with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy, and laid hands on 18 the apostles, and put them in public ward. But an 19 angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said, Go ye, and stand 20 and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life. And when they heard this, they entered 21 into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prisonhouse to have them brought. But the officers that 22 came found them not in the prison; and they returned, and told, saying, The prison-house we found 23 shut in all safety, and the keepers standing at the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. Now when the captain of the temple and 24 the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplexed concerning them whereunto this would grow. And there came one and told them, Behold, 25 the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people. Then went 26 the captain with the officers, and brought them, but without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And when they had brought 27 them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, We straitly charged 28 you not to teach in this name: and behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. But Peter and the 29 apostles answered_and_said, We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up 30 Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. Him 31 did God exalt with his right hand to be a Prince 2 Some ancient au- and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. And we are witnesses of these 32 1 Or, at thorities add in him. 3 Gr. sayings. things; and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath 4 Some ancient au- given to them that obey him. thorities read Ghost to them that obey him. and God hath But they, when they heard this, were cut to the 33 given the Holy heart, and were minded to slay them. But there 34 stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honour of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while. And he said unto them, Ye men of 35 Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what ye are about to do. For before these 36 days rose up Theudas, giving himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and 37 came to nought. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrolment, and drew away some of the people after him: he also perished; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad. 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work 39 be of men, it will be overthrown: but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply 40 ye be found even to be fighting against God. And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let 41 them go. They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were count42 ed worthy to suffer dishonour for the Name. And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ. 6 Now in these days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a murmuring 3 Or, minister to tables. 4 Some ancient au thorities read But, brethren, look ye out from among you. of the 'Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because 1 Gr. Hellenists. their widows were neglected in the daily ministra2 tion. And the twelve called the multitude of the 2 Gr. pleasing. disciples unto them, and said, It is not 'fit that we should forsake the word of God, and 'serve tables. 3 Look ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will continue stedfastly in prayer, and in 5 the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Par6 menas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 77 8 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought 9 great wonders and signs among the people. But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called the synagogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them 10 of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, 11 which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they 12 stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and seized him, and brought him into the council, and set up false witnesses, 13 which said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law: for we have 14 heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us. And all that sat in the 15 council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. And the high priest said, Are these things so? 7 And he said, 2 Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said 3 unto him, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæ- 4 ans, and dwelt in Haran: and from thence, when his father was dead, God removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell: and he gave him none in- 5 heritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: and he promised that he would give it to him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. And God spake on this wise, that his 6 seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil, four hundred years. And the nation to which 7 they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. And he gave him the covenant of cir- 8 cumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. And the patri- 9 archs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt: and God was with him, and delivered 10 him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, 11 and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was 12 corn in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time. And at the second time Joseph was made 13 known to his brethren; and Joseph's race became 14 manifest unto Pharaoh. And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, three15 score and fifteen souls. And Jacob went down into 16 Egypt; and he died, himself, and our fathers; and they were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver 17 of the sons of 'Hamor in Shechem. But as the time 1 Gr. Emmor. of the promise drew nigh, which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in 18 Egypt, till there arose another king over Egypt, 19 which knew not Joseph. The same dealt subtilly alive. 4 Or, fair unto God with our race, and evil entreated our fathers, that 2they should cast out their babes to the end they 2 Or, he 20 might not 'live. At which season Moses was born, 3 Gr. be preserved and was exceeding fair; and he was nourished three 21 months in his father's house: and when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished 22 him for her own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty 23 in his words and works. But when he was wellnigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit 24 his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged 25 him that was oppressed, smiting the Egyptian: and he supposed that his brethren understood how that God by his hand was giving them deliverance; but 5 Or, salvation 26 they understood not. And the day following he appeared unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; 27 why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who 28 made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Wouldest thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yester29 day? And Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two 30 sons. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, 31 in a flame of fire in a bush. And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to 32 behold, there came a voice of the Lord, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and 33 durst not behold. And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon 34 thou standest is holy ground. I have surely seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them: and now come, I will send thee into 1 Gr. redeemer. up me. Egypt. This Moses whom they refused, saying, 33 Who made thee a ruler and a judge? him hath God sent to be both a ruler and a 'deliverer with the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. This man led them forth, having wrought wonders 36 and signs in Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. This is that Moses, which 37 said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall God 2 Or, as he raised raise up unto you from among your brethren, like 3 Or, congregation unto me. This is he that was in the church in 38 the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living oracles to give unto us: to whom our 39 fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt, saying unto Aaron, Make us gods which shall go 40 before us: for as for this Moses, which led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And they made a calf in those days, and 41 brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands. But God turned, and gave 42 them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, 4 Gr. Jesus. Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacrifices 43 The figures which ye made to worship them: And I will carry you away beyond Babylon. Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in 44 the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he should make it according to the figure that he had seen. Which also our fathers, in their 45 turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered on the possession of the nations, which God thrust out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; who found favour in the sight of God, and 46 asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob. But Solomon built him a house. Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands; as saith the prophet, 47 48 The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet: 49 What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things? 50 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and 51 |