Ezra 9:1-15

(1)  After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

(2)  For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost."

(3)  As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled.

(4)  Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.

(5)  And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God,

(6)  saying: "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.

(7)  From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.

(8)  But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery.

(9)  For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.

(10)  "And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments,

(11)  which you commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, 'The land that you are entering, to take possession of it, is a land impure with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations that have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness.

(12)  Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.'

(13)  And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this,

(14)  shall we break your commandments again and intermarry with the peoples who practice these abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape?

(15)  O LORD the God of Israel, you are just, for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this."

Acts 4:1-37

(1)  And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,

(2)  greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

(3)  And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

(4)  But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

(5)  On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,

(6)  with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.

(7)  And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?"

(8)  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,

(9)  if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,

(10)  let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by him this man is standing before you well.

(11)  This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

(12)  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

(13)  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

(14)  But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

(15)  But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another,

(16)  saying, "What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

(17)  But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name."

(18)  So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

(19)  But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,

(20)  for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."

(21)  And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.

(22)  For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

(23)  When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

(24)  And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,

(25)  who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, "'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?

(26)  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed'--

(27)  for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,

(28)  to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

(29)  And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,

(30)  while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

(31)  And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

(32)  Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

(33)  And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

(34)  There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold

(35)  and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

(36)  Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,

(37)  sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

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