will hear how to save you and all your house." Cornelius immediately called two servants and one soldier to him, and having told them all, sent them to Joppa. As they approached the city, Peter went up to the top of the house to pray. It was about noon, and he felt hungry and was getting ready for dinner. But while the table was being prepared, he fell into a frenzy, and behold, he saw heaven opened, and a vessel, like a large tablecloth, tied at the four corners, descended from heaven and descended to earth. In that vessel were various four-legged animals, reptiles and birds. At this he heard a voice: "Arise, Peter, kill and eat!" Peter answered: "No, Lord! I have never eaten anything filthy or unclean." But a voice says to him: "What God has cleansed, do not consider it defiled." This vision was repeated three times, and then the vessel was taken to heaven. While Peter was perplexed in himself what this vision meant, messengers from Cornelius appeared at the gate of his house. And the Spirit said to Peter, "Behold, three men are looking for you, get up, go down, and go with them, not doubting in the least, for I have sent them." Peter went down and said to the people, "I am the one you are looking for! When they told him about the vision of Cornelius and conveyed his request, Peter entertained them in his house, and the next day he set out with them on his journey, taking with him some of the brethren from Joppa. And the next day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was already expecting them, and summoned his relatives and friends to him. At the entrance of Peter, Cornelius met him as a messenger of God and, falling down at his feet, bowed down to him, but Peter, lifting him up, said: "Get up, for I am the same man." Entering the house and finding there a large assembly, he addressed everyone and began to speak thus: "You know that the Jews are forbidden to enter into the company and to deal with foreigners, but God has revealed to me that I should not consider any person unclean or unclean. Therefore, having been called, He came without question. Tell me, then, for what business have you called me?" Then Cornelius told him in detail about his vision, and then added: "Now we all stand before God, ready to hear all that is commanded you from Him." Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "Verily I know that God is not partial, but in every nation he who fears Him and does righteousness is acceptable to Him." And then he began to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them. Peter had not yet finished his speech, when the Holy Spirit descended upon all those who heard his word. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were horrified, seeing that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles as well, for they heard them speaking and praising God in different tongues. Then Peter said: "Who then can forbid those who have received the Holy Spirit like us from being baptized with water?"

43. The Release of the Apostle Peter from Prison

King Herod, having started a persecution against Christians, put to death with the sword James, the brother of John. Seeing that this was pleasing to the Jews, he seized Peter also; but since it was the feast of the Passover, he put him in prison for the time being, under strong guard, in the thought of putting him to death after the feast. Meanwhile, all the Christians of Jerusalem diligently prayed to God for him. And so, on the very night when Herod wanted to take him out to be executed, and when Peter was especially guarded, so that he, bound with two chains, slept between two soldiers, and there were guards at the door, suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone on the prison. Waking Peter, the angel said to him: "Get up quickly!", and the chains fell from his hands. The angel said to him: "Gird yourself and put on your shoes!" Then the Angel commanded: "Put on your clothes and follow me!" Peter went out and followed him, not knowing for himself whether it was in reality or whether he was seeing all this in a dream. Thus they passed through one watch, and passed through the other; they came to the iron gate leading to the city, and they disappeared of their own accord before them. Through the gate they entered the city and passed through a certain street, when suddenly the angel was no longer with him. Then Peter came to his senses and said: "Now I truly see that the Lord has sent His angel to deliver me from the hands of Herod."