ACTS OF THE APOSTLES CHAPTER 1 - 6

THE BOOK OF ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

ACTS 1

1 The former record that I made,
Theophilus, of every grade
Of what Jesus began to do
And teach, 2 until the day in which
He was raised up, after that pitch
He through the Holy Spirit gave
Commandments to apostles brave
Whom he had chosen in a crew,
3 To whom also he showed himself
Alive after his passion's shelf
By many proofs infallible,
Seen by them forty days in full,
And speaking of the things that go
Along with God's kingdom in show.

The tone historical this writer takes
Is quite enough to make me from my shakes
Believe that he believes the thing is true,
That Jesus rose up from the grave in view.
It's not a mythic tale, a legend found
After the fact embellished on the ground.
I've seen a woman it was claimed that she
Had been dead and was raised up then to be
Alive again after lying for days
Within the casket to come and amaze.
Who am I to say none can rise from death,
As though I hold the keys of life and breath?
Beloved, if wishful thinking plays a part,
I'm willing to give the whole a new start.

4 They came together, by command
They should not leave the town and land
Of Jerusalem, but wait till
The Father's promise should fulfil,
“Which you have heard of me at hand.”
5 For John truly baptized with water,
But you'll be baptized with the slaughter
Of Holy Spirit soon as planned.

Baptism changes with the changing moon,
It takes Elisha to turn out the spoon,
Commanding Naaman seven dips in tune.
The proselyting baptism of Jews
Is now just three dips and back to the pews.
Baptism of John was really no news,
But just the miqwe publicized to choose,
And advertised for men as well as dames.
It's only here at last the Spirit's flames
Engage the victim with another care.
Baptisms in the name of John might share
With those in name of Jesus. Still I turn
Around the dergah floor for what I've earned
To find baptism of fire has not burned.

6 When they therefore had come together,
They asked of him the which and whether,
Saying “Sir, will you at this time
Restore Israel's kingdom to climb?”
7 And he said to them, “It is not
For you to know the times and plot,
Which the Father's put in His power?
8 “But you'll receive the power an hour
After the Holy Spirit's come,
And you'll bear witness of my sum
Both in Jerusalem and in
All of Judaea, and the din
Of Samaria, and as far
As the ends of the earthly star.”

Will Your restore the kingdom at this time?
And yet so long he had been in the rhyme
Without them knowing that kingdom had come
And was among them with a busy hum.
They ask, as the true kingdom disappears,
Goes off in physical elopement's gears,
When it will first arrive. They know no fears.
But Jesus does not stay to teach once more
What they failed to learn at the open door.
Instead he tells them that the Spirit will
Come to remind them of his teaching's fill,
And then perhaps as dreary days without
The kingdom's presence physical and stout
They will appreciate what he's about.

9 And when he had spoken these things,
While they looked on, he on his wings
Was taken up; and a cloud came
To take him from their sight in flame.

The occultation of the Christ was fine,
But it was nothing new, within the line,
He is the third so named, first Enoch went
And was not, for You took him as was sent.
Then great Elijah stepped across the flood
Of Jordan in baptisms without blood,
And entered in the chariot of fire,
Leaving his cloak and spirit with desire.
Beloved, I know not how many have sung
While rising living into the dark rung
Of stars, but if the Mahdi has not stung,
I too may hope to enter in Your heart
And be there hidden without end or start,
Riding in chariot or horse and cart.

10 And while they looked steadfastly on
Toward the sky to which he'd been drawn,
See, two men stood by them in white,
11 Who said “You men of Galilee,
Why do you stand gazing so bright
Into the sky? This same man free,
Jesus, who's taken up from you
Into the sky, shall so come too
In the same way you've seen him go
Into the heavens from below.”

This promise of the second coming here
Is great and cannot help but remain dear
To every heart that glows with faith to hear
The stories of the lord Jesus appear.
This promise of the coming makes it sound
As though he shall be visible from ground,
And not return in spirit to be found
In desert places hidden all around.
Beloved, I hardly dare to think it's true
That he could rise into the air from view,
And then return as visibly to me
As on that far-off day and far degree
He passed from time into eternity.
Beloved, I stand in awe of this and You.

12 They went back to Jerusalem
From the mount called Olivet's gem,
Which is far from Jerusalem
As a Sabbath day's trip in hem.

Since after resurrection has been told,
Disciples will no longer stand so bold
To keep the Sabbath, no, the burden's gone,
At least in view of priest and paragon.
And yet, without their keeping Sabbath day,
They still speak in such terms as Sabbath way.
The inconsistency of human speech
Is matched only by the words that they preach.
Beloved, though I know little of how far
I may or may not travel from the bar
On Sabbath or on Friday night, let me
Still keep enjoying Sabbath faithfully
Until I enter rest eternally,
Until I find the evening lit by star.

13 And when they had come in, they went
Up in an upper room where spent
Both Peter, James, and John, Andrew,
Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew,
And Matthew, James who was the son
Of Aphaeus, and then Simon
Zelotes, and Judas of James.
14 These all stayed there in one accord
In prayer and supplication's sword,
With the women and Mary too
Who was Jesus' mother, and crew
Of all his brothers come in view.

It seems as soon as Jesus was found dead,
His brothers rallied to his hopes outspread.
As soon as he no longer came to set
A trap and strange commotion to those met
In palace and in temple from the day
When he was twelve confounding in his way,
His brothers took the falling flag and led
His own disciples as they broke their bread.
Beloved, though Jesus once denied, it seems,
His mother, for obedient ones in schemes,
As soon as he is gone, her faith is high:
She will believe her son is in the sky.
Beloved, how human are we human souls
Stirred in our porcelain and mixing bowls.

15 And in those days Peter stood up
Among the disciples like tup,
And said among the many there
A hundred and twenty to share,
16 “Men and brothers, this Scripture must
Have been fulfilled down to the dust
Which Holy Spirit by the tongue
Of David spoke before the hung
Judas, which was guide to those who
Took Jesus. 17 “He was of our crew,
And had part in this ministry.
18 “Now this man bought a field with lot
Of wickedness, and falling got
Burst open in the middle, and
All his guts gushed out on the sand.
19 “And it was known to those who live
There in Jerusalem to give
That field the name in their own tongue
Aceldama, which means when rung
The field of blood if not of dung.
20 “For it is written in the book
Of Psalms, 'Let his dwelling place nook
Be desolate, and let no man
Live there, and let his service plan
Be taken by another man.'
21 “So of these men who've been with us
All the time the lord was gracious
To move among us, 22 “starting from
John's baptism and so to come
Up to the same day he was taken
Up from us, one must be ordained
To be a witness and unstained
With us of resurrection gained.”

The book of Acts shows Peter in the crowd
Of those who mend the tabernacle shroud
Of David and set up the walls again.
He appeals to Davidic word to men.
I love the man for that. For David's tent
Is where I find my glory has been spent.
I too find all the universe is set
In Psalms and Judases and Christs are met
In canvasses as bright and clear below
The fair Shekinah on the golden show.
Beloved, I follow John's baptism to
The brink of Galilee and take in view
Of Nazareth, Capernaum on foot
Beyond the hills, toward where the nights put.

23 And they appointed two, Joseph
Called Barsabas, whose surname was
Justus, and Matthias as does.
24 And they prayed and said “You, Lord who
Know the hearts of all, now show true
Choice You have made between these two,
25 “To take part of this service and
Apostleship, from which was banned
Judas by wickedness, so he
Might go to his own place freely.”
26 And they gave forth their lots, and it
Fell on Matthias, who would sit
With eleven apostles fit.

If chance is who You are, the gambler now
Loves You above all men in stern or prow.
If hazard is Your name, I beg to learn
What love the universe still has to burn.
Did You, Beloved, prefer Matthias named,
Or was it mere chance that arose unblamed?
And if mere chance, and You are chance untold,
The chance is not of mereness, but of gold.
Beloved, I'd rather know, beside the well
Of living water, what the secrets tell
Of Joseph, my sweet Joseph, who was left
Among the crowd forlorn, perhaps bereft.
Why not thirteen? Do the Psalms say it must
Be twelve and only twelve to meet the dust?

ACTS 2

1 And when the day of Pentecost
Had fully come, they were all tossed
Together in one place. 2 Right off
There came a sound from heaven to doff
A rushing, mighty wind that filled
All the house were they sat and milled.
3 And there appeared on them split tongues
Like fire, and it sat in its rungs
On each of them. 4 And they were all
Filled with the Holy Spirit's call,
And began speaking foreign tongues
As Spirit gave them power in stall.

Since I got D in English in third grade,
My interests have turned to the tongues displayed
In other lands and other families,
The Indian, European, to degrees
The Asian tongues as well ranging in breeze.
For all my hopeful studies, I have not
Mastered a single language in the plot.
The D was accurate, no doubt, bless that
Lone teacher if alive still on her mat.
I never heard the rushing, mighty wind,
I never felt the flame on my hair pinned,
And yet I pray Your Spirit on the finned,
The winged, the footed and on me also
To keep a hope and health and homely glow.

5 And there were staying in the town
Jerusalem Jews of renown
For their devotion from each place
Under the heavens in their trace.
6 Now when the rumours of this flew
Around, the multitude in crew
Came together and were amazed,
Because each man as he was raised
Heard them speak his own language due.
7 They were greatly surprised and asked
Each other, “See, are these not tasked
To speak all Galilaeans masked?
8 “And how do we each man hear our
Own language of birth at this hour?
9 “The Parthians, Medes, Elamites,
The Mesopotamian wights,
From Judaea, Cappadocia,
From Pontus and also Asia,
From Phrygia, and Pamphylia,
From Egypt and parts of Libya
About Cyrene, and strangers from
10 “Rome, Jews and proselytes to come,
11 “From Crete, and Arabs, we all hear
Them speak our languages in fear
The wondered works of God appear.”
12 And they were all amazed, in doubt,
Saying to each other about,
“What does this mean, and what find out?”

Knowing the difficulties that are met
In learning any language, I have yet
To overcome the first steps in the mire.
I too am amazed at disciples' quire.
A simple Cappadocian grammar would
Lift spirits indeed as such a book should.
The Arabic is quite beyond my task,
If classical is the language You ask.
Beloved, Creator of human speech, now
I see Acts recognizes anyhow
This divine attribute, the Christian way
Is to ignore for praise in light of day
This feature that Islam's willing to pay
The due respect: speech made of breath and clay.

13 And others made fun and they said
“These men are full of new wine spread.”
14 But Peter stood up with the band
Of the eleven, raised voice and
Said to them, “You men of Judaea,
Those in Jerusalem to see you,
Let this be known to you, and hear
The words I have to say in ear.
15 “For these are not drunk as you think,
Since it's just nine o'clock on brink.

I'd love to taste the wine at any cost
That made me spout ten languages and tossed
In Chinese tones and Arab gutturals
Against the ears of foes and generals.
I guess that would teach people to respect
Me too, instead of ignore and neglect.
Beloved, give me the wine those ancient Jews
Knew and loved in their synagogue and pews.
Give me that wine and I shall not refuse,
Despite the warning and dissenting views
Of the prophet Muhammad that I choose.
Beloved, give me a taste of that wine now
Before the clock strikes nine upon my brow
New wakened from the long sleep of the sow.

16 “But this is what was spoken by
The prophet Joel to rely,
17 “And it shall happen in last days,
Says God, I'll pour out of the rays
Of My Spirit upon all flesh;
And your sons and your daughters fresh
Shall prophesy, and your young men
Shall see visions, your old again
Shall dream dreams in their sleeping den.
18 “And on my servants and handmaids
I'll pour out in those days' cascades
Of my Spirit to prophesy.
19 “And I'll show wonders in the sky,
And signs in earth beneath, and blood
And fire and smoke in billows' flood.
20 “The sun shall be turned into dark,
The moon to blood before that stark
Great day of the Lord and its mark.
21 “And it shall happen, one who calls
On the name that the Lord installs
Shall be saved from both foe and thralls.
22 “You men of Israel, hear these words:
Jesus of Nazareth's full herds,
A man approved of God among
You by miracles, wonders sung
And signs, which God did by him in
The middle of your crew and din,
As you yourselves know and your kin:

Let's stop right here, Beloved, and take a look
At what Peter's said written in the book.
He says Jesus is man, not god, approved
By those who had not and by those who grooved.
The miracles he did proved that You gave
Him power to do, because as son and slave,
You were pleased with him, since he did not shave.
Let Trinitarian take full note here:
Jesus is not god got in any gear,
But a man sent, approved by You to fear.
Let it be known the wonders and the signs
Gave evidence of You in Your designs
And not of his own deity at all.
Back blasphemy, Beloved, against the wall.

23 “He was delivered by the strong
Decision and foreknowledge long
Of God. You took him with your hands
Of wickedness, and killed in bands
By crucifixion. 24 “God raised him
Up from the pains of death and dim,
Because it was not possible
That he should be held by it's pull.

If Jesus had been God by definition
He could not have been killed in the sedition.
But Acts says that he was. So that just shows
He was a man and not God in the rows.
The facile answer that just the man died
And not the divine character applied
Is nonsense for atonement on the side.
If the man died and not the god, then that
Small sacrifice was merely human scat.
The Trinity as doctrine fast denies
The death of the divine beneath the skies,
And so denies the sacrifice that came
To conquer death and sin for every blame.
If he did not die, living's not the same.

25 “For David speaks concerning him,
'I kept YHWH always at my face,
For He's on my right hand to trace,
So I'd not be moved anyplace.
26 “And that is why my heart rejoiced,
And my tongue was glad as it voiced
The hope in which my body rests:
27 “Because You'll not leave me in hell,
Nor let Your holy one see spell
Of dissolution at death's knell
28 “You've shown to me the ways of life,
You'll make me full of joy by fife
Before Your face.' 29 “Brothers and men,
Let me freely refer again
To you of David patriarch,
That he is dead and buried, mark
His sepulchre with us today.
30 “He was a prophet in God's way,
Who'd sworn an oath to him, the fruit
Of his loins by the flesh and boot,
He would raise up the Christ to sit
Upon his throne. 31 “He saw this fit
And spoke beforehand of the time
Christ would in resurrection climb
Up from hades so that his flesh
Saw no corruption, but stayed fresh.
32 “This Jesus God raised up, of that
We all are witnesses out flat.
33 “So he's raised to right hand of God,
And had the Father's promised prod
Of Holy Spirit, which he's shared,
Which you now see and hear unspared.
34 “For David's not gone to the sky,
But he himself gives the reply,
'YHWH said to my lord, sit on my
Right hand, 35 “until I make your foes
Your footstool.' 36 “So let all the band
Of Israel know as sure as stand,
That God's made that same Jesus whom
You've crucified, both lord in room
And Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they
Were pricked in their heart, and they say
To Peter and apostle band,
“Brothers and men, how do we stand?”

Sweet Peter's application of the Psalm
As prophecy of resurrection's balm
Was no doubt one original and showed
That novelty is the Scriptures' abode.
The novel use of Scripture does not give
The truth in absolute or way to live,
But its surprise to hear familiar tune
Sung to a different metre in the croon
May bring the heart to a repentance boon.
Beloved, it could be that David himself
Was resurrected and taken like elf
To be with Enoch and Elijah where
Your blessings waft the grand celestial air.
How's Peter so sure the tomb is not bare?

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent,
And be baptized each of you sent
In the name of Jesus the Christ
For the remission of sins sliced,
And you'll receive also the gift
Of the Holy Spirit to lift.

I have repented in my day and room,
I have been baptized without any gloom,
And found the promise of the Spirit's doom
Hangs ever and again upon my bloom.
If there's a Spirit blessing on my head,
I have not heard the wind or felt the dread
Flames leaping in coldness of fire instead.
But who knows whither I may yet be led?
Beloved, repentance is the only way
To Your prosperity in hopeful day,
And yet the human heart despises it
Even with promises of Spirit's fit.
The mystery cults seduce the great and fair,
While Your baptisms are reduced in ware.

39 “For the promise is made to you,
And to your children in their crew
To all afar off, even all
That the Lord our God then shall call.”
40 And with many other words' rhyme
Told them to flee this evil time.
41 Then they gladly received his word,
And were baptized of those that heard
That day about three thousand men.

One might think they laid hands on those too fast
Who were converted in the stony blast
Of Peter's sermon. But it might be well
To mind that they had heard Christ himself tell
About the kingdom in their midst a spell
Of three years over, if John's Gospel's right.
So three years in the catacumen's light
Is plenty of time to come out of night.
Beloved, when Peter accuses the Jews
Of slaying Jesus, it's not in my views
A literal in plaint, for it was done
By Romans who were there to hold the gun.
It's always Romans who are soon or late
The ones who jump the gun with love or hate.

42 And they continued steadfastly
As the apostles taught decree
And fellowship, and breading bread,
And in the kinds of prayers they said.
43 And fear came upon every man,
And many wonders and signs' span
That the apostles in God's plan
Were led to accomplish as can.
44 All who believed stayed in a group,
And had all things in common soup.
45 They sold their property and goods,
And divided them among hoods,
As every man had need again.

The communism of the Jesus crowd
Is sweet for a few weeks when praised aloud,
But wait until some greed peeks in the heart
Of some parishioner or leader's start,
And see how quickly retribution falls
To arouse fear instead of love in stalls.
Not many Baptists that I know are just
As ready to commune with bread and crust,
And would require a prod of fear to bring
Them into any communistic thing.
Just let them wait until the fervour's past
And kirk has settled in official cast.
Then those who keep their purses shall arise
And shout their Christian hymns up to the skies.

46 And they were daily with one will
In the temple and on the hill
To break bread from house to house, fill
Their meals with gladness and good will.
47 They praised God and were in the favour
Of all the people, slave and slaver.
And the Lord added to the called
Out ones each day those who installed
To be saved from the bitter pill.

I'd like to break the bread with those of old
Who settled in Jerusalem and told
The tales of Jesus as they dipped the sop.
I'd like to live with them and never stop.
But that's to be imagined for a while,
And then's to return to the trampled mile
That opens up another world of sin,
A world of churches worshiping in din.
Beloved, whether my pride turns on the dust
Of old Jerusalem or London fussed,
I find the sweetness of Your breath abroad,
Untrammeled by the whisperings of God,
I plough between the roses and the streams
To splash again, again celestial dreams.

ACTS 3

1 Now Peter and John went together
Into the temple to see whether
The time of prayer at nine o-clock
Had started without hitch or rock.
2 A certain man lame from his birth
Was carried and laid in his berth
At the gate of the temple which
Is called the Beautiful for pitch,
To beg alms from those who came in
The temple, 3 and he saw the kin
Of Peter and John just about
To go into the temple route,
And begged a boon from them in shout.
4 And Peter casting eye on him
Along with John, said “Look here trim
At us.” 5 And he gave heed to them,
Expecting to receive a gem.
6 Then Peter said “Silver and gold
Are not with me, but what I'm bold
To have I give you, in the name
Of Jesus Christ a man of fame
From Nazareth, get up and walk.”
7 He took his right hand like a stock
And lifted him up, and right then
His feet and ankle bones again
Received their strength before all men.

That Peter was a brave one to stick out
His neck in trust for healing of the bout.
But then, why not? If the man had not been
Healed then, what matter? There would be no sin
In having tried and failed. In such a place
Where people come and go without a trace,
There's not the village atmosphere and race,
No loss of reputation or of face
To stop in sympathy beside the gate
Of temple and pretend to heal a rate.
Why not just lay hands on all ill and lame
And pray for healing everywhere in game?
If none are healed, what loss is that to one
Who tried the word to see what might be done?

8 And he jumped up and stood and walked
And went in with them as well stocked
Into the temple, walking there
And leaping, praising God to dare.
9 And all the people saw him walking
And praising God as they came flocking.
10 And they knew that it was the one
That sat for alms under the sun
At the gate Beautiful beside
The temple, and they did not hide
Their wonder and amazement that
Such a great thing came on his mat.
11 And as the lame man who was healed
Held on to Peter and John's yield,
All the folk ran together there
To them in the porch called in share
Of Solomon, amazed to stare.
12 When Peter saw it, he replied
To the folk, “Men of Israel's pride,
Why do you marvel, and why look
So earnestly on us in nook,
As though by our own power or stand
Of holiness had by command
Made this man walk upon the land?
13 “The God of Abraham, Isaac
And Jacob, our ancestors' back,
Has glorified his son Jesus;
Whom you delivered with a fuss,
Denied him before Pilate's throne,
When he was set to leave alone.
14 “But you denied the holy one
And just, and chose a killer's bun
To be released to you for fun.
15 “And killed the prince of life whom God
Raised up from the dead and the sod,
Of which we're witnesses in prod.

If the man had not been healed on the spot,
Then three or four in passing might have got
A smile to see the unsuccessful trot,
And that would end the error and the plot.
But the crowd came to see the wonder there,
And Peter asked them why they came to stare?
In truth all healing is effect of faith
In the life of reality, not wraith,
And there was nothing Peter there could do,
Or John beside him waiting in the pew.
The hope of health is not in doctors' hands,
Nor in the incantation of the bands
Of drug pushers and pharmacists, but in
The silent, pushing life beyond the din.

16 “And his name through faith in his name
Has made this man both strong and game,
Whom you see here and recognize.
Indeed the faith which is through him
Has given him the health undim
Before all of you sound and trim.
17 “Now brothers, I expect you did
It in the ignorance where hid
Your rulers also. 18 “But those things,
Which God had shown before the wings
Of all His prophets, that Christ should
Suffer also, He has made good.

The suffering of Messiah is not shown
With clarity in the Hebrew lines known,
But must be cajoled out with care that shone
Upon imagination for a throne
More than on sacred pages left alone.
Still Peter brushes to the side the share
Of exegetic doubt where I'd beware,
And boldly says that Christ should suffer too,
And be cut off as Daniel came to view.
Beloved, there's hardly prophecy beyond
That one word for the crucifixion dawned.
And yet the stair is sure, the stroke employed
Upon the sent one before he enjoyed
The adoration to raised up in dew.

19 “Repent then, have a change of mind,
So that your sins be blotted out,
When the refreshing shall come lined
From the Lord's presence with a shout.

The great atonement that should only rise
After the two millennia's disguise
When the Most Holy Place beyond the skies
Should hear the sound of Jesus' tread of feet
Still human on the heavenly golden street,
Is fast predicted in Peter's complete
Astounding message that sins obsolete
Should be out blotted by the Saviour's hand
Of intercession before the throne scanned.
Beloved, I raise a cry here to rejoice
As I concur with Peter and his voice.
The blotting out of sin, and not mere choice
Of faint forgiveness finds a bugle clear,
A note of triumph after fear and tear.

20 “And he shall send Jesus Christ whom
Before was preached unto your doom;
21 “Who must stay in the heaven until
The time of restitution's fill,
That God has spoken by the tongue
Of all His holy prophets sung
Since the world started in its rung.
22 “For Moses truly said unto
The ancestors, 'A prophet due
Shall the Lord your God raise up too
Of your brothers, and one like me,
You shall obey him faithfully
In all he tells you truthfully.
23 “And it shall happen every soul
Who will not hear that prophet's toll
Shall be cut off from the folk's roll.'

There is no dispensation for the Jews,
And one to follow that rejects their views.
There is just that they ought to hear the word
Of one whose Jewish mama had been stirred
To find him faithful to the Torah when
So many turned to Caesar and his den.
Peter thinks that the prophecy holds true
For Jesus, and those who refuse his due
Will be judged for that neglect of the brew.
And time will tell. Until then I can say
That those who call him God Almighty sway
Upon the pagan and a heathen way.
Accept him for his calling to repent,
Accept him for the one that You have sent.

24 “Indeed all prophets from the time
Of Samuel and those that did climb
After, as many as have spoken,
Have also foretold these days' token.
25 “You are the prophets' children and
Of God's own covenant to stand
With our ancestors, when He said
To Abraham, 'In your seed bred
Shall of the kindreds of the earth
Be blessed and raised up in their worth.'
26 “To you first God, when He raised up
His son Jesus, he sent with cup
Of blessing to you, that you may
Turn every one from evil way.”

The raising up from death inspires the hope
Of the reward for those who reject pope
And mullah and the rabbi in their scope.
That great reward is life eternal when
The son of God shall return among men,
Seen on the cloud as he departed then,
Surrounded by the glory of the gate
Of heaven that opens from his new estate.
Beloved, when You raised him from death, You gave
The world the gift of life if they behave
Submitted to the king of life, and share
A willingness to enter kingdom there.
Beloved, the conquering of death I find
Incredible, but still I am resigned.

ACTS 4

1 Now as they spoke unto the folk,
The priests, the chief of temple woke,
And Sadducees came up to them,
2 They were greatly disturbed in hem
Because they taught the folk and preached
In Jesus resurrection reached.

Note well the preaching Peter did that day
Did not disturb the Pharisees in pay.
They were content and well so that a man
Should preach the resurrection as by plan.
It was the Sadducees and those from them,
The priestly caste, who disbelieved the gem
Of resurrection and that angel wings
Cover the messengers that Your hand brings.
This is a matter, not of church and crowd
Of Jewish synagogues among the proud,
But issue of sectarian in fine.
With one or other Peter could align.
Beloved, from that sectarian debate
In time rose up the very Christian state.

3 They grabbed them and arrested them
Until the next day, for the hem
Of evening was already there.
4 But many of those who with care
Heard the word believed for their share,
And the number of men who came
Were about five thousand's acclaim.
5 And it happened on the next day,
That their rulers, elders in sway
And scribes, 6 and Annas the high priest,
Caiaphas, John and not least
Alexander, and such as were
Of the high priest's family to stir
Were gathered in Jerusalem.
7 It happened when they had set them
In their midst, they asked, “By what power
Or by what name have you done this?”
8 Then Peter, filled as in that hour
With Holy Spirit, spoke to miss,
“Rulers of folk and senators
Of Israel: 9 “If it deplores,
We are today judged for good deeds
To a man helpless in his weeds,
And how he was cured, 10 “let it be
Known to you all, and more broadly
To all the folk of Israel,
That by the name of Jesus Christ
Of Nazareth, whom under spell
You crucified, whom God raised sliced
From the dead, by him this man stands
Here by you whole. 11 “This is the ‘stone
Which was rejected on the sands
By you builders, and which alone
Has become the chief cornerstone.’
12 “Nor is there salvation to find
In any other, for to bind
There is no other name that's said
Under heaven given and bred
Among men by which we are saved.”
13 Now when they saw the boldness braved
Of Peter and John, and perceived
That they were untaught and received
No education, then amazed
They knew they'd been by Jesus raised.
14 And seeing the man who'd been healed
Standing with them, they had to yield.

Those who spent years with Jesus came to be
More civilized than those in pageantry
Of the elite in rulership and power
Of church beneath the gleaming temple tower.
Untaught in the world's magic and the glow
Of repetitions on the standard go,
Peter and John were ready with the ray
Of hope and health to polish a new day.
Beloved, see if I stand before the test
Of barley justice and the black crow's nest
One healed of fractious pretence and the rest.
I jump for toy and bat at least to know
That healing has a fairly way to blow
Before the bleating of the ovine show.

15 But when they had commanded them
To go outside the council hem,
They conferred among themselves, 16 saying,
“What shall we do to these men paying?
For truly a great wonder's done
Through them, and all under the sun
Of Jerusalem know it's true,
So we cannot deny the view.
17 “But so it does not spread among
The people further, let's be stung
To threaten them severely, so
From now on they don't speak the row
To anyone in this man's name.”
18 They called them and commanded them
Not to speak at all nor give gem
Of teaching in Jesus Christ's name.

Intimidation of illiterate
Is ancient as a way to make the rate,
But now intimidation finds its way
Among the ones who read the netly ray.
It's not the priest and king today who takes
Intimidation out for Sunday stakes,
But rather the gurus of glitter wear
And jives of cock and coal decked out to spare.
Beloved, I've been called on the carpet for
The pitting of my hand against the store
Of print and putting out a leaf or two
Upon the wooden back of wooden pew.
But for my crimes I've passed the gassed and found
The pleasures of the beaten, tethered ground.

19 But Peter and John answered and
Said to them, “Whether it is right
To obey you here in God's sight
Than to obey God, judge you might.
20 “For we can only speak such things
As we have seen and heard in springs.”

Truth is that people everywhere I turn
Are certain to have seen the things that burn.
They are not like dear Peter when they learn
What You demand of every pot and urn.
A thousand ways obedience may take,
But all turn from the law You set on stake,
Pretending that true love requires a mind
That does not adhere to what You would bind.
Beloved, let me obey no man nor fate,
Nor even my own self under my pate,
But You alone in Word spent bright and glare,
The livid law of life lifted in air
Before the Sinai of nocturnal share.
Beloved, I stand to obey at Your gate.

21 So when they had threatened the more,
They let them go, finding no score
To punish them, because the folk
All praised God for what they'd in stroke.
22 For the man was over forty
Years old when this sign came to be
Done on him for his healing's fee.
23 They were released, went to their own,
Reported all the chief priests' tone
And what the elders said to them.
24 So when they heard that on the stem,
They lifted up their voice to God
Together and said “Lord, You're God,
Who made the heaven and the earth
And sea, and all that is in them,
25 “Who by the mouth of Your servant
David have said ‘Why did they rant,
The nations, and the people plot
Vain things? 26 “The kings of the earth's slot
Took their stand, and the rulers came
Together against YHWH by name
And against his Christ without blame.’
27 “Indeed against the holy child
Jesus, whom You anointed royaled,
Both Herod and Pontius Pilate,
With the Gentiles and the folk's rate
Of Israel, were gathered there
28 “To do whatever Your hand spare
And Your purpose determined done.
29 “Now, Lord, look on their threats begun,
And grant Your servants that with all
Boldness they may speak Your word's call,
30 “By stretching out Your hand to heal,
And that signs and wonders may reel
Done through the name of Your holy
Child Jesus.” 31 And when they'd freely
Prayed, the place where they came to be
Was shaken, and they were all filled
With the Holy Spirit instilled,
And they spoke God's word boldly drilled.

There is advance it seems since the last time
The Holy Spirit came to speak in rhyme
Of words incomprehensible to climb.
Instead of strange speech, now the word is clear:
The word of God, the greater word come near.
Instead of flames of fire upon each head,
The house is shaken as to wake the dead.
Beloved, I seek that shaking tent once more
Whether in northern forests or the door
Of far Jerusalem, and find the place
Is still filled with the mystic and the trace
Of sweetness that the new and dew release,
Is still a place infinite in its peace,
And in the wakened message to increase.

32 Now the crowd of those who believed
Were of one heart and soul reprieved,
Neither did anyone say that
Any of the things where he sat
Was his own, but they had all things
In common. 33 And with greater stings
Apostles bore witness to that
The Lord Jesus rose up from scat.
And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone in thrall
Among them who lacked, for all who
Had lands or houses sold the due,
And brought the profits of the sale
35 And laid them at apostles’ feet,
And they distributed the mail
To each as anyone had need.
36 And Joses, who was also named
Barnabas by apostles claimed
Which means son of encouragement,
A Levite of Cyprus' land sent,
37 Having land, sold it, and brought in
The price laid at apostles’ bin.

A short walk from the ruins of the city,
Abandoning Greek and Roman grafitti,
The theatre and baths, aesthetic mark
In marble by the sea, I turn to hark
To silent beckonings of Barnabas
Whose desert church and cloister welcome us.
A Levite, faithful son of Torah, had
More property than he could ever add
To his necessities, and so he sold
His excess to give to the poor and old,
The orphan and the widow. As I stand
Upon this spot that the apostle’s hand
May well have ploughed, Beloved, I ask of You
To grant me too the charity he knew.

ACTS 5

1 A man named Ananias and
Sapphira his wife sold some land.
2 And he kept back part of the profit,
His wife also refused to cough it.
He brought a certain part and laid
It at apostles' feet and stayed.
3 But Peter said “Ananias,
Why has Satan filled your heart's pass
To lie to the Holy Spirit
And keep back part of the price fit
Of the land for yourself a bit?
4 “While it remained, was it not yours?
And after it was sold, the stores,
Were they not under your control?
Why have you conceived this false role
In your heart? You've not lied to men
But to God from your lying den.”
5 Then Ananias heard these words,
Fell down and kicked his pot of curds.
So great fear came on all those who
Heard these things sitting in their pew.

I can't help thinking, my Beloved, this tale
Was written by authoritarian pale
To keep the populace under the nail
Of fear and the subjection of the rail.
The sin was to pretend that he had given
The whole sum and not kept some there to live in.
It seems to me few Christians in this place
Are guilty of a lesser crime in case.
All sin more morbidly and few relate
To every poor and every wealthy state
With justice born of Your law in its rate.
If it were true that such a small lie bends
The liar to the ground without amends,
Then all would be in the grave where it sends.

6 And the young men arose and wrapped
Him up, carried him out mapped,
And buried him. 7 Now it was just
Three hours later when in trust
His wife came in, though she did not
Knowing what had happened to the sot.
8 And Peter answered her, “Tell me
Whether you sold the land in fee
For so much?” She said, “Faithfully.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “How's it
That you have agreed so unfit
To tempt the good Spirit of YHWH?
Look, the feet of those who went out
To bury your husband about
The door will carry you out too.”
10 Then straight off she fell down before
His feet and breathed her last for gore.
And the young men came in and found
Her lying dead upon the ground.
They carried her out and put in
A grave beside her husband's win.
11 So great fear came on all the group
Of called out ones and every look
Who heard these things amid the din.

If Peter had just kept his good mouth shut,
Sapphira might have lived upon the glut
Of hidden profits, though burnt to the cut.
That's the fault of all leaders in the crime
Of church and temple or mosque in its time.
If they would only keep tongue bridled when
Questions arise to trouble hearts of men,
The world would find its once lost way again.
Instead they jump at opportunity
To set up their own great authority
By showing that they know the secrets kept
In Your heart in the sanctuary swept
By the cold of space and eternity,
By the cold of space and eternity.

12 Through the apostles' hands great signs
And wonders were done in the lines
Of the folk. And with one accord
They all stayed in the porch adored
Of Solomon. 13 Yet none of those
Others dared to join in their rows,
But the folk held in high esteem.
14 Believers continued in stream
To be added to the Lord's dream,
In crowds of men and women, 15 so
They brought the sick out in the streets
And laid them on beds and on sheets,
So at least Peter's shadow passing
By might fall on some of them massing.
16 Also a multitude came in
From the cities around in din
Into Jerusalem, to bring
The ailing and tormented sting
By unclean spirits, and all they
Were made well in a single day.

The hand of preacher that fells the lame crowd
Today draws inspiration and allowed
From the great healings of Jesus and him
Who followed in his path in ways not dim.
I may doubt that the divine blessing shows
In din and tinsel in the modern rows,
But with the spread of time and place I fail
To have the evidence that Peter's veil
Is broken by the flush of peach and kale
Like that of Pentecostal churches' tale.
In Peter's time the Spirit was not stale.
In Peter's time the Gospel was a word
Defying the elitist way that stirred
The good and great to death before the herd.

17 Then the high priest got up, and all
Those who were with him in the thrall
Of the sect of the Sadducees,
And they were filled with wrath's degrees,
18 And they arrested the apostles
And put them in the gaol with jostles.
19 But at night an angel of YHWH
Opened the prison doors, the crew
Brought out, and said, 20 “Go now, and stand
In the temple and speak as planned
To the folk all these words of life.”
21 And when they heard that for their strife,
They went into the temple rife
In the morning and taught the scanned.
But the high priest and those with him
Came and called in the council dim,
With all the elders of the folk
Of Israel, and sent when woke
To the prison to have them brought.
22 But when the officers had sought
And did not find them in the gaol,
They came back to report no fail,
23 Saying, “Indeed we found the gaol
Shut tight, and the guards in their place
To stand before the doors in brace,
But when we opened them, we found
No one inside upon the ground!”

When I was just a child, this story made
Enough to keep me in its bright parade
For a whole week, and in the Sabbath class
Still wonder at the things that come to pass.
That's why I am amazed to find it here
In just a verse or two and without fear.
I'd heard excitement of the passing by
The inner and the outer guards that ply
The spear and sword on all who would escape.
I'd heard it told at length on disk and tape.
Beloved, my childish ways give way at last
To something hardly different on the mast,
A contemplation of Your providence
By night and day for pound, shilling and pence.

24 Now when the high priest, who was chief
Of the temple, chief priests' relief,
Heard these things, they wondered in fact
What the outcome would be to act.
25 So one came and told them, and said
“Look, the men whom you threw instead
In gaol are standing up to teach
In the temple in the folk's reach!”
26 The captain went with officers
And brought them without strength of curs,
Because they were afraid the folk
Would stone them if they laid a stroke.
27 And when they had brought them, they set
Them before the council when met.
And the high priest asked them, 28 and said
“Did we not straightly say instead
Not to teach in this name? And see,
You've filled Jerusalem to be
With your doctrine, and you will bring
This man's blood on our heads to sting!”
29 But Peter and the other gents
Answered and said “What now prevents
Obeying God rather than men?
30 “The God of our fathers raised up
Jesus whom you murdered like tup
By hanging on a tree. 31 “Him God
Has raised to His right hand in prod
To be both Prince and Saviour and
To give repentance to the land
Of Israel, and yet in hand
Forgiveness of sins as they stand.
32 “And we are his witnesses to
These things, and Holy Spirit too
Whom God gave to those who are true
To obey Him in all they do.”

The rulers were not impressed with the tale
Of the escape of Peter from the gaol.
Such never are. They do not see what mail
It takes the prisoner to escape hale.
They're not impressed by human energy
And cunning to set him and others free.
That's why all guns of power must fall at last.
They disdain power of human hearts to blast
The chains of fashion and of tyranny.
Beloved, I daily escape powers that be
To find Your face in twig and leaf of tree,
In breath of wind, in the still voice and small
That echoes in the shining, precious hall
Of my heart sighing ever up to Thee.

33 When they heard it, they had a fit
And planned to kill them in their wit.
34 Then one in the council stood up,
A Pharisee and a hard tup
Named Gamaliel, teacher of
The law and one held in the love
By all the people, and he said
To put the apostles instead
Outside for a moment of dread.
35 And he told them, “Men of Israel,
Think carefully and think a while
Of what you think that you will do
About these men set in their crew.
36 “Some time ago Theudas rose up,
Claiming to be a man and tup.
About four hundred men joined him.
Then he was killed and all the dim
Who obeyed him were scattered and
Came to naught, even the whole band.
37 “After, Judas of Galilee
Arose in the days of the fee,
Attracting many people too.
He also disappeared from view
And all who obeyed him left too.
38 “And now I say to you, refrain
From these men, and leave them to vain,
For if this plot or this work come
From men, it will end in the hum.
39 “But if it is from God, you'll not
Be able to destroy the plot,
Lest you fight God and so be caught.”
40 And they agreed with him, and when
They had called for apostle men
And beaten them, they ordered they
Should not speak of the Jesus way,
And let them go to work and pray.
41 So they went out from council set
Rejoicing that they had been met
Worthy to suffer pain and shame
In honour of his blessèd name.
42 And in both temple and in each
House they continued there to teach
Of Jesus as the Christ and preach.

The argument Gamaliel brought out
Was one the whole council chose with a shout,
And yet it was based on the holy doubt
That Jesus was Messiah come with clout.
What happened to the fear that preaching might
Bring blame upon their heads for right and spite?
It was forgotten in the sacred light
Of justice mentioned by one man of right.
In every hall of parliament and king
There is an agent of the righteous thing,
One who is there at moment opportune
To speak a word of faith and hope and boon.
Beloved, I praise You for the justice found
In those You raise up on the barren ground.

ACTS 6

1 Now in those days, when they increased,
The disciples of the released,
There came complaint against Hebrews
By Hellenists among the crews,
Because their widows were neglected
In food distributed, selected.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude
Of the disciples, told the brood,
“It's not desirable that we
Should leave the word of God in fee
To serve tables from the pantry.
3 “Therefore, brothers, seek out among
You seven men of fame and sung,
Full of the Holy Spirit and
Wisdom to appoint over manned.
4 “But we will concentrate now on
Prayer and word's ministry outdrawn.”
5 The word pleased the whole crowd and spawn.
And they chose Stephen, man of faith
And Holy Spirit, and no wraith
Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor,
Timon, Parmenas, and in store
Nicolas, a proselyte from
Antioch, from where he had come,
6 Whom they set before the apostles,
And when they had prayed, they with jostles
Laid hands on them, ordained in sum.
7 Then the word of God spread until
The number of disciples fill
Jerusalem, and many priests
Followed the faith and all its feasts.

If twelve were made apostles from the right
Of Ishmael, son of Abraham in sight,
And Jacob's sons after that in their light,
Then it is truly well done that those sat
To chose out seven more to fill the flat.
The sacred numbers are made of the three
And four to bless time and eternity:
The sevens and the twelves return and sound
The message of Your oneness on the ground.
Beloved, elect me seven words to hear
Above the twelve I know with love and fear,
And I shall follow every word that's come
From Your mouth to the world to sing and hum.
Let seven more men or angels appear.

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power,
Did wonders great and signs to tower
Among the people. 9 Then arose
Some from the synagogue that chose
To be called of the freedmen who
Where Cyrenians, and a crew
Of Alexandrians, and those
From Cilicia and Asia,
Disputing with Stephen of law.
10 And they could not resist the way
Of wisdom and the Spirit's sway
By which he spoke. 11 And so then they
In secret got some men to say
“We've heard him speak blasphemous word
Against Moses and God occurred.”
12 They stirred up the folk, elders too,
And scribes and they came not a few
Arresting him, and brought him to
The council. 13 They also set up
False witnesses who said in cup,
“This man does not cease to blaspheme
Against this holy place and dream
Of the law, 14 “for we've heard him say
That Jesus of Nazareth's way
Will destroy this place and change what
Moses delivered to us shut.”
15 And all who sat in council looked
Hard on him, saw his face not brooked
As the face of an angel's ray.

Was it true that the Hellenizing man,
Stephen was representing some dire plan
To turn the temple over where he ran?
Methinks this is sectarian in plot.
When Pharisees and Sadducees could not
Agree, it spilled into the Christian lot.
Now the destruction that Hellenes have wrought
Is the suspicion that the Hebrews caught.
No man thinks new things on the road or land,
No one hears what the others understand,
But draws conclusions based on fear alone,
Attributing the dangers of a stone
To any who might glitter where they're thrown.
Beloved, be with the witness in his band.

AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

Copyright © 2007 Adams & McElwain Publishers and Thomas McElwain First Published in two volumes, The Beloved and I 2005, and Led of the Beloved, 2006. Second Edition, 2010 Third and revised edition, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this verse commentary on the sacred Scriptures may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from publisher.

To purchase the books, please go to:

http://www.lulu.com/shop/thomas-mcelwain/the-beloved-and-i-genesis-to-maccabees/paperback/product-20136835.html

http://www.lulu.com/shop/thomas-mcelwain/the-beloved-and-i-job-to-revelation/paperback/product-20050862.html